Hair Alternative Medicine

Are You Suffering From Chronic Constipation?


Embarrassing as it may be, we have all suffered from constipation at one time in our life or another. According to the National Health Interview Survey as many as 3 million Americans suffer from frequent if not chronic constipation. While constipation is not recognized as a degenerative disease or serious disorder, people who are constipated often feel bloated, uncomfortable and even sluggish. Constipation by itself is miserable enough, but sufferers often experience painful bowel movements that can become compounded by hemorrhoids that form due to straining.

To understand constipation, it is important to understand how our digestive system works. When we eat, food is ground up in our stomachs so it can be digested. This "liquid" food passes into the small intestine where nutrients are extracted. It then moves on to the colon, where water is removed, allowing a stool to form. If too much water is extracted from the stool as it passes through the colon, it can become hard and difficult to pass leaving you constipated.

There are a number of reasons why people get constipated. These include not eating enough dietary fiber, not drinking enough liquids (water), lack of exercise, ignoring the "urge" to have a bowel movement and plain old stress. Other causes can include having a lazy colon that does not contract properly, causing waste materials to pass through the colon slowly, food allergies that can cause the colon to contract, or mechanical obstructions that inhibit the movement of waste materials. Many prescription drugs and certain neurological disorders can also slow down the movement of waste materials through the colon. Constipation can also be brought on by an abuse of laxatives that over time can damage the nerve cells in the colon and interfere with its ability to contract properly.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to relieve chronic constipation naturally.

Recommendations For Wellness

Consume a high fiber diet made up of lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If that is not possible, incorporate a dietary fiber supplement such as psyllium hulls, Natures Sunshine's Nature's Three or their Irritable Bowel Fiber into your daily health routine. Dietary fiber holds water and help to keep the stool soft, while added bulk help to move the stool through the colon.

If other fiber supplements fail in your attempt to become regular, try taking Chitosan (a form of dietary fiber) along with vitamin C. The chitosan binds to fats from the foods we eat making the stool soft and smooth. The vitamin C helps to activate the chitosan in the stomach.

Drink plenty of water, especially if you are taking supplemental fiber.

Try eating a few dried prunes or drinking some prune juice. In addition to adding fiber, prunes have a mild laxative effect.

Avoid sugar and other processed foods.

Begin a regular exercise program to help promote normal bowel movements.

If you think allergies are the cause of your constipation, try an elimination diet to help you to identify what may be triggering your body and causing your colon to contract.

Meditate, do yoga, go for a walk. Do things that will allow you to reduce your stress levels and help your body to relax. This can help relax your colon.

Get a colonic to flush out any old fecal matter that may be trapped within the colon or try a colon cleanse.

Take a good probiotic such as acidopholis or bifidophilus to help promote a healthy environment within the colon.

Peppermint (3910-9) has a long history of helping relax the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract.

Supplementation with magnesium and large doses of vitamin C, have a mild laxative effect on the body.

If all else fails, herbs such as casgara segrada, turkey rhubarb or herbal combinations such as Natures Sunshine's LBS II and LB-X can be used to evacuate the colon. While these should be used with caution, they are less aggressive than many commercial laxatives that are available at the supermarket.

Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer 2005. All rights reserved. Dr. Rita Louise, PhD is a Naturopathic Physician and it is her unique gift as a medical intuitive that enlivens her work. Author of the books "Avoiding the Cosmic 2x4" and "The Power Within", Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. a can help you identify what is really going on and provide you with straightforward guidance and advice. She can be reached by calling 972-475-3393 or visiting her website at http://www.soulhealer.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC Online

Rudd spooked into health debate with Abbott, Pyne claims
The Australian
“The Australian people expect Mr Abbott to put forward an alternative health policy,” a spokesman for Mr Rudd told The Australian Online. ...
Gillard waits in the wingsSydney Morning Herald

all 228 news articles »


Reuters

Coffee party offers a sweeter alternative
Graphic
Nobody thought it could last this long. Following the first round of “tea parties” last tax season, the haphazard, grassroots movement ...
Tea Party, hippies and the curse of Barry?San Diego Daily Transcript (subscription)
Coffee, Anyone?Memphis Flyer
The Tea Party Spells Trouble for RepublicansEinnews Portugal
Big Journalism (blog) -UConn Daily Campus -AlterNet (blog)
all 133 news articles »


Boston Globe

Deficit-cutting health reform? It may happen
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The alternative minimum tax, for example, is a policy that under law would increasingly affect more middle- and upper-middle-income people and bring the ...
If bill fails, Pelosi has strategic alternativeSan Francisco Chronicle
'Deem and Pass' rule would bypass House vote on Senate's healthcare billNews10.net
A First Look At The House Health Care Fix: More Bad NewsHeritage.org (blog)
Washington Post -Atlantic Online (blog) -About - News & Issues (blog)
all 7,656 news articles »


USA Today

Highlights of health care bill
USA Today
The individual penalty would be reduced from $495 to $325 in 2015 and $750 to $695 in 2016, but the alternative penalty on households would increase. ...
Nine Major Changes In The Democrats' New Health Reform BillKaiser Health News
Reconciliation bill postedPolitico

all 20 news articles »


New York Times (blog)

Obama's student loan plan moving forward with health bill
Washington Post
The proposal, in a bill released Thursday afternoon, has been overshadowed by the health-care debate. But it is moving swiftly now and could benefit from a ...
Democrats look to combine health care, student loan reformCentral Michigan Life
Final Student-Loan Bill Offers Aid to Colleges and StudentsChronicle of Higher Education (subscription)
Opinion: Two Government Takeovers in OneAOL News
Center For American Progress -Big Government (blog) -Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription)
all 134 news articles »


CNN

HEALTH REFORM: More Reconciliation Details
New America Foundation (blog)
We haven't found any new language about alternative dispute resolution in medical malpractice -- even though President Obama has voiced support. ...
HEALTH CARE: Where are reform alternatives?TheNewsTribune.com
Alternative is unacceptableHeraldNet
Health Care Reform: A Bailout for Insurers and Cuts to MedicareWall Street Pit (blog)
Minneapolis Star Tribune -Washington Times -Hartford Courant
all 302 news articles »


India Talkies

Study: Hypnotherapy Could Ease the Pain of IBS
BETTER Health Research
Instead, they may turn to alternative health resources to treat their condition without the chance of developing a harmful side effect. ...
How does comorbidity affect cost of health care in patients with irritable ...7thSpace Interactive (press release)

all 52 news articles »


Mike Pence's confused response to the CBO report
Washington Post (blog)
There's a whole world out there full of alternative ideas, strategies and practices. Some of them actually work better than ours do, too. ...

and more »


Health Net of Arizona Named #1 HMO Six Years in a Row
MarketWatch (press release)
... wide spectrum of health care plans and specialty services, including coverage for vision, dental, life insurance, chiropractic and alternative medicine. ...

and more »


Seattle Post Intelligencer

Rep. Lynch To Vote Against Health Care Bill
WBUR
A 'No' vote from Lynch will ensure that he gets a tough primary run. Phil Dunkelbarger, what a name!, but he looks like a great alternative to Lynch. ...
Lynch is key defector against health careWashington Post (blog)
Did Obama Kill the Public Option in July?Huffington Post (blog)

all 1,039 news articles »

Google News

home | Iridology | "Mind Machines" | "Alternative Health" site map | Iridology Site Map | "Alternative Botox"
© 2000 - 2010