Are you FOS?

Are you FOS??

Some of you may be asking yourselves, "What on Earth is FOS?" I'm sure you know about it, you just may not realize how familiar you are with it. FOS is short for Full Of S*%& and it is a very serious problem affecting thousands of people around the country.

It is estimated that even average healthy people who go to the bathroom regularly carry 10 to 25 pounds of waste in their colons. If you are overweight or suffer from digestion issues, this number can be even greater. We are talking fecal matter guys! It's a mess that needs to be cleaned up to ensure optimal health.

Most people suffer with digestive system related issues, but may not even know it is a problem because their experiences are so commonplace. A healthy digestive system takes an hour to digest food and therefore, one should experience a bowel movement within a couple hours of completing their meals. But how many of us experience for ourselves or know others who only go once a day or maybe twice a week? We can rest assure, members of this group are certainly FOS!

Dangers of FOS:

Waste caked up on the inner linings of the colon can start to cause healthy tissue to decay and even create ulcers.

The toxins sitting in the colon can be recirculated into the bloodstream and cause autotoxemia (or autotoxication which is toxic substances formed within the body, as during intestinal digestion)

and compromise the body's ability to metabolize, fight off disease, and digest new foods.

Causes of FOS:

One cause of this "junk in the trunk" is a poor diet. Highly refined foods, low-fiber, high-fat, meat, flour, sugar, alcoholic, and preservative filled foods all can lead to an unhealthy colon. The saying "we are what we eat" can also be taken a step further to include "we are what we don't get rid of".

Another cause is a stressful life style. Not taking the proper time to sleep, chew food properly, exercise, and just relax.

Dehydration!! Drink more water. If you think you've drunk enough, drink two more glasses. Most people could never drink enough water. The body is 2/3 H2O, but during an active day of work, walking, driving, thinking, cooking dinner for the family etc, ask yourself, "How much water am I drinking?" If you drink caffeinated drinks, they actually take the water out of your system, so you have to replenish this hydration. A recent article I found actually states Women should drink at least 9 glasses a day and Men 11.


 How to fix FOS:

One way to fix the problem is eating healthier meals. Stay away from processed foods. An easy test is if it is in a bag, can or box steer clear because it is probably packed with preservatives!

Also, chew food. It is fun to eat and chat with friends. When we are busy or on the go, we often do multiple things while eating. Try to really SIT down and eat your food. Take at least 26 bites before swallowing. Use the chompers!

Eat smaller portions more times a day. Sometimes I find that smaller portions frequently throughout the day will keep new food coming in to push out the waste from earlier. Doing small meals will allow your digestion to keep up in a nice smooth pace.

Listen to your gut! Don't eat greasy foods if it makes you have heart burn. Don't just take Tums to calm stomach upsets. Really ponder, "What did I do to cause this?" Your body acting out is a way to alert you of something wrong.

Keep the water coming! As stated above, we all need to up our water in take. I started drinking at least three 24 floz bottles of water a day. This helps me monitor my intake. Let me just say, when I don't do it I don't have as much energy and I am severely bloated!


Cleanse your body. Sometimes fasting and taking some type of colon cleanse will certainly give your digestive system a much needed break. By allowing the body to repair itself and not concentrate on actually breaking down food, the damaged areas of the system can be corrected. However, please consult with a professional on what types of fasts and colon cleanse options are best for your health status. Not everyone can do the same things.

Keep a food/ bathroom diary. I say this because no matter what the professionals tell you to do, you are responsible for your health and no one really knows how you work but you. Some of my pals with the exact same form of IBD as I have experience very different tolerances to stress and foods than I do. So the only way to really know what works for you is to chart the successful days and the train wrecks. If you've ever had a day where you've felt particularly energetic, light, and content, examine the events that contributed to this bliss.

Conclusion:

I could write on this topic forever as I find it extremely interesting and liberating. We can do so much starting right now to increase our health status. We don't need to wait for anyone to tell us what we need to do. We need to investigate for ourselves and listen to the signs our precious temple sends our way. Live, Learn, Lead. Be Liberated!

Online References:

Colon Cleanse:
 http://www.colonhealth.net/colon_hydrotherapy/chtvital.htm

Diet:
 http://ecosalon.com/the-standard-american-diet-in-pictures-and-numbers/

Sleep:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/important-sleep-habits

Water:
http://timeforfitness.com/?p=352

Calm in the Eye of the Storm

This has been a very interesting four days! I am so excited about this program I can hardly sleep. Is it funny that even though my schedule has now gotten even busier I am feeling calmer? I guess since school is a priority and has to take my full attention, I'm better able to time manage. It's like the pockets of time I may have had just last week to say, "Oh, I can do it tomorrow," are no longer there. I have to take advantage of the now.






The L.A. County Fair is going on right now. Today my mom's group, The Emotions, performs at the fair along with a female hip-hop group called Salt-N-Pepa and singing group EnVogue. I am excited for them. I will be home studying so I'll miss the festivities, but they understand I'm on a mission. Yes, a Mission Possible! (Do you hear my theme music?) lol

Anywho, that's all for now. I hope you enjoy your day and make the best out of the gift we call the present.

Wendi Vaughn: Welcome to My World

Good Morning TV Land!

My name is Wendi Vaughn and I have something to talk about! Well, that is apparent because I am setting up this blog about me, mE, and more ME. Actually the "Me" aspect of my life is intertwined with countless other people and activities so those of you tuning in will learn about all that is in my world.

As a teacher, singer/ songwriter, journalist, activist, and business owner, I must say I rarely have a dull moment to spare. My life started off in Glendale, CA 30 years ago. My parents, Wayne and Wanda Vaughn, are two of the most incredible people in this world and are my first gifts from God. They established a very loving home for my siblings and me. I actually have four siblings: Wayne Jr., Wyann, Witny, and Waren. Growing up in a household of pure five-letter "Ws" was quite the tongue twister. Even our pet cat is a W, Winta!

Wayne, Wyann, Wanda, Witny, Wendi, Waren Vaughn

But as I stated before, Mom and Dad raised us to love without judgment, pray, and protect those we care for. At a young age, I discovered I had a passion for music. This was really an inheritance from Mom and Dad who are professional entertainers themselves. They actually met on the road, which is a very fun story to share at a later date perhaps. But their involvement in the music business, exposed me to a creative world of expression from no years old until today. I found that some of the best ways to release stress or really voice my thoughts on a topic are easily presented in song or poem. Because of this creative foundation, I've been able to be a part of some wonderful projects like singing on stage with Brian McKnight and Nancy Wilson. Recording music and writing songs for artists have also been very exciting endeavors. Currently, I have started to write for an on line health journal called Nutricula-U.  (Click on the September cover for amazing articles on health.) There I share information from my perspective on all that surrounds me. It is very cool.

My interest in music also led to me going to a special high school called The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. I attended from my 10th grade year until graduation and if one word can encapsulate this experience, it would have to be- AMAZING. The work load there was more than one's regular school program. I got to school by 7 am and was out by 4 pm. However, I decided to take college courses after school since the high school was housed on the campus of Cal State University, Los Angeles. So my days were loooong, but I had so much fun while attending that I rarely noticed the hours ticking away.

I ended up graduating top of my class and was accepted into UCLA straight out of high school. I decided to go to Glendale Community College instead to conserve funds and later transferred to UCSD. I had a ball at UC San Diego. The school is nestled on a hill near the ocean in La Jolla, CA. This was simply a slice a paradise.  Early mornings, I would run a couple miles through the city met by the cool crisp breeze spinning off the sea. The trees were often my only companions during those early morning jogs, their branches cheering me on. I graduated from UCSD in 2002 with a BA in Communication, which meant I completed my undergrad in 3 years and a quarter. I swear I think I heard the freedom bells ringing when I crossed that stage. I was ready for a change in pace. Having kicked school in the butt, I was eager to get started with LIFE. Unfortunately, this course didn't come with a syllabus.

ESL class 2008

When I returned to my family's home in Glendale after graduating college, I noticed I'd really changed. I was more independent and more protective of my personal space. Growing up in a house with no locks on the doors and siblings piled every which way, didn't allow much time for personal space- even in the bathroom. I really wanted a job in marketing/advertising. By then, I'd already determined this field as my perfect career choice because it allowed me to combine all my talents in one place. I had a job in a marketing capacity with Chipotle Mexican Grill. (Do you guys know about Chipotle? Delicious!) It was my first job after college and I was a greeter. The job didn't pay very much, in fact, I found that all my years in school didn't really set me up to make more than about $12 an hour in the field I desired. My aunt suggested I look into teaching adults with Los Angeles Unified School District. the hourly start out rate at the time was 34 bucks! I was sold.

I started teaching in 2003. The credentialing process was simple for a recent working grad to execute and the extension programs offered through USD were affordable enough. Stumbling upon teaching unraveled another passion of mine: helping others. I have taught a wide range of people, ages spanning from 9th graders all the way to men and women in their 70s. I must say teaching is by far one of the most important things anyone can do. Learning would be the first. As a teacher, I've learned more about life and myself. I've had to be held accountable for my responsibility to others in a very real way. In this process, I've become aware of the connection we all share as human beings, and I'm humbled by this great connection.

In 2005, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. CD is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and affects the digestive system. Crohn's completely took over my life when it really started to rear its ugly head. Having never been in the hospital for anything other than birth (not even chicken pox) I found it very hard to swallow. I was the health nut of my family and being sick just didn't fit me. I went through all the phases of DABDA (the grieving process, which from time to time I fluctuate on which phase I'm in still) and now I am simple in awe of how life works.

My first marketing move on my own with my family's company was created brochures and material to educate my community on Crohn's and Colitis. These diseases collectively affect more people than Breast Cancer or Prostate Cancer, yet still very little is known of these conditions. I am a part of millions of people struggling to find a comfortable life and the rest of the world has no clue of what we experience. Realizing IBD needed a voice, I became much more confident and kinda landed into my purpose. I want to market information that will help communities grow stronger. So far to fuel this desire, my family and I have set up companies that are geared toward arts and education. I'll share more of these efforts on my blog site as well.

Using marketing to educate is what I'm about. I want to help people on a macro scale and a part of that is alerting them to the fact that they need this help. Whether it is health related, financial literacy, college preparation, or work readiness we all need information, education and someone willing to guide us through life. I guess in a since, I want to be a part of developing the syllabus I missed so much when graduating college and started LIFE.

I'm now attending Boston University on line to attain my MS in International Marketing Management. I want to marry my innate gifts with practical knowledge. I'm my own project in a way I guess. Weird! But so cool. Thanks for tuning in. Until next time, enjoy your life and smile. You never know who is watching.

Links:
My testimony
Crohn's Colitis Founation of America
2010 Annual Golf Classic CCFA- Wendi & Wyann singing "Just Believe"