Treating Constipation: Nutrition

Constipation is a very real and daily preoccupation for some. The pain and general discomfort is unfortunate and because of this many seek to chemically remedy their situation only to exacerbate the problem. How then, can a person pull themselves from this seemingly unending daily cycle? There are three specific techniques to utilize on the daily basis (note the emphasis which is mine) for long term, lasting relief. Proper nutrition, stress relief and detoxification are essential for great intestinal health. This article will focus on nutrition.

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Proper Nutrition

We in the western world have a fast food problem leading us down a road of epidemic health concerns. Obesity, hypertension, malnutrition (more on this later) and of course constipation are just a few of the outcomes of constantly pulling around to the drive-thru window. Before we go any further in this discussion the need to explain what fast food is arises so we can all be on the same page. We have our usual suspects of course. Those places labeling themselves as “fast food” or the new catch phrase “quick service” restaurants (in an attempt to confusion and befuddle people who are on to them) are obvious but there are other types of fast food. Please consider that just about anything you can microwave as a meal or snack from your grocers freezer or shelf  is “fast food”. We don’t traditionally think of restaurants that you sit down and order from a menu without numbers as being fast food but they most certainly can be. Fast food isn’t about how quickly you get your food. It’s about how processed the food is and it is these highly processed foods (to include junk food) that wreak havoc on our digestive health and then our health overall. 

When it comes to proper nutrition a great place to start is with fruits and vegetables. Obvious, right? Fruits and veggies should comprise at least 60% of the diet especially if you are prone to constipation. Not only are fruits and vegetables nutrient rich but they are easily digested which is extremely important where constipation issues are concerned. 20% of the diet should come from complex carbohydrates (whole grains, cereals), 15% from proteins and 5% from fats (quality fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6 found in legumes and nuts). Here is an interesting fact. Adding 20g (just under an ounce) of bran to the daily diet will increase fecal weight by 127% and reduce food transit time in the digestive tract by 40%! Food transit time is a great indicator for how well the digestive tract is functioning.

There are many people who now avoid carbs like the plague but without complex carbs, where the majority of our fiber comes from, we risk chronic constipation. Our bodies were built with some level of balance in mind not extremes. The extreme of avoiding all carbs will only cause issues. It is agreed that all simple carbs should be avoided when possible (highly refined sugars and highly refined flour products) but complex ones should be embraced. Extremes in any form will ultimately lead to suffering. 

Malnutrition was mentioned earlier because not many people know or realize just how malnourished we are as a society. We think we have plenty of food but we do not. What we have is plenty of “stuff” designed to look and taste like food and can be highly addictive (a subject for another article most likely). The truth is most of what we consider food today is void of the most basic nutrition and as such is extremely difficult to eliminate from our bodies. The “stuff “ we eat turns into a sort of gelatinous goo which coats the intestines preventing the uptake of nutrients when we do get something wholesome into our stomachs. The result is constipation. The result is malnourishment. The result is degenerative disease. The result then becomes premature death. After all, it has been noted by ancient physicians and new that death begins in the belly. 

Not So Fun Fact: It is estimated that 90% of all acid reflux issues are due to slow digestion predicated by poor elimination of waste in the colon (i.e. constipation).

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Constipation and Your Health: The Beginning of the End Part II

Our modern lifestyles have helped to usher many new and wondrous things into our lives but also some downright devastating ventures. How and what we eat, how we handle stress, and the excessive amounts of drugs, pharmaceutical and otherwise, damages our health through constipation.

Highly processed foods have become a main stay in the average American diet. Highly processed foods (bleached and enriched bread products, junk food, refined sugar, etc.) not only tend to be void of nutrition but also notoriously difficult to eliminate from the system with any kind of efficiency. Highly processed food (if you can call it food) which is not easily eliminated causes a log jam (no pun intended) in the intestines that becomes increasingly worse with each passing day. The lack of soluble and insoluble fiber in our diets only serves to compound the problem.

Stress is known as a silent killer that affects the cardiovascular system but what is often not known is how stress affects our digestion. We know that stress can create ulcers in the stomach but did you know it can lead to other gastrointestinal issues like constipation? In extreme cases stress can cause peristalsis to become extremely weak. Peristalsis describes the involuntary contractions of the colon which helps eliminate waste. Weak peristalsis makes the colon dysfunctional and constipation ensues. Also, highly stressed people tend to be enzyme deficient leading to poor digestion setting them up for constipation.

As previously mentioned Americans spend approximately $700 million annually on laxatives. While occasional use may be fine chronic laxative use can cause more harm than good. Laxatives stimulate contractions in the intestines by affecting the nerves. These stimulations are abnormal and can lead to a slow paralysis of those nerves making constipation a lifelong issue. In addition, common medications like antibiotics tend to disrupt natural intestinal flora (the balance between good bacteria and harmful bacteria). A buildup of toxic material in the intestines is a result causing constipation. Other drug types that cause constipation as a side effect are anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, antacids, antidepressants, antihypertensive drugs and diuretics.

The treatments for constipation will be discussed in the next post.

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Constipation and Your Health: The Beginning of the End Part I

It is estimated that 80% of Americans suffer from constipation at some point in their lives. Among those a great number of people suffer from the condition chronically going several days a week without a bowel movement. Upwards of $700 million annually is spent on laxatives whether they be over-the-counter or prescribed. Despite the vast amounts of money spent constipation is often overlooked as the significant detriment to our health that it is.

There are two components to constipation that makes it so damaging: malnourishment and toxin elimination. Believe it or not America is one of the most malnourished countries on the face of the earth for several reasons which we will cover shortly. Sure we have plenty to eat but often what we eat leads to constipation. Once we are constipated the intestines can no longer efficiently absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat. We end up satisfying our appetites but failing to benefit from it. Not only do the intestines have a difficult time with absorption of nutrients but the ability to eliminate toxins from the body also becomes negatively impacted. Without proper elimination toxins remain in the body wreaking havoc on our systems by disrupting vital processes or distracting and exhausting the immune system. Chronic sufferers begin a slow descent into other poor health conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc., etc. because the list goes on. The truth of the matter is that our health literally begins where our foods journey through the body ends: the colon and intestines.

This post series will cover the causes of constipation, treatments, and recommendations for overcoming constipation.

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Good Intestinal Health Part II

Lets face it, we live in a fast paced and highly competitive world and our food has become just as fast. Today the vast majority of food in Westernized societies is highly processed and/or refined.Typically most people don't think twice about that boxed 'mac and cheese' or Sunny D styled drinks and how it affects numerous aspects of our bodies but more specifically our digestion.

Highly processed/refined foods are foods that have been stripped down to their barest components and most likely have artificial ingredients added to them chiefly to extend shelf life. Unfortunately our bodies are not designed to efficiently digest these marginal food products. Take white flour for example. The wheat that it is made from has been stripped of almost all minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Even enriched flour has synthetic minerals and vitamins added to them in an attempt to make them seem nutritious that are not digestible. This makes white flour products nutritionally void and without the fiber that was stripped out it can not pass through our bodies easily rendering our digestive systems sluggish and causing constipation among other things.

Refined sugars including High Fructose Corn Syrup (more on High Fructose Corn Syrup in later posts) also contribute to sluggish digestion and constipation. These refined sugars are broken down easily in the stomach even in someone who has slow digestion. These simple sugars are then feasted upon by unfriendly gut bacteria and candida (fungal infestation). As unfriendly bacteria grow and candida over growth ensues due to the buffet in the sluggish gut digestion is further hindered. This is because the bacteria and candida compete with the body for resources. The body must also fight the respective infestations at the same time leaving you malnourished, constipated, and susceptible to many kinds of illnesses.

By the way, the more constipated a person is the longer food sits in the stomach. If food is there too long it begins to putrefy and your body is forced to activate your immune system to aid in digestion. This is a bodily defense mechanism so that rotten food doesn't send a person into toxic shock. The immune system is not designed for digestion and while it is distracted with digestion your body is open to attacks because the defenses are down. Yet another reason to strive for a bowel movement at least once daily.

Whole foods and perhaps a fiber supplement, if necessary, is the way to go. A properly functioning digestive system frees the body from chronic constipation and allows your immune system to remain on its primary task of policing pathogens trying to disrupt the body. Next week we will wrap up with how combining certain foods causes slow digestion and cover what to watch for in fiber supplements (they are not all equal or healthy for you). Go in peace.

Good Intestinal Health

Salutations and good tidings to everyone.

Our fast food and highly processed society has played havoc on our digestive health. Chronic conditions such as constipation, irritable bowel disease (IBD), and colon cancer along with other intestinal issues are becoming increasingly prevalent. I will break this subject up into three parts beginning today with fiber and water intake. Subsequent offerings over the next two or three weeks will include what highly processed foods do to our digestive health and how improper food combinations can lead to sluggish digestion which in turn leads to constipation and a whole host of other issues seldom considered. Prevention is the order of the day and there are a few things we can do for ourselves today for better digestive health tomorrow.

We can begin simply by increasing our water and fiber intake. There is some debate as to how much water we should ingest daily but it is reasonably accepted that 6 - 8 glasses (48 oz. - 64 oz.) of fresh clean water is needed. For now we will leave it at that. Water is the grand solvent by which advantageous materials are moved in and unwanted or waste materials are moved out. Without a sufficient amount of water our ability to eliminate waste properly is greatly diminished. A person can acquire water through fruit and vegetable consumption, whether they be whole or juiced, as well as simply drinking water itself. You may have noticed I didn't mention soda. That is because despite having water in it soda manages to rob the body of other essential nutrients that can be detrimental to good digestive health.

Fiber is essentially indigestible carbohydrates that combines with water. Fiber makes our stools bulkier and less dense. This makes passing "complete" stools easier and helps keep the colon clean. Both soluble (easilt dissolved in water) and insoluble (not easily dissolved in water) should be sought through the intake of whole foods (foods that are not highly processed, refined or over cooked) such as whole grains, lentils, beans, nuts, and seeds along with 5 servings of green leafy vegetables and 3 - 4 servings of fresh fruit. By the way, this doesn't leave much room for junk food or other empty calories which is a benefit to ye olde waistline! An ideal intake of fiber is at least 35 grams which is covered easily if you are taking in the foods listed above. However, through years of harsh eating plans a super sluggish system may benefit from supplementation but a proper diet is highly recommended in conjunction to any supplementation. In case you are wondering a person with a sluggish system is generally regarded as someone who has fewer than one bowel movement a day!

Next week we will discuss how highly processed foods, refined foods (including enriched foods), and over cooked foods can upset the delicate balances within us that determine good or bad intestinal health so please stay tuned.

Peace and much love to all!