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Correcting Constipation Part II

Digestive difficulties are one of the leading complaints today, sending some 100 million people per year to the emergency room. Constipation is one of them. Some people get uncomfortable after 2 or 3 days of not having a bowel movement, while others can go a week or longer. I had a patient that went once a month! The sad thing was that he only found it to be a nuisance, maybe a minor concern. He came to see me after he went to a gastroenterologist and asked the doctor “I’ve gone a month without a bowel movement. At what point should I be concerned?” The GI doc shrugged his shoulders and said “Well, if it gets bad enough, we’ll just remove your colon!” He decided he’d better seek another opinion and another option.

If you are struggling, there are things you can do to help.

First, we essentially train ourselves to be constipated. As children, we don’t want to stop playing to go to the bathroom. Then we get into school and can’t just leave the classroom when the urge hits – we learn to hold it. Then we get into the work force and the same applies. You can’t just tell a customer at the cash register “Hey, can you wait a minute? I have to run to the restroom!” We learn to ignore the urges and continue with work until a more opportune time. So we train ourselves to not go.

Many train themselves to go first thing in the morning. Ideally, we want to go 30 minutes after each meal. If this doesn’t work for your schedule, going in the morning is the next best option. Literally, potty train yourself again. Sit on the pot every morning upon arising without fail. Sit for a few minutes, lightly bearing down. Eventually the body gets the message and you have now trained yourself for a once-daily movement. Once this is a good habit, start to potty train yourself to go just before bed. Try to be consistent with the time if possible. While 3 times/day is ideal, if you can train yourself to go twice daily, your body would love you for it!

Eating fresh fruits and veggies every day is a must for regulating bowels. Too much raw, however, can make your stools too loose. A good 50/50 ratio of raw to lightly steamed is perfect.

Hydration is essential as well. Make sure you are drinking ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day.

An often overlooked necessity is eating enough good fats. Good fats stimulate the release of bile from the gallbladder. Bile is one of the best regulators of stools. Avocados, olive oil, and a good juicy pasture-raised steak could be just the ticket.

If your constipation is not responding, or if you have other digestive issues that need to be addressed, try acupuncture. It has been used to effectively help digestive issues for thousands of years. No exaggeration!

©2015 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.

Picture of Dr. Holly Carling

Dr. Holly Carling

Dr. Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with nearly four decades of experience. Dr. Carling is a “Health Detective,” she looks beyond your symptom picture and investigates WHY you are experiencing your symptoms in the first place. Dr. Carling considers herself a “professional student” – she has attended more than 600 post-secondary education courses related to health and healing. Dr. Carling gives lectures here in the U.S. and internationally and has been noted as the “Doctor’s Doctor”. When other healthcare practitioners hit a roadblock when treating their patients nutritionally, Dr. Carling is who they call. Dr. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’ Alene clinic.

Medical/Health Disclaimer:

The information provided in this article or podcast should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this article or podcast. Readers/listeners should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the author, but readers/listeners who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries.

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