Here are my tips for taking control of your body and bringing your input and output into a place of balance, so that you can have healthier and more regular bowel movements.
The basics required for healthy bowel movements (and a healthy digestive system) are fiber, fluids, exercise, and stress management. If your stool doesn’t fit the profile of a healthy bowel movement, the following are a few steps that can make it better.
In my new book, THE GOOD SH*T, you’ll learn how to identify which foods create good poop versus bad poop and how to craft a nutrition plan that works for you, and the way your body functions. So how can you take control of your sh*t?
Eat substantial meals.
Each time you eat a substantial mean, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines. These promote regular movement of waste material throughout your colon and rectum.
Ensure adequate intake of water or water-rich foods.
Water helps to move waste materials along and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stool to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation.
Eat fiber-rich food regularly.
Regularly eat foods that stimulate the flow of digestive enzymes like brown rice, daikon radish, and pungent foods such as garlic, ginger, and onions.
Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats.
Intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon. Foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, eggs, oil, raw nuts, coconut oil
Squat!
As a practicing Chiropractor, the proper alignment of the spine is very important to me for the optimal functioning of a body. Proper alignment must happen in the colon for optimal pooping. “Squatting straightens the recto-anal angle and opens in more fully so elimination is much easier, says yoga practitioner Richard Ravizza, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Pennsylvania State University in Scranton. “You could think of it as straightening a partially kinked garden hose.” The Squatty Potty is a simple design has helped many people achieve a better pooping position and proper alignment for all ages.
De-stress.
Find something: listening to music, laughing, yoga, getting some fresh air, that allows you to free your mind for a few minutes. This can also help free your body of tightness and agitation. This, in turn, helps your muscles relax and gets your insides going again. It may take time, but finding the time do to something for your stress, even for a few minutes, will help to regulate your body and balance your stress.
Reduce Antacids.
Doctors should not prescribe antacids without a test checking for stomach acid production. However, one in fourteen Americans takes antacids on a regular basis. So, how does this affect your shit? Not only do antacids not really fix the problem of esophageal burning in the long run, but they also create diarrhea because they contain magnesium. Some, on the flip side, have aluminum and leave people complaining of Constipation. One way or another, people who take antacids complain of stomach cramps and changes in bowel movements.
Using these simple steps to identify things you are doing or not doing properly can help you have your “aha” moment about why you are having bad poops and can put you on the path to taking control of your shit! It's time to listen to what your sh*t is telling you and improve your body, from head to butt!
