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An A-Z Woman's Guide to Vibrant Health
Constipation
Most alternative doctors have stopped asking their patients if they are regular
because they always say “yes”—regardless if they have a bowel movement once
a day or once a week. North Americans spend almost one billion dollars per year
on laxatives. Each of us has been constipated at one time or another but 20
percent of us are chronically constipated. Few discuss the problem and what
little knowledge that is gained usually comes from advertisements and laxative
packaging.
Constipation occurs when it becomes necessary to strain in order to remove
hard feces or when waste is not eliminated from the body in an appropriate
amount of time. You should have at least one large bowel movement a day, or
two to three smaller ones (about 12 inches of waste should be excreted in total).
The feces should be soft, bulky and easy to pass.
Symptoms
Infrequent, small, hard and dry bowel movements that are difficult to pass
are the main symptom. Constipation often results in hemorrhoids, skin
problems, headaches, body odor and fatigue as well as irritability, depression,
obesity, insomnia and diverticulitis. Waste that is left in the colon too long
causes toxin build-up and can lead to more serious bowel disease and cancer.
Causes
When disease is not present, constipation usually arises when we don’t
drink enough water or eat enough fiber, eat too much protein and highly
processed food or when we don’t make enough time to have a bowel movement.
A change in routine, business travel and restaurant eating can all
promote constipation. The typical Western diet does not include enough
whole, natural food and relies far too much on what is convenient, either
fast foods or store-bought packaged foods that are processed to ensure a long
shelf life and are devoid of fiber. Packaged food is also high in sugar, sodium,
artificial flavors and chemical colorants that lead to constipation.
Other factors that can contribute to constipation are a lack of exercise,
prolonged use of laxatives or antacids, nutritional deficiency, pregnancy,
parasitic infection and yeast overgrowth. Constipation is also seen in people
with low thyroid function, food allergies or who take prescription medications
or iron supplements.
PRESCRIPTION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
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Take vitamin C to bowel tolerance, meaning start taking powdered C in gram doses mixed in juice or water every hour until lose stools occur; then cut back until stool is no longer loose. Then, as a preventative, take 500 mg twice daily. |
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Softens stools, promotes elimination and strengthens intestinal capillaries |
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Multivitamins with minerals; (contains no iron)
FemmEssentials or MultiEssentials for women |
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As directed. For complete formula recommendations see Appendix A |
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Ensures adequate nutrient status |
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Up to 1000 mg taken in divided doses throughout the day until stools are softened |
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aids elimination
digestion |
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Flax seed Oil & Omega’s High Lignan Flax seed |
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1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil and powder daily. Make sure to drink water when taking ground flax seed |
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Soothes intestinal lining and promotes elimination |
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2 capsules daily containing at least 5 billion live bacteria |
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Improves intestinal flora and reduces harmful bacteria |
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160 to 320 mg three times daily with meals, assuming standardized to contain13-18% caffeolquinic acids calculated as chlorogenic acid |
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Increases bile formation and flow to digest and absorb fats |
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| Tea or capsules containing 250 mg for several days. Do not use continually |
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| Improves peristaltic action of the colon |
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| Improves peristaltic action of the colon |
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HEALTH TIPS TO ENHANCE HEALING
- Take time each day to have a bowel movement. Preferably the same
time every day. Do not be rushed, eventually the body will respond at the
same time each day.
- Drink water—8 to 10 glasses of pure, filtered water a day, but do not drink
during meals or else you will dilute your digestive enzymes. For every juice,
alcoholic or caffeine beverage that you drink, add another 8 to 10 ounces. A study in Italy found that drinking 8 glasses of water daily, along with a high-fiber diet was more beneficial than eating a high-fiber diet alone.
- Do not use commercial laxatives because they promote dependence and
chronic constipation. High-fiber foods such as prunes or other dried fruit,
whole grains or seeds (especially ground flax seed or psyllium seed), and
sauerkraut (or sauerkraut juice) are far more effective in alleviating
constipation and support the body’s functions naturally. (I like FiberLean,
available in Canada by Brad King.)
- Eat vegetables or fruits at every meal; you want 7 to 10 half-cup servings
per day. If you haven’t been eating raw veggies regularly, start with steamed;
they are easier on the digestive system. And remember—if your food
comes from a box, it’s bad for your bowels.
- Get plenty of exercise. Yoga or t’ai chi are great for improving circulation,
reducing tension and promoting healthy digestion and elimination.
Stretching exercises where you must touch your toes or draw your knees up
to your chest are also good to get the bowels moving.
- Avoid deep-fried foods, food that is high in sugar and other refined
carbohydrates (like white bread), caffeine, alcohol and dairy (except yogurt).
- If you suspect you have low stomach acid, take one capsule (600 mg) of
hydrochloric acid before a large meal. If symptoms worsen, stop—you do
not have low stomach acid. If you feel the same or better, increase your
dosage by one at your next meal. Keep increasing dosage up to a maximum
of seven capsules or until you feel warmth in your stomach. If you feel the
warmth, cut back your dosage prior to the feeling. Use fewer capsules for
smaller meals.
Other Recommendations
- Get tested for food allergies or low thyroid function.
- When eating, ensure that the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant. Don’t
work through lunch or dinners, or eat hunched over the coffee table or
standing over the sink. The benefits of spending 15 to 20 minutes sitting
and enjoying your meal far outweigh the time saved eating on the run.
- For quick relief, magnesium oxide taken before bedtime will flush out your
system the next morning. It turns stools to liquid and cleans trapped waste
out of the small pockets in the intestines.
- If you need to take additional iron, try a liquid iron supplement like Floradix;
it is non-constipating.
Health Fact |
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Before you say, “It’s just easier to use a laxative,” consider this: not only
do over-the-counter laxatives not address the problem of why you are
constipated, they actually make the problem worse. Regular use of
laxatives disturbs the body’s natural rhythm. In essence the body forgets
how it is supposed to eliminate waste. Also, laxatives are drugs that can
cause nutritional deficiencies. The unnatural increase in gut motility can
prevent calcium and vitamin D absorption. Some products can prevent
the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and folic acid. |
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