Constipated & Need Help? Here’s What To Do

If the picture looks familiar to you, you are not alone. 6.5 million people in the UK (and 63 million Americans) struggle with constipation every day.

Research shows 1 in 7 adults, and 1 in 3 children are affected by constipation.

If you go without a bowel movement for periods of three days or more then you’ve just been added to that list of people.

The total cost to hospitals for treating unplanned admissions due to constipation was £145 million in 2014/15. That figure is likely to be much higher for total NHS expenditure on constipation when including GP visits, home visits and prescriptions.

This just shows how common and serious constipation is. However, it’s a topic that’s never openly discussed.

This is something that needs to change because it can be a precursor to a long list of future issues, ranging from haemorrhoids and faecal incontinence to colorectal cancer.

Not to mention contributing to your overall toxicity (just imagine toxins being released, as faecal matter sits for days inside your body).  We were built to quickly dispose of waste.

A healthy colon will eliminate the contents of the lower bowel at least once per day, (and ideally 2 to 3 times a day). But with so many common lifestyle factors contributing to constipation, it’s not uncommon for many people to go days without a bowel movement!

It’s a fact of life that no one likes to talk about. However, the truth is, if you don’t know how to poop, then you don’t know how to eat.

Cleansing your colon is a vital step in creating and maintaining health and at Revive we constantly help people overcome constipation and the resulting chronic illness that come with it.

If you have trouble eliminating, these factors could be why your colon is backed up:

• Stress! Negative emotions and high-stress levels make the body contract and tighten, causing constipation.
• Dehydration. Most people overestimate the amount of water they drink, and dehydration hinders the elimination of waste. Remember the best solution for pollution is dilution.
• Anti-depressants. Serotonin influences peristaltic action (the wave-like muscle contractions) in your colon. Anti-depressants elevate your serotonin levels but one of the side effects is constipation. Too much serotonin and too little serotonin both cause constipation.
• Travel. Many people become constipated when they travel because of stress. Your gut is very sensitive to any stress, which causes it to shut down, tighten and contract. To eliminate well, your body needs to be in a relaxed mode.
• Diets low in fibre. The Standard Western Diet is low in fibre from too few vegetables, ocean vegetables, fruits and grains. These fibre-rich foods act as a natural broom to “sweep out” your intestines.
• Too many sugary, floury foods. These kinds of foods ‘clog up’ your intestines and make it difficult for them to eliminate waste efficiently.
• Lack of beneficial bacteria in the colon. If you do not have enough good bacteria (microflora) in your intestines, it becomes a struggle for them to properly digest and eliminate your food. Keeping your intestines clean is one of the most important responsibilities of the many beneficial microflorae inside you.

EAT YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHY COLON

Health and disease both begin in the colon. If you struggle with constipation and want to heal your colon, start with what you eat.

Eat foods that support colon cleansing:

• Avoid large amounts of salt, meat, and poultry. These are contracting foods that are more difficult to digest. If you have been struggling with bowel movements we recommend that only 20-25% of a meal be animal protein. The rest of your plate should contain high-fibre vegetables, ocean vegetables and cultured vegetables.
• Eat lots of fresh vegetables. Lightly steamed, raw, baked…all vegetables are an excellent source of fibre and several servings should be eaten at each meal. The fibre in these foods helps push the food you’ve eaten through your intestines.
• Introduce sea vegetables into your diet. Rich in minerals they top the list with dark green leafy veggies for a daily must if you want to stay young and healthy. These often-overlooked vegetables provide trace minerals and nutrients that nourish both your thyroid and your adrenals. Weak thyroid and adrenals may be one of the most undetected causes of constipation and both organs need lots of minerals. A common cause of constipation is an under-active thyroid. Agar has been used in Japan to relieve constipation.
• Fruits. Fruit is great for your digestion and can be a phenomenal source of natural probiotics. Some fruits are very sweet and others less so. If you choose the very sour fruits like grapefruit, lemons, limes, unsweetened cranberry juice, black currant juice, unsweetened blueberry juice concentrate, and pomegranate juice, they are wonderful sources of antioxidants and are great when you add them to a microflora-rich beverage like Young Coconut Kefir.
• Avoid the sweet fruits (e.g., dates, bananas, apples, pears, figs and melons) if you are struggling with candida or bacterial overgrowth issue. Your body will never need much sugar and when you eat fermented foods, which are sour, you will no longer desire such sweetness. These sweet fruits are always a source for feeding yeast and can contribute to conditions like diabetes and faster ageing.
• Include fermented foods and drinks. Cultured vegetables and fermented beverages populate your gut with good bacteria to help you digest food and assimilate nutrients.
• Milk kefir has been a remedy for healthier bowels and better elimination for thousands of years. But why? Is it because of the wonderful bacteria and yeast or because of the tryptophan? Tryptophan converts to serotonin in your body and serotonin influence the peristaltic action in your colon. (An added bonus is that it also improves your mood.) Be aware of drinking too much kefir or it might also cause constipation instead of relieving it.
• Milk in large amounts can be dehydrating for some. In ancient Ayurvedic texts, fermented milk was combined with water to create a more balanced food. This mixture was called “kurdwater” and was recommended often as a treatment for many different kinds of digestive disturbances.
• Make sure you get your magnesium. Magnesium may top the list of all the many minerals we are deficient in today. Magnesium is the calming mineral. A lack of it will contribute to constipation. Try to increase the intake of magnesium in foods or take a high-quality magnesium supplement.
• Eat garlic. Garlic is a healing, anti-microbial, cleansing food. Cook with it as much as possible and even swallow it whole. (Garlic is extremely powerful so only eat garlic if your gut can take it.)
• Eat grain-like seeds. Cooked millet, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth stimulate your colon, provide fibre and can ease constipation.
• Drink mineral water. If you feel too energetic at night to sleep and stay up late yet feel exhausted in the morning, you may be experiencing signs of dehydration. Yes, the inability to feel sleepy can come from not drinking water during the day. Solve the problem by drinking several glasses of mineral-rich water in those three to four hours between your dinner meal and bedtime. Drink two more glasses when you wake up. Keep track of your water intake during the day to make sure are well hydrated.
  Dehydration can be a sign of adrenal fatigue, however, and no amount of water will help until you heal your adrenals.

CONSTIPATION AND LIFESTYLE

Food is not the only way to cure constipation. Here are some lifestyle options to consider:

• Self Massage in the abdominal area for 10-30 minutes per day, stimulates your peristaltic contractions and eases stress.
• Acupuncture balances you, helping you relax. It will also stimulate your colon as well.
• Breathing deeply helps your intestines (and the rest of your body) truly relax.
• Regular, vigorous exercise trains every muscle in your body including your colon and encourages regular elimination.
• The Emotional Freedom Technique – can help you balance stress and overcome addictions to foods and habits that adversely impact your health.
• Colonic Hydrotherapy is a great way to remove stagnant toxins and to get your bowel movements flowing again.

Remember the old saying that all “disease begins in the colon”.

Obviously, excellent health originates from an efficiently functioning colon as well. Constipation does not need to be your way of life. Taking care of your colon allows the rest of your body to eliminate toxins, a great way to ensure your overall health!

Take a step towards health and let your colon heal your body by treating it to foods and lifestyle choices that ease elimination.

Health & Happiness

Ryan

P.S. Here’s a little tip….

Remember the Four F’s.

1. Eat plenty of Fibre. 

2. Choose healthy Fats and Oils. 

3. Drink plenty of Fluids, such as water.  

4. And repopulate your gut Flora with healthy bacteria. 

P. P.S. If you have been struggling with your own health issues and would like to see if or how we could help you then click the link here, fill out the form and Ryan or one of the team will be in touch as soon as possible.