There’s really no polite way to talk about bowel movements. For this reason, many of us simply try to ignore what goes on in the bathroom.
But by doing so, we put our health at risk!
See, most of us – even most doctors – ignore this important bodily function. Yet despite its ban from dinner-table conversation, it’s just as crucial to your survival as – well – eating food.
Bowel movements are as essential to life as drinking water, getting sleep and eating a healthy meal. And unlike what you may hear from the pharmacist or your doctor, you don’t need drugs to make them easier.
But before we get into how to “do your business” more easily the natural way, here’s why you should be paying more attention to this critical activity . . .
Bowel Health Is Critical To Your Health In General
Most of us think of our bowels as the final passageway out of our bodies. Nutrients you get from the food you eat and digest are absorbed before the leftovers reach your bowels. However, this doesn’t mean your bowels act only as an exit tube. In the bowels, your body reabsorbs water into the blood stream as it moves the digestive waste out of you.
If you eat well and your bowels are working well, this is a pretty straightforward process. Your muscles contract and steadily move the waste down. Meanwhile your body reabsorbs most of the precious water.
However, if your bowels aren’t operating properly, the waste moves too slowly through this passageway. As this mass sits inside of you it ferments and spoils. Unfriendly bacteria multiply and produce noxious substances. This toxic brew 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 bowels become a source of contamination and illness. 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 one bowel movement every 3 days to be sufficient. In contrast, most natural health experts see 1-3 bowel movements a day as a sign of good health. Since you eat three times a day, your body should eliminate waste close to that schedule.
And here’s another surprising revelation that counters conventional advice . . .
If you’re having problems moving your bowels, don’t turn to laxatives right away. They can make the problem worse. Laxatives can damage the nerves in your colon, interfering with signals telling your colon to contract and move waste down. Laxatives can also interfere with absorption of minerals essential for bowel muscle and nerve health like calcium and magnesium.
While most doctors won’t tell you this, there’s are several better alternatives to laxatives. You can help the last part of your digestive system do its job right without the help of drugs.
Natural Bowel Health Tactic #1: Get More Fiber In Your Diet
You probably already know 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 your bowel muscles to contract and move things down.
• Doctors are only starting to acknowledge the second way fiber helps. Fiber is considered a prebiotic. It feeds the friendly probiotic bacteria living in your colon. These bacteria turn fiber into a source of energy, butyric acid, used by both the bacteria and your colon cells.
• By feeding your colon cells, these bacteria help them stay healthy. But the benefits don’t stop there . . . Not only do they care for your colon cells, these friendly probiotic bacteria also keep undesirable bacteria away. This helps reduce the toxic buildup in your bowels.
In order to get more fiber, back off refined foods and try to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Natural Bowel Health Tactic #2: Drink lots of water
Hydration is one of the deciding factors in how well your colon works. As anyone who’s played in the mud knows, water can literally turn a solid, brick-like mass into soft mush. The same is true inside your colon.
In fact, water may even be more important than fiber when it comes to colon health. In 2013 a group of researchers surveyed 8000 men and women about their water intake and stools. They found the people who drank the most liquid had the least amount of problems with constipation.[2] As the researchers remarked, the difference made by drinking enough water was consistent and significant.
Most of us don’t get enough water each day. We tend to ignore thirst or mistake it for hunger. Sometimes we show good intentions by carrying a water bottle around. But we don’t drink from it enough. Instead of fooling yourself, periodically serve yourself a big glass of water and drink it down in one sitting.
And here’s another trick for combining two solutions in one – eat lots of hydrating fruits and vegetables like juicy watermelon, succulent peaches and refreshing cucumbers. We can get lots of water in our diet simply with the food we eat. Plus we get a good dose of fiber to boot!
Natural Bowel Health Tactic #3: Get moving
For some people, increased hydration and fiber in the diet isn’t enough to help their bowels ease up. But exercise may make the difference.
In one clinical trial conducted in Scandinavia, researchers sought evidence on whether physical activity could make a difference for people suffering from chronic constipation. All of the test subjects had tried eating more fiber and drinking more water – but to no avail.
However, exercise worked where these dietary changes didn’t. As part of the study, the participants walked 30 minutes a day and did a brief 11-minute set of exercises at home. And within 12 weeks of maintaining this activity, the study participants enjoyed an increased frequency in bowel movements. Exercise helped them finally gain relief.[3]
Natural Bowel Health Tactic #4: Don’t Sit
Most places in the world, people don’t use toilets. They squat. And in fact, despite the toilet’s revered place as a sign of progress, squatting turns out to be the best way to do your business. When you squat, your bowels are straightened out and can tap into gravity to make things easier. In contrast, when you sit, you put much more pressure on your muscles to get your stools out.
Don’t worry – you don’t need to dig a pit toilet in your backyard to get the full advantages of squatting. Simply pull a footstool up and rest your feet on it as you sit on the toilet. This automatically repositions your body. Or you can purchase a squatting stool designed to fit right under the toilet bowl.
Then let your body and gravity do the work the way it was meant to be done.
Natural Bowel Health Tactic #5: Supplement With Chlorella
Chlorella has long been something I recommend for any digestive issue. But it’s particularly helpful when it comes to constipation and colon health.
Researchers at the Mimasake Women’s College gave study participants who were suffering from constipation regular doses of chlorella. As a result, the participants enjoyed increased frequency of bowel movements, increased total stool amount and improved stool consistency.[4]
And chlorella’s support for your bowel health doesn’t end there. Chlorella seems to help your colon recover even when it’s severely stressed. In a small clinical study, eight people suffering from ulcerative colitis took 10 g of chlorella and 3 ounces of the liquid chlorella extract with concentrated chlorella growth factor (CGF). Aside from the supplementation, the participants maintained their normal lifestyle routines.
At the end of the second month, a full examination and interview revealed chlorella supplementation had contributed to some exceptional results. The examination revealed significantly less inflammation. An overall assessment 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 straining 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 bowel health can lead to more severe health consequences. And it’s much harder to fix your bowel problems when they’ve gotten serious. Early intervention is the key.
If your doctor tells you it’s okay to only go 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 bowels . . . and ultimately, take care of your health. By using them you can find relief in the bathroom – and enjoy the energy and overall feeling of wellness that comes with good bowel health.
Sources:
[1]Watson, B. et al. Gut Solutions. Renew Life Press and Information Services. Clearwater, Florida: 2003. p. 79
[2]Doyle K. Fluids May Prevent Constipation Better Than Fiber. Reuters, May 2013.
[3]De Schryver AM et al. Effects of regular physical activity on defecation pattern in middle-aged patients complaining of chronic constipation. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2005 Apr;40(4):422-9.
[4]Effect of chlorella strain CK-5 on the frequency of bowel movement in humans. Japanese Jrnl of Nutrition. 1998; 56(5): pp 253-263
[5]Merchant 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
About Mark Drucker, M.D.
Dr. Mark Drucker is co-host of the popular radio talk show "Health Talk, A Second Opinion," is a distinguished speaker on natural health topics, and is the co-founder and Medical Director of the Center for Advanced Medicine. He is a certified member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging medicine, the American Academy of General Physicians, and a Diplomat Candidate of the American Board of Chelation Therapy, as well as a fellow member of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine. He is also an esteemed member of the Sun Chlorella Advisory Board.
Want to learn more about what the medical world is missing? Get our FREE report, "Why Didn't My Doctor Tell Me This?" In this eye-opening report, 5 pioneering natural health experts reveal nutritional secrets that can change your life. Get your free copy here. Sun Chlorella USA offers the finest quality chlorella products for anti-aging, weight maintenance, energy, heart, brain & digestive system, as well as overall health and wellness for both people and pets. Also, for special offers, news and updates, follow us on Twitter at @sunchlorellausa or 'Like' us on Facebook at our Sun Chlorella USA Facebook page.