Colonista.com

The Nitty Gritty of Diagnosing Constipation

So you think you may have constipation, but maybe you’re not sure.  It’s okay—no one expects you to self-diagnose everything!  That’s what doctors are for.

If you feel constipated for more than two weeks, it’s essential that you make an appointment with your doctor so that he/she can figure out what’s going on and how to fix it.  This is especially important if you are a colon cancer patient.

Your doctor may perform several tests to diagnose your constipation.  These tests include:

• Barium studies – these look for obstruction of the colon
• Blood tests – these look for hormonal imbalances
• Colonoscopy – this looks for obstruction of the colon

From there, your doctor can figure out what’s causing your constipation and can make sure that it’s not due to a bigger, more serious problem.

Why Can’t I Poop?

So, you’re constipated.  For whatever reason, you’re having a hard time pooping.  Don’t be embarrassed—it happens to the best of us.

But why does it happen?

Here are some of the most common causes of constipation:

• Stress
• Not drinking enough water
• Inadequate fiber in your diet
• Eating a large amount of dairy
• Not exercising enough
• A disruption in your regular diet or routine such as traveling
• Overuse of laxatives
• Resisting the urge to go poop
• Hypothyroidism
• Antacid medicines
• Neurological conditions
• Pain medicines and other prescriptions
• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Colon
• cancer
• IBS
• Pregnancy

Wow.  That’s a long list of causes.

Am I Constipated?

Constipation is no fun.  I had a friend in college who got into a car accident and was prescribed pain pills.  As many know, pail medication can cause constipation.  For her, it made her unable to poop for five full days.  It looked like she was three months pregnant.

But what is constipation, technically?

At some point in your life, you will most likely experience constipation.  If you’re a female or getting up in your years, you have a bigger chance of being constipated.

But what does it mean to be constipated?  You are considered to be experiencing constipation if you experience at least two of the following for a minimum of three months:

• Hard stools at least 25% of the time
• Straining during bowel movements at least 25% of the time
• Two or less poops per week
• Incomplete evacuation at least 25% of the time

What do you think?  Have you been constipated in your lifetime?

Nine Out of this World Cleansing Herbs

Okay, so I’m still on my cleansing herb kick.  There are just so many cleansing herbs that prove to be so beneficial for your body and your digestive system that I’m having a hard time not sharing them with you all.  So here’s a list of nine more wonderful herbs that have cleansing properties.

1. Black Cohosh Root – aids the circulatory and cardiovascular systems
2. Echinacea – most effective known blood and lymphatic cleanser, reduces inflammation
3. Golden Seal Root – regulates liver function and aids digestion
4. Licorice Root – aids in clearing fluid from respiratory system
5. Oregon Grape Root – excellent blood purifier, treats parasites
6. Psyllium Husk – cleanses colon and intestines
7. Rhubarb Root – stimulates digestion
8. Sarsaparilla Herb – used in glandular balance formulas
9. Triphala – stimulates the release of hormonal oils in the intestinal tract

So…are you catching the “I love cleansing herbs” bug?

It’s Easy to Add Fiber to Your Diet

Trust me.  You don’t have to take a supplement—there are plenty of delicious foods that have high fiber!  They taste great and keep you “regular.”  (I love saying that.)

 Food                                                    Fiber

½ cup of Fiber One cereal                   14 grams

1 oz. pistachios                                    3 grams

One artichoke                                      6 grams

1 cup lentil beans                                16 grams

1 cup raspberries                                 6 grams

1 large baked apple                             5 grams

16 oz can of baked beans                    16 grams

1 cup cooked black beans                   19.4 grams

 

And this is just some of the great foods I found that have high amounts of fiber.  We all think that incorporating fiber into our diet is going to make us have to eat the foods that we hate—but as you can see, that’s certainly not the case.  Who doesn’t love a baked apple every once in a while?

Get Your Liver Squeaky Clean!

I’ve been doing a lot of research regarding liver cleansing lately (as I’m sure you can tell by my recent blog posts), and so I’ve compiled quite a few liver cleansing programs that have received rave reviews.  If you’re feeling brave and thinking about trying out a liver cleanse, try one of these out and let me know what you think!

1. Liver Cleanse with Grapefruits
2. Apple, Lemon and Grapefruit Cleanse
3. 3-Day Cleanse:  Day One
4. 3-Day Cleanse:  Days Two and Three

As I looked and weeded through the various recipes and cleanses, I noticed that a variation of the Apple, Lemon and Grapefruit Cleanse showed up two out of three times…so I’m leaning towards that one myself.

Have you tried a liver cleanse?  If so, what was it like?

Stock Up on These if You’re Cleaning Your Liver

If you’re planning on participating in a liver detoxification any time soon, you need to properly prepare your body for the cleanse.

There are a number of nutrients that are necessary for liver health, and your liver detox will be the most effective when your body has plenty of them.  Here are some of those nutrients:

• Antioxidants – for example, vitamin C, vitamin E, milk thistle, and beta carotene
• SAM-E – an amino acid that aids liver health
• Cruciferous vegetables – for example, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli
• B vitamins – also riboflavin and niacin

There are great vitamin supplements out there that can help you to stock up on these nutrients prior to a liver detox.  So get going—grab your vitamins and eat your broccoli ASAP so that we can get that liver clean!

Liver Detoxification: Is it Really Necessary?

So, you probably all believe that colon cleansing is essential (or at least helpful) by now, but what about these other detox programs you read about?

Let’s start with liver detoxification.  Is it really a big deal?

Definitely.  Studies show that over half of those over 50 years old are afflicted with “Fatty Liver,” a disease that is just what it sounds like:  an accumulation of fat in your liver.

Another important note is that gallbladder surgery is the most common surgery in all of North America.

So it looks like liver issues aren’t just limited to alcoholics.  Speaking of alcoholics, if you do have a problem, chances are that someday, you’re going to experience liver issues.  Please get help as soon as you can.

Back to the topic.  Liver cleansing can help you to routinely cleanse out your liver so that you can improve your Fatty Liver condition and help to prevent other liver problems.

Check back tomorrow to learn more about liver detoxification.

A Dozen Ways to Exercise…and Have Fun Doing it!

It goes without saying that exercise is an important facet of staying healthy.  This is especially true when it comes to colon health.  Sweating cleans toxins out of the body and leads to a generally better overall well-being.

But it’s important to find a form of exercise that you actually enjoy doing.  In light of this, here are 12 different ideas for exercising…and they’re actually pretty fun.

1. Rebounding – this involved jumping on a mini-trampoline.  Hello childhood!
2. Yoga
3. Walking outside – this can be especially fun if you live near a park or in a very pretty neighborhood/city.
4. Martial arts – Get fit and learn how to kick butt!
5. Swimming
6. Dancing
7. Bike riding – again, this is great in a beautiful area.
8. Hula hoop – gets your abs fit!
9. Join a kickball league
10. Jump rope
11. Play disc golf
12. Have sex – seriously.  But, of course, always be safe and protect yourself!

What’s your favorite way to exercise?

Ten Terrible Foods That Kill Your Colon

I tell you time and time again that diet is essential for a clean colon.  And I’ll probably tell you about it a million more times!  Here’s a list of ten foods that aren’t all that great for your digestive system.  Avoid these if you can!

1. Margarine – can you say oil?  Oils simply add to the gunk that’s already clogging up your colon and causing problems.
2. Table salt
3. MSG
4. Soft drinks – so much sugar, and zero nutrition!
5. Food additives – natural is the best.
6. Processed foods
7. Alcohol – I know.  It’s a bummer.  Just try to drink in moderation.  Don’t overdo it!
8. Fried foods
9. Tap water – it can contain fluoride, chlorine, and other contaminants.  Get a water filter.
10. Refined sugar/sweeteners

So what do you say?  Will you try to cut down on these, or even cut them out completely?