The Rude Truth: Constipation Isn't Funny (01/11/2019) | Health Library

Isn't it just a little weird? Sixty-second commercials for ED run on family television channels.

But we don't talk about constipation--a problem that is so common almost everyone suffers it occasionally.

Chronic constipation affects 15% to 20% of Americans—42 million people according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institute of Health.

That should give you a clue that those dry runs in the bathroom are not just uncomfortable and embarrassing. It's serious enough for the government to study.

Most of the time, constipation has innocent causes: too little exercise, the wrong food, not enough water, a medication that binds you up, pregnancy, and just plain bad habits like resisting the urge when it's not convenient to go.

It can be a sign something more serious is wrong. You should see your doctor if you have blood in your stools, excessive pain, unexplained weight loss or this is new and unusual for you. But for the rest of us, constipation is usually a problem we can solve ourselves.

Constipation really isn't funny. It's miserable. Fortunately, there's a lot you can do. Here is some of the best and most respected advice, with a little extra insight.

1. Hydrate—Why this matters: not what you probably think. As we get older, our bodies hold water. Also, our thirst signals become less reliable as we age. So drink plentifully whether you feel thirsty or not. You may not be as well hydrated as you think you are. You don't have to glug down a quart of pure water at a time to stay healthy. Multiple small additions of beverages that you like throughout the day are ideal. It will make all your systems function better. Proper hydration benefits your skin, blood pressure, heart rate and metabolism. And helps soften stools, too.

2. Move—exercise helps speed up your digestive system and supports the muscles involved in pushing food through your system. Your colon is a muscle. Although doctors often advise constipated patients to exercise more, there is surprisingly little actual research on the topic.

However, a study on psychiatric patients in South Korea proved there was a strong reason to start exercising for better digestion. The constipated men who did both aerobic and strength exercises cut their colon transit time by almost half. That's ideal. The control group (no exercise regime) had no improvement at all.

3. Increase fiber, perhaps—I'd be willing to bet you are not getting enough fiber. A study reported in The Journal of Nutrition claims that only 3% of Americans are on target. But if you want to do better, be careful with foods that have added fiber. Xanthum and inulin, which are added to foods to increase fiber content, for instance, can cause a gastric disturbance in people who are sensitive to them. Instead, increase your “herbivore” foods. Add a banana to your day. Grab a bowl of oatmeal, snack on raisins, love your lentils, or put some quinoa in your daily diet. If you work this right, you can decree your oatmeal cookies a necessary health food. Especially if you use applesauce or banana instead of sugar as a sweetener.

4. This Is The Big One. FEED YOUR GUT RIGHT—Your colon muscles can weaken gradually, but the most critical element in digesting food, the bacteria in your gut, can go wrong overnight. A round of antibiotics, stress, infections, drugs, surgery, changes in your diet, moving, travel, being around new plants and animals, there are dozens of reasons why your gut microbes can suddenly die off or change to a less favorable mix. It matters.

Feeding your gut is one of the most important and easiest measures you can take. Yes, it can solve a lot of problems, including constipation. A healthy microbiome—the community of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that normally live in our bodies – is the center of our health. According to Scientific American, there are 10 times more bacteria in your body than there are human cells. The right mix is critical.

It's radically different from anything you'll see in the drugstore. We have selected seven different microbes that support digestive health by a number of different means.

• Strain #5 encourages your gut to produce lactase again, to naturally aid in digesting dairy products (including things like whey found in cookies and protein bars)

• Strain #6 seeks out and destroys toxins and helps maintain the correct pH in your gut

But the star of the show—Strain #7—is Saccharomyces boulardii... It's a powerful agent in restoring a healthy balance of gut bacteria. And this is the missing ingredient you won't find in cheap, grocery store products.