Constipation
Nobody wants to talk about it, but chronic constipation afflicts millions of individuals. The good news? For many, it may be possible to achieve regular elimination without dependence on habit-forming medicines.
What is chronic constipation? Constipation essentially means that fecal matter is not leaving the body in a timely manner. Symptoms include discomfort, bloating and gas, straining to eliminate and foul smelling fecal matter. If you rely on laxatives or even coffee or cigarettes to have a bowel movement, you may be experiencing constipation. Ideally, everyone should have at least one easy bowel movement per day. Anything less is usually considered constipation.
These are things you can try to improve or maintain regularity:
What is chronic constipation? Constipation essentially means that fecal matter is not leaving the body in a timely manner. Symptoms include discomfort, bloating and gas, straining to eliminate and foul smelling fecal matter. If you rely on laxatives or even coffee or cigarettes to have a bowel movement, you may be experiencing constipation. Ideally, everyone should have at least one easy bowel movement per day. Anything less is usually considered constipation.
These are things you can try to improve or maintain regularity:
- Water consumption is critical! Divide your body weight by two. Drink that many ounces of water a day –more if you exercise, if it is hot, or if you drink caffeine or alcohol.
- Consume at least 35 - 40 grams of fiber a day. (grams below approximate)
One cup cooked brown rice = 4 grams.
One cup cooked black beans = 20 grams.
One cup cooked broccoli = 5 grams.
Two cups romaine lettuce = 2 grams.
One apple = 4 grams.
If you don’t eat enough fiber, consider taking a flax-based fiber supplement. When adding more fiber to your diet, start slowly so that your body and intestines have time to adjust, and drink more water. - Be cautious with bowel cleanses and formulas. Even products you find at the health food store can be addictive or damaging – senna and cascara sagrada are potent herbal laxatives. These products cause spasming, not normal muscular contraction, in the intestines. The body can quickly come to depend on the chemical signal to eliminate instead of recognizing its own neurological information.
- Consider limiting your consumption of caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants such as ephedrines and street drugs. Like laxatives, stimulants cause spasming that may ultimately damage the functioning of the entire digestive system.
- Consider trying flaxseed oil to soften the stool naturally. One to three tablespoons a day, or 8 – 24 capsules. Flax oil is also great for the skin, hair, liver and brain.
- Consider trying magnesium citrate at bedtime to draw water into the colon. Be cautious, as high doses may cause diarrhea for some people.
- Colon hydrotherapy may rebuild the muscles of the large intestine. Even if you have suffered with constipation, for some people, four to twelve sessions may tone the muscle sufficiently to achieve regular elimination without the use of any digestive aids.