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| | March 2005 Ageless herbal newsletter
This month we are looking at an aspect of life seldom discussed in polite conversation, and normally shied away from, as it does not meet the normal idea of a civil and generally accepted topic of discussion - yet it affects millions of people and can have a largely negative impact on your general health and wellbeing.
The topic is constipation, the general misconceptions regarding it, and re-evaluating some normal Western standards when making a clinical evaluation.
Some Western allopathic doctors will tell you that a person only suffers from constipation after 4 or 5 days have lapsed since their last
bowel movement.
Well - the above is not the standard used in a more natural and holistic approach to health.
Naturopaths and other alternative health practitioners normally agree that a person should have a
bowel movement every day at least - and if you think about it, most people will agree with the validness of this belief.
Our belief is that constipation is not only unnatural, but it leads to certain other health problems, definitely affecting the way you look and feel as well. Not only is it aging, it can also cause an unattractive skin breakout and is one of the major
causes of toxicity, which can manifest as cellulite. (For more information on cellulite, please visit our sister company at www.cellulite.co.za)
Although constipation is not a deadly condition, it in turn can give rise to a variety of other problems, such as:
It can also be a contributing factor to far more serious problems, such as
- Bowel cancer
- Diabetes mellitus
- Meningitis
The reasons for constipation vary, and can include the following:
This problem is found in all age groups and in both sexes, while older people for various reasons seem to have more problems with it, as well as
pregnant women.
Taking laxatives to relieve this problem is not always a good idea, depending on the type of laxative used.
- Stimulant laxatives
- such as senna, irritate the intestinal wall, which stimulates peristaltic movement. The use of this type of laxative may lead to laxative dependency and should be avoided if possible.
- Stool softeners
- such as mineral oil, are helpful but should not be used regularly, as they can interfere with fat-soluble vitamin absorption and can also increase the toxicity of other drugs.
- Osmotic agents
- such as milk of magnesium and Epsom
salts, are salts or carbohydrates, which promote the secretion of water into the colon, thereby promoting bowel movement, but dependency can also be caused by these agents.
- Bulk-forming agents
- these can be taken daily, do NOT cause dependency, and increase the bulk as well as the water content of the stools, thereby promoting a well functioning digestive system. A good example of a bulk-forming agent is
psyllium.
There are other ways to ensure an effective digestive system, and these would include:
- Following a high fiber diet - not just insoluble fiber such as bran, but also soluble fiber which is found in apples etc.
- Eat a healthier diet and cut down, or cut out, junk and fried foods.
- Drinking enough water - even if you do not like water, or feel that thirsty, make sure that your intake is adequate.
- Do some exercises - even if you do not like exercising or have too little time. At least take a brisk walk every day.
We have a remedy for constipation which is a psyllium-based capsule combined with other herbal ingredients to not only help constipation, but to help your entire digestive and assimilation system. To view our Digest capsules please click here.
Other articles of interest
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