It is the most basic of functions but when the body does not eliminate properly, life seems to come to a standstill. Regular bowel movements are essential for good health – first to remove toxins and then to stop them circulating in the body. Ideally this should be once a day as a minimum and can be up to 3 times per day. But while ‘normal’ varies from person to person, anything longer than 3 days is medically defined as Constipation ie the difficult passage of hard, dry stools.
About one in four adults say that they have suffered from constipation in the past 3 months, with women nearly twice as likely to report symptoms as men, according to a recent survey of Australian adults.
Constipation can be caused by medications, dehydration, overuse of laxatives, hormonal problems particularly hypothyroidism, Irritable bowel syndrome and the simplest cause of all - ignoring the urge to go!
While anyone can experience the occasional bout of constipation with the accompanying feelings of discomfort and fullness, you should take steps to treat chronic constipation NOW.
The best way to deal with constipation is to make lifestyle changes rather than using laxatives or supplements. When your body becomes accustomed to laxatives, normal bowel function decreases and the muscles, tissues and nerves of the colon are damaged.
NATURAL STEPS TO RELIEVE CONSTIPATION:
1. Make changes to your diet. Eliminate wheat, cow's milk and all processed food as these are likely to be a source of hidden allergies and intolerances. Try a diet of freshly prepared vegetables and lean meat for 5 days, cutting out all flour, pasta, bread and processed food. If you then have bread or a bowl of pasta and symptoms return, you are likely to be gluten intolerant. Note that fresh fruit particularly with skins on is very good. Berries like strawberries or blueberries and green veggies are particularly good. Especially Beans!
2. Add extra fibre to your food in the form of
- cooked oatmeal. Scottish people swear by it!
- psyllium (sprinkle on natural yoghurt)
- flaxseeds (try freshly grinding them and adding them to your food)
- a new plant source of omega 3 from Chia seeds which also bulk up as a gel when taken with liquids. Many people are enthusiastically endorsing these as ‘miracle’ seeds when nothing else has worked for chronic constipation NB they may take a few days to work but don’t give up!
3. Increase the amount of water you drink. When you are dehydrated your body tries to withhold water/fluid. However avoid drinking the water around mealtimes as this dilutes the digestive enzymes you need to process your meal.
4. Increase movement and exercise regularly. A 30 minute walk especially before breakfast will increase circulation and stimulates your metabolism for many hours. Try exercising at least 4 times per week as a minimum.
5. Use a good quality probiotic to increase the 'good' bacteria in your gut. This works particularly well for constipation associated with IBS.
6. Aloe vera and magnesium tablets help to soften and create regular motions. In fact travelling with aloe vera tablets seems to work very well.
WHAT IF NONE OF THESE HAVE WORKED:
Get checked by your doctor for an underacting thyroid gland - hypothyroidism - especially if you are putting on weight and feel cold all the time.
For further information, treatment options and products about digestion improvement go to our page - ' The fastest way to end Digestive Problems forever!'
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