“What a pain in the butt…!”

Hi ladies and gents, this is Eri, managing director at Tokyo Beauty Stars. Today we dive into a rather taboo topic. Let’s cut to the chase, I’m wearing a medical diaper as I write this blog.

I had my hemorrhoids surgically removed last week and am currently hooked up on painkillers. To be more specific, it was more of a skin tag. After hemorrhoid heals, the stretched out skin morphs into dangling flaps of skin, so my doctor recommended surgery.

You know how I am always telling you, readers, “Beauty comes from a healthy mind and body”? Well, this time, I learnt it the hard way! But it wasn’t all bad, I now have many beauty takeaways to share thanks to my doctor’s attentive advice. Surprisingly, curing constipation is not only essential for our health, but for beautiful skin as well!   

Actually, my constipation problems are already much improved nowadays, but I still can’t wait for my beautiful bum reveal next month!

Colon cancer on the rise in Japanese women

Gastric cancer is very common in us Japanese. In fact, not too long ago, it was the number one cause of death in Japanese women! While stomach cancer is decreasing yearly, colon cancer is on the rise.

According to words of wisdom from my GP(General Practitioner), the cause behind the increase in colorectal cancer (colon, rectal, and or bowel cancer) in Japanese women may be from the change in diet. Increased consumption of red meat, beef, and pork raises the risk of colorectal cancer. To lower the risk, we should reintroduce ample vegetables and fruits into our dietary habits.

Back in the day, food on the Japanese dining table mainly consisted of fish and shellfish, grains, and vegetables. However, the last 70 years have witnessed a rapid westernization in the Japanese diet. With more calories, modest meat portions, and seasonal vegetable rich in dietary fiber than meat-based Western-style meals, a return to seafood-based Japanese traditional dishes is recommended for a clean and healthy colon.

Introducing the “Sticky Japanese Breakfast”!

Today, I share with you my phenomenal breakfast menu that has put an end to my constipation problems. All cheap and ready-to-eat in 3 minutes, let’s call it the “Sticky Japanese Breakfast”. This sure-fire menu provides a natural alternative to prescription laxatives so that you can have your happy toilet time without the medicinal side effects. Perhaps it is the stickiness that helps with the smooth stool delivery, haha!

Photo lower right: Yam with Ponzu (Japanese sauce made of soy sauce and citrus juice). Cut yam into pieces, add a drop of ponzu and spread it on some seasoned laver.

Photo lower left: Miso soup with Nameko mushrooms and Mozuku seaweed

Photo upper right: Fresh persimmon

Photo upper middle: Natto (fermented soybeans) with okra (ladies’ fingers) and green onions

Photo upper left: A cup of hot water with pickled plum

Yam, nameko mushrooms, mozuku seaweed, okra are the best of the best in sticky Japanese food. Pickled plum and green onion are alkaline and antioxidant-rich foods that remove active oxygen and free radicals from your body, preventing a variety of diseases and illnesses. On the other hand, foods containing proteins such as meat and dairy products generally contain acidic foods. It’s best to keep our body slightly alkaline-inclined for optimal health and to neutralize the acids in our diet.

If your tummy still has a bit of space to spare or if you are seriously constipated, you can add yogurt and coffee in the mix – they highly stimulate and wake up your intestines!

If you have a little more time, prepare a sticky Japanese breakfast for your whole family!  While the food themselves are very simple, charming ceramic dishes can make it look a lot more appealing.

Healthy Poo for a Beautiful You

Last but not least, a little about beauty. Did you know that the intestines are greatly related to beauty?

As surprising as it seems, your intestines are not merely digestive organs, they are of such importance bodily function that they can also be said to be the “second brain”. It really does a lot of work.

My GP told me that when we are born, the first formed organ in our body is not our brains, but our colons. This is the reason why the colon is said to be the “second brain”. Our second brain is very clever, housing about 70% of our immune system within its walls. So if intestinal environment worsens, immunity of the whole body will also decrease. When the immune system goes down, the risk of getting sick, such as catching a cold, increases. Long story short, maintaining a well-functioning intestinal environmental is vital to maintaining physical health.

With no exit for wastes and toxins, constipation increases the amount of “bad bacteria” into the intestinal bacteria balance. Harmful substances generated by the imbalance have an adverse effect on the skin, as toxins then try to leave the body through it. For this reason, our skin acts up when we are constipated, and clears up when it is a comfortable smooth stool life.

So remember, having happy toilet time is very important to our body and beauty. Please try to cook yourself a wonderfully sticky Japanese breakfast if you haven’t had much-needed toilet time in the last few days!

PS. I’m still in recovery, I already ready have plans to share a big Christmas cake and KFC chicken with my Bell, CEO (Chief Entertainment Officer) at Tokyo Beauty Stars.

Merry Christmas everyone!