The previous Great NEWS post asked Are Processed Meats Health Hazards and today we ask is Constipation a Health Hazard? Many people are not sure if they are constipated since this is not a common conversation or topic of discussion. Many people do know they are constipation so it seemed helpful to discuss this topic to support people maintain optimal health. Unfortunately, most people with chronic constipation are unaware of how much it negatively impacts their health. Today we will address what causes constipation and how to correct it. This post will answer Is Constipation A Health Hazard and share simple steps to help eliminate it.

FYI: The Great NEWS Coach Health Hazards series is dedicated to helping readers be aware of everyday health hazards that rob us of happiness and health. Constipation is a common complaint that can manifest into significant health problems and contribute to debilitating disease, disability, and death. It is easy to eliminate and easy not to eliminate based on simple food choices and lifestyle habits we make.

Rolls of Toilet Paper

My experience talking with thousands of people around the world indicates there is a big problem with constipation in most of the developed world with both children and adults.

Constipation can be harmful for many reasons so it is important to have a basic understanding of bowel movements to determine whether you have constipation or not. Based on many different factors revolving around your eating and lifestyle such as: animal products consumed, carbohydrates, chewing habits, climate, exercise, fiber, food choices, hydration, meal times, processed foods, salt consumption, sleep schedule, starches, vegetable intake, water consumption and work schedule,

Many people are eating too many processed and refined carbohydrates and fast foods with too little fiber that they only have a few bowel movements a week and think that is normal. It is essential to understand enough about bowel movements, digestion and nutrition to avoid too few bowel movements and major health problems.

My experience talking with thousands of people around the world indicates there is a big problem with constipation in most of the developed world with both children and adults. Having experienced constipation much of my life and not realizing it you can benefit from my life lessons and the epiphany that occurred in my thirties after learning it can lead to serious complications and health problems

The longer food sits in your intestines and colon the more it is likely to breed bad bacteria, contamination, fermentation, purification, and stagnation which can lead to complications, disease, and serious problems.

Most people seem to think a bowel movement every other day or even two days is just fine and normal. Some people think a couple of times a week is adequate.  Unfortunately, the lack of direct, honest, and open communications around bowel movements and constipation causes people to avoid talking about it and being regular.

What is Constipation?

Sore Stomach

Even many doctors do not agree or talk much about constipation and regular bowel movements.

Even many doctors do not agree or talk much about constipation and regular bowel movements. Constipation is a result of fecal material backing up in the colon and causing difficulty with bowel movements. When a person sits on the commode for more that a few minutes and has to strain to have a release that is a sign of constipation. Reading a book, magazine, or newspaper on the toilet is a sure sign of constipation.  The less often ones goes and the more difficulty one has the greater the likelihood of a constipation issue.

Dark, dense, dried, hard, round, and sinking cat-like poop is clearly a sign of constipation. Regular bowel movements should consist of more elongated, floating, greener and lighter colored, longer, moist, narrow, smooth, and soft stool.

What Causes Constipation?

Modern processed and refined foods typically have very low fiber and very high carbohydrates. This results in foods with less insoluble and soluble fiber to keep the fecal material bulky and lubricated to move easier along the intestines and colon. Certain foods like bread, cereal, chips, dairy, flour, French fries, meats, pasta, and sandwiches tend to be more compact, dense, and lacking in fiber, and form more dense and glue-like waste. This causes the fecal material to be more compact and compressed into dense cat scat and tootsie roll like poop.

Too few bowels movements with fecal material staying too long in the colon is known to contribute to: bad bacteria build-up, beer belly, bloating, brain fog, cancer, Candida, chronic disease, colon problems, hemorrhoids, obesity, protruding gut, rectal bleeding, weight gain and more.

Most people go too long in between bowel movements to keep their bowels clean and clear of decomposing, fermenting, and rotting matter. When the problem gets so bad they experience pain and suffering they often reach for constipation concoctions.  Some of the more common Over The Counter (OTC) laxatives include Milk of Magnesia, Miralax, Benefiber, Citrucel, FiberCon, Metamucil, Colace, Surfak, Dulcolax, Senokot, (Bisacodyl, Pedia-Lax, Dulcolax. With this many brands on the market, it is obvious consumers are spending big bucks on constipation relief. Over-The-Counter (OTC) products have side effects and warnings about overuse and use so read the warnings and then avoid them.

People spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year to help relieve constipation. With this much money being spent on constipation relief, it is a clear warning sign that a significant problem exists and is affecting people’s health. Most developed countries are consuming clogging foods that are causing this problem without realizing there are cleansing foods that are safe and simple solutions to avoid buying laxatives.

Avoiding highly processed foods, eating nutrient-dense organic whole foods, and having regular bowel movements will help children, men and women avoid many of the diseases and health problems plaguing the modern world.  It is obvious we are designed to have normal bowel movements without the aid of artificial chemicals and laxatives. Common sense suggests we avoid OTC laxatives and use natural methods instead.

What Are Normal Bowel Movements?

Outhouse

Unfortunately the majority of people think that their bowel movements are normal even when they are not going every day or better yet several times a day since this is seldom discussed.

Unfortunately, the majority of people think that their bowel movements are normal even when they are not going every day or better yet several times a day since this is seldom discussed. If you observe cats and dogs you will notice that they typically have a bowel movement after every meal. That is normal.  Am I saying it is normal for humans to have one after every meal, twice a day or at least daily? The simple answer is yes. Anything less than once a day is a signal we are not doing what is optimal for our health and well-being.

There may be several reasons why we do not have normal bowel movements every day:

  • Eating processed canola, corn, peanut, soy, and vegetable oils is almost like eating paint and plastic products made from unhealthy oil
  • Busy schedules, commuting, jet lag, and travel contribute to constipation
  • Dehydration is a big contributing factor to constipation
  • Eating bagels, bread, cereal, chips, crackers, donuts, flour, hamburgers, pancakes, pasta, pizza, rice cakes, sandwiches, tortillas, and white rice causes clogging and constipation
  • Excess dairy products are clogging. Think of Elmer’s glue.
  • Excess processed and refined foods
  • Lack of chewing our food thoroughly
  • Lack of exercise
  • Lack of foods with fiber
  • Lack of green leafy plants and vegetables
  • Lack of sea salt in the diet
  • Lack of whole foods
  • Prescription and over-the-counter medications are a significant cause

Is Constipation a Health Hazard?

Constipation allows waste material to remain in the colon longer than necessary and is optimal for vibrant health. The longer the fecal material is in the colon the longer that bad bacteria, parasites and pathogens can feast, reproduce and release wastes inside you causing disease and toxins to build up and be absorbed by the body. The body is healthiest when it can digest and assimilate healthy foods in the least amount of time necessary for peak health and performance. Excess time and waste in the colon drains the body of energy and prevent optimal nutrient absorption.

Stop Constipation and Start Being Consistent

Fresh Carrots

To prevent constipation, consume adequate amounts of organic raw berries, fruits, green leafy plants, herbs, melons, nuts, roots, sea weeds, seeds, tubers, and vegetables.

One of the first steps is to stop buying unhealthy processed and refined fake, fast, and junk food products. These unhealthy foods have been over-processed and most of the healthy fiber has been removed. When you begin buying locally grown nutrient dense organic whole foods and prepare them properly normal bowel movements return naturally.

Now that you are better educated about what causes constipation it is important to start doing things differently.  Simple things you can do include:

  • Chewing your foods slowly and thoroughly
  • Consume adequate amounts of organic raw berries, fruits, green leafy plants, herbs, melons, nuts, roots, seaweeds, seeds, tubers, and vegetables
  • Consume healthy essential fatty acids like coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil
  • Drinking adequate amounts of water after waking and all day long
  • Eating nutrient-dense organic whole foods
  • Eating additional fiber-rich foods like Aloe vera, avocado seeds, cactus pads (nopales), chard, chia seeds, dandelion, lemon and lime peels, old fashion oats, parsley, Psyllium husk, seaweeds,
  • Regular exercise, fitness, yoga, and walking routines help with regularity
  • Research colon hydrotherapy and enemas to clean out the colon
  • Use a toilet footstool to raise your feet and legs higher
  • Today we revealed some serious health hazards regarding constipation.  By avoiding most commercial processed and refined fake, fast, and junk food products and implementing simple suggestions we can avoid the majority of constipation issues.  Following the simple steps in this post will help us make better choices for nutrient-dense organic whole foods that help keep us regular.  This empowering information will help more people discover the dangers of constipation that contribute to significant health hazards.

This Great NEWS post regarding “Is Constipation A Health Hazard?“ offers simple steps to help protect our health and well-being.  Helping more people discover how constipation is a health hazard will help reduce the amount of commercially processed foods consumed and encourage people to eat more healthy organic whole food choices instead. This will help reduce chemical fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide usage and help protect the ecology and environment since fake, fast, and junk foods are major sources of harmful chemicals and compounds.  Implementing the important public service message in “Is Constipation a Health Hazard” will help people be happier and healthier.

What is your current Gap?

How often do you have bowel movements on a regular basis?  How many fake, fast, and junk foods are you consuming a week?  How many organic whole foods are you consuming?

Mastery Action Plan (MAP)

What mastery action plans will help you make better food choices? What other beliefs, behaviors, and habits can you begin to help you maintain a regular routine? Read Colon Health by Dr Norman Walker and Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management by Bernard Jensen D.C. Ph.D. for additional helpful information.

Call to Action

What comments, commitments, or concerns come to mind regarding bowel movements and constipation?  What else can we do to stop eating clogging foods and start eating cleansing foods instead?

Next week the Great NEWS blog will share:

Are Flu Shots a Health Hazard?

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