Here in the U.S. we suffer from an epidemic health problem. Caused most often by lack of fiber in the diet, insufficient fluid intake, excess dietary fats and processed foods, stress and anxiety, and lack of exercise, it's no wonder that ours is a nation that annually uses more than 45,000 laxatives, at a cost of more than 600 million dollars, to relieve constipation. . .

Gotta Get Movin'?

The term constipation refers to a change in daily bowel habits, particularly a decrease in the number or consistency of bowel movements, or pain or difficulty in passing stools. When food wastes stagnate in the colon, putrefaction and disease follow, allowing harmful toxins to reabsorb back into our bodies. This in turn slows us down, makes us irritable, disrupts our sleep, and contributes to any number of more serious health problems. A healthy digestive system eliminates wastes at least once per day and most efficiently following every meal.

Insufficient fluids and too little fiber in the diet are the most significant causative agents of constipation. Without enough fluids and bulk, stools become hard and develop rough edges, making them difficult to pass and in some cases causing rectal fissures, painful microscopic tears in the rectum. This in turn compounds the problem by causing us to hold back a bowel movement as long as possible.

The discomfort of constipation often leads us to the corner drugstore where a variety of over the counter laxatives and cathartics profess to solve our bowel woes. However, the two main types of medications available stimulate peristalsis (bowel movement) through either irritating the nerve endings in the wall of the colon or leaching water from other parts of the body, causing significant mineral deprivation. Beware of laxatives -they give way to a lazy bowel and are dangerously habit forming. Rather, we must learn to create the conditions necessary for the swift and thorough elimination of our wastes naturally.

Things to Do

• Drinking eight 80z. glasses of water each day is an important start to healing an irritated bowel.
• Eating (being sure to chew thoroughly) more whole fruits, vegetables, and grains will provide quality fiber.
• Hot teas and cereals such as oatmeal in the morning act to gently stimulate the intestinal tract.
• Regular exercise will keep both internal and external muscles toned.
• Cascara Sagrada Bark is a non-habit forming laxative herb that can be used alone to promote bowel movement.
• Aloe vera juice (1/2 cup in the morning and again in the evening) is a tonic for the entire digestive tract.
• Psyllium seed taken with plenty of water softens stool and initiates peristalsis.
• Flora-enhancing foods like acidophilus, miso, yoghurt, raw sauerkraut, and wheatgrass promote the healthy intestinal bacteria necessary to renew healthy bowel function.
• Flaxseed oil (1 tablespoon 3 times daily) or tea lubricates the bowels.
• Massaging the lower abdomen is relaxing and helps to get things moving. Following the natural movement of the intestines, start in the lower right "corner" of the abdomen, move up toward the ribs, over to the left side, and then down toward the pelvis.
• For overnight relief of constipation, drink a mixture of 1/2 cup of prune juice and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 1 cup of spring water.

Things to Don't

• Cut out the junk foods, especially fried foods.
• Avoid refined "white" foods, such as white flour products, refined sugar, and white rice.
• Limit caffeine, alcohol, meats, dairy products, foods made with baking soda/powder, and yeasted breads (instead choose sourdough or sprouted "Essene" breads).
• Don't ignore or put off the signal to move the bowels - go when it's time to go.
• Avoid using aluminum cookware -- taking in minute traces of aluminum can exacerbate constipation.
• And try not to worry -- stress tightens all our muscles and creates an excellent breeding ground for health complications of all kinds.

copyright © September 2002