Bryan from Mississippi writes:
For the last year I have been dealing with constipation. My doctor has tried all of the basic over the counter items and nothing seems to be working. It seems the more stressed out I get, the less I can go. What do you suggest?
Dear Bryan,
Great to hear from you! Constipation can be very frustrating. Many times we don’t know the root cause and it causes you to get into the rut of try this or try that. However, I have great news! So much our digestive system can be traced to the foods we eat every day, and the stress that we learn to manage. Here are some quick tips for winning the battle of being backed up. First see how much water you are drinking every day. Most people are dehydrated and don’t even realize it. The rule of thumb is half your bodyweight in ounces of water each day. So a 200lbs person would take in about 100oz per day. Next is to focus on your fiber intake. The research tells us that we need about 35-40 grams of fiber each day for proper bowel health and to reduce the chances of colorectal cancer. You can get plenty of those fiber grams if you will eat 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. One of my personal favorites is to use beets. Beets have long been known to increase peristalsis in the digestive tract and get everything moving, as it should. Try a little secret of cutting up a steamed beet and placing it over some fresh greens at night before bed. This will help everything move throughout the night and can cause great movement the next day. There are other options such as prunes and teas like chamomile tea. And finally, the research all tells us that exercise is the key to healthy bowel movements. If possible, consider walking or doing some form of aerobic exercise daily. The key is to stay consistent in all that you do. And don’t forget probiotics! They are the absolute key to a healthy gut and increased digestive health. Make sure to check out the best probiotic that I have found at Theralac.com
