Healthy Internal Organs – Spleen/Intestines

I began these blogs on how to help our organs stay healthy since there is little info on this compared to the usual exercise info. So here is some info that can be helpful. If you need more info go talk to your health professional.

• SPLEEN

The spleen is located on the left side of the abdomen and weighs around 200g in the average healthy adult. The spleen can be considered as two organs in one; it filters the blood and removes abnormal cells (such as old and defective red blood cells), and it makes disease-fighting components of the immune system (including antibodies and lymphocytes). Since the spleen is involved in so many bodily functions, it is vulnerable to a wide range of disorders. However, the human body adapts well to life without this organ, so surgically removing a diseased or damaged spleen is possible without causing any serious harm to the patient.

Spleen structure

The body of the spleen appears red and pulpy, surrounded by a tough capsule. The red pulp consists of blood vessels (splenic sinusoids) interwoven with connective tissue (splenic cords). The red pulp filters the blood and removes old and defective blood cells. The white pulp is inside the red pulp, and consists of little lumps of lymphoid tissue. Antibodies are made inside the white pulp.

Similarly to other organs of the lymphatic system, particular immune cells (B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes) and blood cells are either made or matured inside the spleen. Blood enters the spleen via the splenic artery, which subdivides into many tiny branches. Each branch is encased in a clump of lymphocytes, which means every drop of blood is filtered for foreign particles as it enters the spleen.

Situated just under the left side of the ribcage, the spleen is an amazing, multi-tasking organ that performs a variety of functions. Its main function is to create lymphocytes to filter or, when needed, to destroy red blood cells. It is also where white blood cells are busy protecting the body from foreign agents. As an active organ that endures ongoing punishment from poisons and unwelcome invaders, the spleen is always susceptible to enlarging and rupturing.

Avoiding enlargement

1. Another function of the spleen is to return useful nutrients and other elements to the body by filtering them for reuse. This is why spleen health, though often neglected, is imperative. A healthy spleen can be managed through a healthy diet and by avoiding substances that tend to cause enlargement. Slightly increasing in size during digestion, the average adult spleen is about 3 inches by 5 inches. When the spleen is under stress, it responds by slightly enlarging. Sometimes, when diseases and physical conditions like leukemia, lupus, sickle cell and rheumatoid arthritis are present, they can cause the spleen to enlarge so much that it may rupture. This happens when it performs many tasks at once and when it is sent into a full-blown, defense mode. Viruses and bacteria are also contributing factors to an enlarged spleen. One thing you can do to attempt to maintain spleen health is to try, when possible, to avoid contracting a bacterial or viral infection. Do this by practicing good sanitation and hygiene: wash your hands frequently, avoid contact with people who are ill, and get regular checkups to catch any illnesses early.

Avoid Harmful Substances

2. Because your spleen is an active organ that filters, supplies, destroys and rebuilds cells regularly, it depends on a good supply of nutrients in order to function optimally. Illegal drugs, excessive alcohol, smoking and overly processed foods that are stuffed with unnecessary ingredients can all cause your spleen to enlarge. Avoid eating these processed foods in excess to help improve the health of your spleen. Once it is enlarged it may rupture, and excessive bleeding can create a serious emergency or even the need for surgery. Without surgery, the spleen can be healed, but only with discipline and care in order to nourish it back to health and later by applying preventative measures to keep it healthy. This would involve following a careful diet regimen, and taking medications such as antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor.

The spleen is an organ that is not always taken seriously. Much of that has to do with the fact that many people have ruptured their spleen and are living healthy lives without it. But the spleen does have benefits, such as fighting infection and balancing body fluids, and when a spleen is removed, other organs have to take on bigger roles. So to keep fighting off infections with a healthy spleen, you need to know what food you can eat to strengthen your spleen.

1. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains in your diet. These foods are all easier to digest. Raw fruits and vegetables keep many of the enzymes that are lost in cooked, processed foods, making less work for the spleen.
2. Buy more organic food. The spleen needs to process the pesticides in conventional food, treating them as chemicals that shouldn’t have been in the body in the first place. Even if you wash your food, many of the pesticides have already been absorbed. However, organic food can pass right through. But since organic food is often more expensive than conventional food, try purchasing organic food that is in season to save money.
3. Don’t eat too much at a time. The body can only digest so much food at a time, so when you overeat, food gets backed up, straining the spleen.
4. Chew your food thoroughly. Like overeating, not chewing your food creates more work for your entire digestive process.
5. Eat your larger meals earlier in the day when your spleen is functioning at its highest levels. Organs get more tired as the day goes on.

INTESTINES

There are several things you will have to do to maintain healthy Intestines. First of all, the more exercise the better. It really does not have to be painful. The important point is movement. You don’t have to go to the weight room, but walk when you can. Your thighs are your body’s biggest muscles, and exercising them forces your body to pump a lot of blood. When you increase your blood circulation like this, you are exercising your heart (very good for you), and the increased circulation and higher metabolism means that your body can process any junk within it at a faster pace. Don’t force yourself to do some horribly painful jog, and get all sweaty to the point that you hate the idea and can’t possibly motivate yourself to repeat it the next day, or never. But increase your daily activity slowly and at a leisurely pace. With little quick exercises you can keep your body in fairly good shape. Walk almost everywhere, or jog there, find on a map a nice route through tree-lined residential areas or parks, so it is quite a pleasant experience. So you can think of ways how to exercise, multi task so to speak, in such a way that it will not consume any extra time during your day, and not be a painful and regretful experience for you. This will increase your body’s metabolism to the point that it will be much better able to process any junk you might eat.

And try to shift your diet away from such junk food. Sure, go to McDonald’s once in a while, or eat an unhealthy hotdog, or a bag of chips with coke etc., but always be conscious of whatever you put in your mouth. read the package. You know, it is not that difficult to find a bag of chips (or snacks – such as a granola bar) that is healthier. Once again, if you make a slow transition in this department as well, your shift will not be a painful and torturous experience. The important point is not to go overboard to the point that you abandon your intentions. Go as slow as you need, but be resolute in your shift. And you will find that your taste buds will change accordingly. Below you will find some simple healthy recipes. It really is not difficult to eat healthy, cheaply, and it can be a joy to cook and eat such healthy food.

Now if you take care of these two points you will go a long way towards a healthy body, and healthy intestines. It does not really make sense to go into great detail about healthy intestines if you are regularly pounding your system with garbage, and if you are inactive. Once you have attained the above state to some degree, you can proceed to focus on your intestines (although you can certainly focus on everything at the same time). Your intestine, in a healthy state, apparently maintains some bacterial balance. Like a swamp which helps keep a lake clean. Full of certain types of bugs which eat the bad stuff.

Your intestines are similar, and if it is coming out as hard as a brick or as runny as Niagara, it is a sign to you that you are doing something wrong. One way you can regulate the bacteria is by drinking Kefir every day. It introduces a certain bacteria into your system to help maintain your intestinal ecology the way it should be.

You should also regulate your poo. I know, sounds pretty funny doesn’t it? But it makes total sense to examine what comes out. If my poop smells bad, I always think back to what I ate that day or the day before, and decide to try and avoid it. Pay attention to how your stomach feels and your body in general after eating crap food. So gauge your body this way, watching what you put into it, paying attention to how you feel afterwards, and examining what comes out. Do not treat your poo with disgust. As some sort of bad evidence you want to conceal and flush out of your sight as quickly as possible, but as something that you can examine and use to regulate your body and what you put into it.

Pork and beef are generally bad, because, in different ways, they help clog your intestines. So try to cut down those, try to eat only the lean and healthy stuff, and in between it eat stuff that helps flush out your system. Like for example Spinach salad. With a healthy dose of olive oil (very healthy for you), some good vinegar, squeezed lemon, a bit of spice, perhaps grated cheese, maybe even diced apples, and you have a rather delicious and very healthy meal which you can whip up in no time flat. Or use Romaine lettuce. Apparently Boston or Ice salad does not have much nutritional value. Go to your local health food shop and start asking lots of questions. Eat long grain brown rice rather than white processed rice. Sure, it might take 40 to 50 minutes to cook, but if you do it properly it requires no maintenance. Just throw it on the stove, during which time you can do lots of other stuff. Oh yes, throw sesame seeds on practically everything (soup, salad). There are very easy ways to eat healthy and not spend hours and a thick wallet doing it.

You can also try the intestinal flush < once in a while. Like plugging your garden hose into an outdoor faucet and turning it on full blast. Really clean out all the dead leaves accumulated over the winter. Your body works on the same principle as your car and your kitchen sink. So just give it an equal amount of attention and you will find yourself getting much healthier in ways you might not have dreamed of. Which will allow you to enjoy life much more, and that blasted car, if you really need it.

Olive oil, olive oil, and more olive oil. Apparently you can have as much as you want. Actually cleans and unplugs your arteries. Don’t waste your time with the extra virgin stuff, which sounds good but is further processed and has fewer nutrients. Cook with it, pour it into your salad, and drink it with disgust during your annual liver cleanse, ha ha.

What kinds of exercises help to increase bowel movements and bowel frequency?  First, the exercise must be regular. Occasional exercises better than none at all but regular exercise works best. Intensity counts also.

Here from a survey of existing research are the 5 best exercises that increase bowel movements:

1. Jump rope. Jumping rope for 20 minutes to half an hour every day helps to increase blood flow to the entire body, including the intestines. The up-and-down movements can be hard on your legs in you are out of shape, and hard on your knees if you are overweight.  Try jumping without the rope just a little bit off the floor on a carpeted floor r exercise mat. This will soften the impact on your knees.
2. Brisk walking. Briskly walking 35 to 45 minutes a day was cited by most of our readers as the single best exercise for bowel movements. The emphasis is on brisk walking. Strolls help our general health, helping to lower blood pressure and sugar levels as you know from other articles we have done, but brisk walking helps most to move the intestinal tract. Stride out long and strong, shoulders back and arms swinging. You don’t have to hit the ground hard. Just glide briskly.
3. Yoga.  Two poses in particular are effective in moving the bowels. The first is the cross over leg stretch. Lie on your back. Raise your left leg and cross it over the right leg.  When you finish your left leg should form a big “T” with your right leg.   Don’t worry if you’re not flexible enough to make a true T. Just start.  You will feel a slight stretch in your hip. Now. Do the other leg.  Repeat 5 times on each leg.

The other pose which helps bowel movement and also erectile dysfunction is the warrior pose.  The reason it works is that it is form of squat.   

4. Lunges.  Lunging principally works your thigh muscles. Bu a secondary benefit is that they also move your intestines as you dip lower into the lunge.  Remember, the intestines are over 25 feet long in an average adult, and when you bend deeply, you are stretching about a third of your intestinal tract. So, do at least 5 deep plunges every other day.
5. Squats. There’s a reason we go to the bathroom while in a natural seated position. Squatting aligns more of the intestinal tract downward. However, merely sitting in this position is ineffective. You have to do “three-quarter squats” to move your bowels. To do a three-quarter squat, bend down half as far as you would bend to sit in a chair.

Bonus Tip 6. Bicycle Crunch. The bicycle crunch is an intense crunch which works your entire abdomen. It also gently moves your intestinal tract from side to side and facilitates bowel movements.