5 Quick Tips To Relieve Constipation in Plymouth Meeting

“How often do you poop?” I know, it seems like an odd question to ask. However, as any good practitioner will tell you, it is vital to ask yourself this question because it is directly related to your overall health. Read more…

The human body is designed to have a bowel movement after every meal. We are programmed to “eliminate our waste” at least 2 to 3 times a day. Sadly, for most people, this is not the case. In my office, I have found that most people “Eliminating” much less frequently than they should and that is a growing concern. Here’s why:

As part of your body’s cleansing and detoxification system, the body is designed to eliminate the waste from our body. This waste consists of undigested foods, various living and dead bacteria, salts, fats, cellular bi-products as well as various toxins.

When the body does not remove this metabolic waste it builds up within our bowel and begins to create havoc, not only in the intestines, but throughout our entire body.

Common symptoms of constipation in Plymouth Meeting may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Chronic Headaches
• Mental Fog
• Weight Gain
• Lack of energy
• And more.

5 quick tips to help relieve constipation in Plymouth Meeting

Here are our 5 quick tips to help get your bowels moving again and relieve your symptoms of constipation.

Take Enzymes

Enzymes are plant-based proteins, found in nature, that help us break down the food that we eat. Since it is suggested that constipation may be exacerbated by decreased digestive activity, taking plant-based enzymes may help to increase the digestive activity and help the bowels to move more frequently.

Tip: Supplementing may be very effective for relieving digestive distress and increasing the frequency of your BM. Talk to your doctor about taking enzymes with your meals.

Drink More Water

Dehydration is among the leading causes of constipation. In order for our body to be able to digest and our bowels to move properly, we need to make sure that we are properly hydrated.

Tip: As a rule of thumb, it is said that a healthy adult should drink half his body weight in ounces of water per day to stay properly hydrated. (For example, a 150 LBS person should drink 75oz of water per day.)

Probiotics

Probiotics are the “good” bacteria that live deep within our intestines. Probiotics help to aid in the digestive processes and balance the microbiome of organisms in our body to maintain our health. Probiotics are believed to help increase BM frequency and eve soften stools.

Tip: Good natural sources of probiotics are:

• Yogurt
• Kombucha
• Kefir
• Buttermilk
• Soft or aged cheeses
• Kimchi
• Unpasteurized sauerkraut
• Miso
• Tempeh

Exercise

Though the medical research is limited, the anecdotal evidence remains strong by stating that increasing your exercise has shown to be effective for increasing bowel motility and decreasing constipation.

Tip: If you are experiencing constipation and live a sedentary lifestyle, try walking 30 minutes per night. It will be a health change for the body and may decrease your symptoms of constipation.

De-Stress

Stress can be a major cause for constipation. As the body responds to stress it releases the hormone cortisol. When cortisol is released it tells the brain that there is a potential danger and it put the body in a “Fight or Flight” mode to ensure that we can rapidly flee the scene or protect ourselves.

As the “Fight or Flight” aspect of the nervous system increases it decreases our body’s “Rest and Digest” portion of the nervous system. Therefore, it decreases our normal digestive processes and well as decreases the rate of our bowel motility. Thus contributing to constipation.

Tip: Try various stress-relieving activities such as Exercising, yoga, and/or meditating.

Get Adjusted

It has been said that there are more nerves in the gut then there are in the brain. As chiropractors, our job is to focus on the body’s nervous system and improve the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. When we remove the interference that may impede the brain from properly communicating the bowel we have seen tremendous results. Patients have experienced improved digestion, less bloating and more frequent bowel movements.

A note from our office:

If you are experiencing constipation, bloating or any other digestive distress, please call our office to see how we can help you to move beyond treating your symptoms and focus on restoring your health.

At Restoration Spine and Wellness, our goal is to help you achieve your health goals!