Chronic constipation is a common problem naturopathic doctors treat. People who experience chronic constipation typically have less then 3 bowel movements per week. This is far from what we consider to be optimal bowel movements. To be optimal, we should have a minimum of 1 formed bowel movement per day, with no straining. While laxatives are commonly given to help get the bowels moving, you can't use them for a long time, and people usually become resistant to them.
Given that so many people suffer from chronic constipation with little hope other then laxatives, natural medicines can play a huge role in helping people heal.
Here is how I typically treat chronic constipation naturally
1) Remove food sensitivities - a common cause of chronic constipation is food sensitivities. When your immune system reacts to foods its sensitive to, it can burden the digestive system with all of the inflammation. It's important to identify those foods, remove them, and let the digestive system relax and heal.
2) Add fiber - The less fiber you consume, the smaller and harder your bowel movements can become. It's important for most people to get between 20-35 g of fiber per day for optimal bowel health.
3) Add probiotics- Patients with chronic constipation often have abnormal gut microflora. By supplementing with probiotics, we can help to restore normal microflora, and help get the bowels moving.
4) Add bitters - In order to breakdown food and digest, your stomach needs to make enzymes. Bitter herbs help to stimulate your stomach enzymes, so that when the food reaches your stomach, its ready to be digested optimally.
5) Reduce inflammation - Digestion can be impaired by high levels of inflammation. We can add things like fish oils, turmeric, boswellia, and other anti-inflammatory products to help reduce inflammation.
6) Acupuncture - the needles help to stimulate the bowels to produce more movement
Are you ready to change the health of your gut?
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