There really is no polite way to talk about bowel movements. For this reason, many of us simply try to ignore what happens in the bathroom.
But by doing so, we put our health at risk!
You see, most of us, even most doctors, ignore this important bodily function. However, despite his ban on table talk, it is just as crucial to his survival as eating food.
Bowel movements are as essential to life as drinking water, sleeping, and eating a healthy meal. And unlike what you may hear from the pharmacist or your doctor, you don’t need medication to make it easier.
But before I get into how to “do your business” more easily naturally, here’s why you should pay more attention to this critical activity…
Gut health is critical to your overall health
Most of us think of our intestines as the final passageway of our bodies. The nutrients you get from the foods you eat and digest are absorbed before the leftovers reach your bowls. However, this does not mean that your intestines act only as an exit tube. In the intestines, your body reabsorbs water into your bloodstream as it moves digestive waste out of you.
If you eat well and your bowels are working well, this is a fairly easy process. Your muscles are constantly contracting and moving the debris downward. Meanwhile, your body reabsorbs most of the precious water.
However, if your intestines are not working properly, waste moves very slowly through this passageway. As this dough sits inside you, it ferments and spoils. Hostile bacteria multiply and produce harmful substances. This toxic concoction is then absorbed back into the bloodstream. It circulates throughout your body and damages your other organs.
Instead of helping your body stay clean and healthy, your intestines become a source of pollution and disease. Constipation can contribute to headaches, fatigue, depression, obesity, and other problems. It can even lead to serious problems like colon cancer.[1]
Unfortunately, most doctors consider a bowel movement every 3 days to be sufficient. Rather, most natural health experts view 1-3 bowel movements a day as a sign of good health. Since you eat three times a day, your body should eliminate waste around that time.
And here’s another startling revelation that contradicts conventional wisdom…
If you have trouble passing stool, don’t turn to laxatives right away. They can make the problem worse. Laxatives can damage the nerves in your colon, interfering with the signals that tell your colon to contract and move waste down. Laxatives can also interfere with the absorption of essential minerals for healthy muscles and nerves in the intestine, such as calcium and magnesium.
While most doctors won’t tell you this, there are several better alternatives to laxatives. It can help the last part of your digestive system do its job properly without the help of medication.
Natural Gut Health Tactic #1: Get More Fiber in Your Diet
You probably already know that fiber is your colon’s best friend. But did you know why?
- First, as most people understand, fiber adds bulk to your waste. This makes it easier for the muscles in your intestine to contract and move things down.
- Doctors are just beginning to recognize the second way that fiber helps. Fiber is considered a prebiotic. It feeds the friendly probiotic bacteria that live in your colon. These bacteria convert fiber into an energy source, butyric acid, used by both bacteria and colon cells.
- By feeding the cells in your colon, these bacteria help keep them healthy. But the benefits don’t end there… Not only do they take care of your colon cells, these friendly probiotic bacteria also keep undesirable bacteria at bay. This helps reduce toxic buildup in your bowls.
To get more fiber, stay away from refined foods and try to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Natural Tactic for Gut Health #2: Drink Lots of Water
Hydration is one of the decisive factors in the functioning of your colon. As anyone who has played in mud knows, water can literally turn a solid brick-like mass into a soft mush. The same is true inside your colon.
In fact, water may be even more important than fiber when it comes to colon health. In 2013, a group of researchers surveyed 8,000 men and women about their water intake and stool. They found that people who drank the most fluids had the fewest problems with constipation.[2] As the researchers commented, the difference made by drinking enough water was consistent and significant.
Most of us do not drink enough water every day. We tend to ignore thirst or confuse it with hunger. Sometimes we show good intentions by carrying a bottle of water. But we don’t drink enough of it. Instead of kidding yourself, regularly pour yourself a big glass of water and drink it all at once.
And here’s another trick for combining two solutions in one: eat plenty of hydrating fruits and vegetables like juicy watermelon, succulent peaches, and refreshing cucumbers. We can get a lot of water in our diet simply from the foods we eat. Plus, we get a healthy dose of fiber to boot!
Natural Gut Health Tactic #3: Get Moving
For some people, increased hydration and dietary fiber is not enough to help their intestines settle down. But exercise can make a difference.
In a clinical trial conducted in Scandinavia, researchers looked for evidence on whether physical activity could make a difference for people with chronic constipation. All of the test subjects had tried to eat more fiber and drink more water, but to no avail.
However, exercise worked where these dietary changes did not. As part of the study, participants walked 30 minutes a day and did a short 11-minute set of exercises at home. And within 12 weeks of maintaining this activity, study participants enjoyed increased bowel frequency. The exercise finally helped them get relief.[3]
Natural Gut Health Tactic #4: Don’t Sit
In most places in the world, people do not use toilets. They squat. And indeed, despite the toilet’s revered place as a sign of progress, squatting turns out to be the best way of doing business. When you squat, your intestines straighten and can take advantage of gravity to make things easier. In contrast, when you sit down, you put much more pressure on your muscles to expel stool.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to dig a toilet in your backyard to get all the benefits of squatting. Simply pull up a footrest and rest your feet on it while sitting on the toilet. This automatically repositions her body. Or you can buy a squat stool designed to fit right under the toilet bowl.
Then let your body and gravity do the work the way it’s supposed to.
Natural Gut Health Tactic #5: Supplement with Chlorella
Chlorella has long been something I recommend for any digestive issue. But it is particularly helpful when it comes to constipation and colon health.
Researchers at Mimasake Women’s College gave study participants suffering from constipation regular doses of chlorella. As a result, the participants enjoyed a higher frequency of bowel movements, a greater total amount of stool, and better stool consistency.[4]
And Chlorella’s support for gut health doesn’t end there. Chlorella seems to help your colon recover even when severely stressed. In a small clinical study, eight people suffering from ulcerative colitis took 10 g of chlorella and 3 ounces of chlorella liquid extract with concentrated chlorella growth factor (CGF). Aside from supplementation, the participants maintained their normal lifestyle routines.
At the end of the second month, a comprehensive examination and interview revealed that Chlorella supplementation had contributed to some exceptional results. Examination revealed significantly less inflammation. An overall evaluation showed on average a 60% improvement in symptoms![5]
Healthy bowel movements help you enjoy good health
Don’t ignore it if you’re always trying hard to go. That’s a sign that your body is having a hard time with one of its most important functions: getting rid of waste and toxins. Ignoring your gut health can lead to more serious health consequences. And it is much more difficult to fix your intestinal problems when they have become serious. Early intervention is the key.
If your doctor tells you it’s okay to go just once a day, you know better.
And if he tells you to try laxatives, you know a better solution too!
These 5 natural tactics work. They can help you take care of your business with minimal stress, take care of your intestines… and ultimately, take care of your health. By using them, you can find relief in the bath and enjoy the energy and general sense of well-being that comes with good gut health.
Sources:
[1]Watson, B. et al. intestinal solutions. Renew Life Press and Information Services. Clearwater, Florida: 2003. p. 79
[2]Doyle K. Liquids may prevent constipation better than fiber. Reuters, May 2013.
[3]From Schryver AM et al. Effects of regular physical activity on defecation pattern in middle-aged patients complaining of chronic constipation. Scan J Gastroenterol. 2005 April; 40(4):422-9.
[4]Effect of Chlorella strain CK-5 on stool frequency in humans. Japanese Jrnl of Nutrition. 1998; 56(5): pgs. 253-263
[5]Trader RE et al. A review of recent clinical trials of the nutritional supplement Chlorella pyrenoidosa in the treatment of fibromyalgia, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis. Alternative therapies. May/June 2001. 7(3): 79-91
