Help for Constipation . From infants to the elderly, irregular bowel movements interfere with health and vitality. The side effects of constipation commonly include abdominal discomfort, bloating, gas, bad breath, headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Massive quantities of gelatinous fiber drinks, swallowed in an attempt to prevent constipation, can cause problems of their own with spasms, bloating and irritation of the gut lining. Consider the gentler, easier methods offered at Dr. Deborah. MD to help your digestive tract perform both naturally and optimally. A diet that relies heavily on processed foods lacks fiber, and a certain amount of fiber is essential for regular, effortless elimination. A diet based on whole, unprocessed foods provides the necessary bulk to keep waste material moving smoothly through the intestinal tract which helps to decrease the body. The more sluggish your bowels, the longer your body is exposed to toxins you are trying to shed. Fiber is the indigestible part of plants, and vegetables and fruits are the best fiber. Although grains are often recommended, they can actually cause problems because of their anti- nutrient coatings and greater potential for allergies. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in carotenoids and other phytonutrients, which help keep the mucosal lining of the large intestine healthy. These bacteria encourage regular bowel movements. Some studies show that improving the population of friendly intestinal flora is enough to cure stubborn cases of constipation. Supplementing your diet with naturally lacto- fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt helps replenish the supply of these beneficial microorganisms. It may also be necessary to supplement your diet with concentrated sources of probiotics, particularly if constipation is chronic or internal flora has been disrupted by the use of antibiotics. In addition to dietary considerations, lifestyle may play a significant role in constipation, especially in stubborn cases of chronic irregularity. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to get your bowels moving. Walking and other rhythmic exercise massages the intestinal tract and stimulates peristalsis. Regular exercise also helps alleviate the stress that can contribute to constipation. Ignoring your body's signals is an often- overlooked cause of constipation. Instead of postponing the urge to . Establishing a regular toilet routine also helps. For example, begin your morning with a cup of hot herbal tea or a brisk walk, both of which help stimulate peristalsis. Most cases of constipation can be resolved with simple dietary measures. If constipation persists, however, you should always consider other underlying causes. Prescription drugs are a common culprit, particularly opiate- derived pain medications, blood pressure medications, diuretics, antidepressants, and some antacids. Constipation is also one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, and thyroid function should be evaluated. Food allergies can be at the root of chronic constipation as well; the most common problematic food is pasteurized dairy products, but soy, beef, peas, legumes, beans, tomatoes, oranges, and black tea can also be problematic. Even emotions have been found to play a role in constipation (giving new meaning to the adjective . Whether you suffer from occasional irregularity or are plagued by daily bouts of constipation, taking a natural, drug- free approach is best. Take Bio- Immersion Original Synbiotic Formula, starting at 1/4 tsp daily, increase to 1/2 Tbsp daily. Lacto- fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and pickles also provide probiotics. Prunes. Flax seeds keep well in a jar or in the freezer. Thorne Research Magnesium Citramate: Take 1. Start by following the basic nutrition and healthy lifestyle guidelines, with the following modifications: Savor Helpful Foods: Enough salt! Avoid processed foods and salt to taste. Especially for those on low- carb diets, depleting your body of salt can lead to constipation, light- headedness or dizziness, and dangerous drops in blood pressure. Vegetables: Eat 3- 4 cups of lightly steamed vegetables every day. Adding butter not only makes them delicious but also helps your body absorb vital nutrients. In addition, eat a large salad of raw vegetables daily with apple cider vinegar dressing. Probiotics: Lacto- fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and pickles are a natural source of probiotics, whose beneficial microbes colonize the intestinal tract. Healthful fats: Consume liberal amounts of healthful fats such as organic butter, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and omega- 3 fats from cold- water fish. Prunes: Soak prunes overnight in filtered water and eat 2- 4 in the morning, along with soaking liquid. This old- fashioned remedy effectively stimulates bowel movements because prunes are rich in fiber and contain natural laxative compounds. Carbonated water: Sip a glass of naturally carbonated water (e. Gerolsteiner) several times a day. Research indicates that carbonated water helps alleviate constipation. Although not as curative of constipation as once claimed, drinking plenty of fluids is important if you suffer from dry stools. Licorice: Look for organic licorice free of high fructose corn syrup, and be guided by results, not taste! Avoid Problematic Foods: Sugars and processed foods: This includes all types of processed sugars, high- fructose corn syrup, and foods made with hydrogenated and trans fats such as fast foods and French fries. Cheese: Cheese is low in fiber and contains little water, factors that contribute to constipation in susceptible individuals. Gluten: Avoid wheat, barley, rye, oats, kamut, spelt, and all foods made from these grains. When my daughter turned one year old, I shifted her milk from Gain Plus to Nido Jr. I heard from my fellow nurses using this brand of milk that their kids gained more. What Is Known About Constipation; Healthy Steps: Constipation. Death by Fiber: Why a High Fiber Diet is Killing You ( And Why a LOW Fiber Diet Will Cure Constipation & IBS). Sometimes, medicines like antidepressants and those used to treat iron deficiencies can cause constipation. Constipation can happen in babies as they move from breast. My one year old is having a lot of trouble with constipation. Bowel movements are clearly painful for him - he wails in distress every time. What can I do to help his. Laxatives: Avoid stimulant laxatives, including those considered natural such as senna or cascara sagrada. Stimulant laxatives speed food through the digestive tract, preventing complete digestion. They can also be habit- forming. High- fiber supplements: Metamucil and other bulking laxatives work temporarily, but food- based fiber such as freshly ground flax seed is more nutritious. Iron supplements. Unsoaked, unsprouted grains. Allergenic foods: Pasteurized milk, soy, beef, peas, legumes, beans, tomatoes, and oranges have been shown to cause constipation in those sensitive to them. Black tea: Contains tannins, which can be constipating, if over 4 cups daily. Supplements Can Help: Flaxseeds: Consume 1- 2 teaspoons freshly ground flax seeds one to two times daily. Use whole, organic flaxseeds. Store in a closed jar or in the freezer to prevent rancidity and grind fresh daily. Add to yogurt or water at breakfast; repeat in the evening if necessary. Follow with 8 ounces of water. Flaxseeds are preferable to flaxseed oil, but if necessary, use 1- 2 tablespoons of high- quality flaxseed oil daily mixed with olive oil as a salad dressing. Flaxseed oil must be refrigerated to keep fresh; rancid oils will do more harm than good. Probiotics: Bio- Immersion Original Synbiotic Formula. This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the. Constipation refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. It is a common cause of painful defecation. Constipation, if severe. Choosing nutrient-dense. Start with 1/4 tsp daily and increase to 1/2 Tbsp daily as tolerated. For greater simplicity, another excellent choice is Integrative Therapeutics Probiotic Pearls, take 1- 6 daily between meals. Thorne Research Magnesium Citramate: Take 1. Pay attention to your body's signals and if possible, do not delay bowel movements. Identify allergies: If all else fails, try an elimination diet to determine if a specific food is at the root of the problem. See special diets for more information. Note that RAST testing (blood testing for allergies) is unreliable. Evaluate medications: Many medications cause constipation, especially pain- relieving narcotics such as codeine and oxycodone, antacids that contain aluminum and or calcium, blood pressure medications, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, diuretics, drugs for Parkinson's disease, and antispasmodics. Ask your doctor if any of these can be eliminated or reduced to relieve constipation. Check thyroid health: Always consider that an untreated thyroid condition can lead to constipation. This may be a hidden source of your problem. See our upcoming article on Hypothyroidism. Consider emotional causes: Research shows that psychological therapy improves both emotional health and bowel function in patients with chronic constipation. Biofeedback (a behavioral therapy) can also improve activity in nerve pathways to the gut. Constipation Prevention. To prevent chronic constipation, avoid the use of stimulant laxatives. Instead, use natural remedies such as soaked prunes and flaxseeds and make the dietary and lifestyle changes outlined above. Frequent use of stimulant laxatives causes the colon to become . This is true for herbal laxatives (e. Making the effort to eat a healthful diet rich in natural fiber and probiotics is the best way to ensure a healthy internal environment and promote regularity. In addition, taking the time to exercise regularly, manage stress appropriately, and schedule appropriate toilet time allows the body to perform the task of elimination with ease. Deborah's Desk. What I love about probiotics is that they are often a perfect solution for either constipation or diarrhea! I take the probiotics regularly and pull out the magnesium if I'm stuck sitting for too long without time to exercise. The probiotics are essential when the opposite problem arises. A family with two young siblings came to the office recently: the girl was constipated after diarrhea the week before and now her brother was getting the diarrhea. One package of. Probiotic Pearls (kids seem to love their size and shape), fixed up the two of them within 2. This information is provided for educational purposes only, and any individual diagnosis or treatment should be determined by you and your doctor. See Additional Information. Constipation - Gastrointestinal Disorders - Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Constipation is difficult or infrequent passage of stool, hardness of stool, or a feeling of incomplete evacuation. Many people incorrectly believe that daily defecation is necessary and complain of constipation if stools occur less frequently. Others are concerned with the appearance (size, shape, color) or consistency of stools. Sometimes the major complaint is dissatisfaction with the act of defecation or the sense of incomplete evacuation after defecation. Constipation is blamed for many complaints (abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, anorexia) that are actually symptoms of an underlying problem (eg, irritable bowel syndrome . Patients should not expect all symptoms to be relieved by a daily bowel movement, and measures to aid bowel habits should be used judiciously. Obsessive- compulsive patients often feel the need to rid the body daily of “unclean” wastes. Such patients often spend excessive time on the toilet or become chronic users of cathartics. Natural Constipation Remedies for a Good Poop. After all, we all know that. Poop is helpful insight into what’s going on inside our body. We should have softly- formed bowel movements once to twice a day. Any less is considered constipation. But you can be constipated even if you are going once a day, if your bowel movements look like a 1, 2, or 3 on the Bristol Stool Chart. Ideally, it should be a 4 or 5. Natural constipation relief means a good diet and digestion. Here are five natural constipation remedies. Practice Proper Poop Posture. First, do the squat! Elevating your feet while on the bathroom throne brings your body into the elimination position nature intended. A squatting position fully relaxes the puborectalis muscle, while the conventional seated posture actually puts a kink in the anorectal angle. I. You’ll be surprised how the proper pooping posture offers natural constipation relief. I use a. You can also use a step stool to elevate your feet, but the Squatty Potty is much less of an eyesore. That, in turn, compromises the health of the gallbladder. Coconut oil has been shown to improve metabolic rate, and it recommended by alternative practitioners to. The cholesterol found in “old- fashioned” fats like butter and egg yolks is a nutrient. Sex hormones and thyroid hormones, which play a role in metabolism and regularity, require the. What are some healthy fats that support regularity? I use two different magnesium supplements. Natural Calm dissolves water to create a slightly fizzy beverage. Take it before bed and slowly increase your. Balance the Beneficial Bacteria. Healthy gut flora lays the foundation for all areas of health. When these good probiotics get ravaged by processed foods, sugar, and toxins, the whole digestive process deteriorates. Often, incorporating a fermented food with each meal significantly improves irregularity. Include a tablespoon of lacto- fermented veggies with lunch and dinner. Enjoy a cup of yogurt (homemade or the plain, whole milk type) with breakfast and snacks. I also recommend a this clinical- strength probiotic to help re- populate the gut with good bugs. Balancing gut flora also means addressing an overgrowth of opportunistic flora by avoiding refined sugars, grains, and processed foods. In serious cases– like me –it means following the GAPS Diet . As we have been told by the media and mainstream health practitioners, fiber is the cure- all that will make you sexy, smart and – most importantly – regular. However, the grain- based fiber in these supplements can be disastrously irritating to the digestive tract. Humans are not meant to consume isolated fiber. It is a fake food, just as much as. I recommend increasing your intake of cooked vegetables, specifically cruciferous veggies and leafy greens, for natural constipation relief. While grains contain fiber, they are difficult for many to tolerate. I recommend obtaining. Ways to Cure a Cat of Constipation. Look on You. Tube for the triangle method of massage to help kittens go to the toilet. It basically pushes the poo out. Also, try taking a warm, wet cloth and wiping her anus gently with it. This is what momma cat would do, and it stimulates the area to release. If nothing is working, don't wait too long to go to the vet, as any situation with a baby can be dangerous.
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