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Common Causes of Constipation

Low fiber diet
Low water intake
Diet high in refined processed foods
Lack of exercise
Pregnancy
Anxiety
Under active Thyroid
Weak bowel muscles
Irritable bowel syndrome
Certain medications
Too much calcium (unbalance with magnesium) or too much iron

*other less common, but more serious causes include: acute bowel obstruction, Parkinson disease, hypercalcemia, spinal cord injury, other neurogenic causes, and depression.

Anyone who is experiencing moderate to severe constipation should have a full physical examination before opting for self-treatment, in order to find and properly address the underlying cause.

Constipation Protocol

Since the average US diet is so poor and such a large number of people have problems emptying their bowels, textbooks have redefined “constipation” as having three or less bowel movements per week. Your goal for good health and disease prevention should be to have 1 or more BMs per day.

Diet:
Avoid or eliminate white flour products, processed foods, partially hydrogenated oils, soft drinks, and anything containing sugar or corn syrup. (see sample diet below).  You may also find that removing all dairy from your diet gives you great results.  Experiment for a couple weeks to find out.  Increase intake of cultured and fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut. And increase intake of fresh vegetable juice (i.e. celery, carrot, and beet).  Mix in a healthy fat such as flaxseed oil, ground flaxseeds, coconut oil, or coconut milk into your healthy fruit smoothies or fresh vegetable drink since they are very healing to the GI.

Before each meal:
15 minutes or more before each meal, have 1 Tablespoon of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar which you can find at the supermarket or health food store, and a good digestive enzyme such as Digestzymes by DFH. 

After each meal:
Take a good probiotic such as Probiotic Synergy by DFH and Omega Synergy by DFH.

Before Bed:
30 minutes or more before bed, take a good fiber supplement such as Ultra Fiber Plus followed by a large glass of water.

Lifestyle:
Lack of exercise is the most common overlooked cause of constipation.  Get your body moving!

Quick Fix:
During stressful times or travel, you may find that your usual supplement program and diet are not doing the trick and still leaving you constipated.  Use Magnesium Ascorbate by DFH as a safe and gentle non-stimulating solution for occasional or acute constipation.  It contains Magnesium and Vitamin C which naturally can loosen stools when 2-5 capsules are taken at once.

Other Ideas:
Thyroid- Having a weak thyroid will cause constipation even in those individuals with high fiber diets who drink plenty of water and take supplements for digestive support.  If you have any symptoms of low thyroid (i.e. colds hands and feet, low energy, difficulty losing weight, etc), you should have your thyroid levels checked.  If your levels are borderline low and you do not need medication, supplements such as Thyroid Synergy by DFH can be very helpful to naturally support an underactive thyroid. 

Liver Detox- A toxic liver can cause constipation.  If you drink alcohol, take medications, or are exposed to pollution, chemicals, or toxins on a regular basis, you will benefit from a liver cleanse and detoxification.  A great product is Liver Support & Detox Intensive packets by Pharmax.

Advanced Protocol for Chronic Constipation:
For those individuals who have struggled with years of constipation and need more aggressive supplements, the following supplements can also be added to the basic constipation protocol recommendations:

Digestive Stimulator- herbal laxative. Take the smallest dose possible and only when necessary since even herbal laxatives can create some dependence.

Toxin Absorber packets. Powerful fiber combination.  Take one or two packets per day mixed into apple juice followed by a large glass of water.

Betain HCL by DFH: one capsule at the start of each meal.

Books:
Restoring your Digestive Health by Jordan Rubin, NMD and Joe Brasco, MD
Healthy Digestion the Natural Way by Lindsey Berkson
Digestive Wellness by Liz Lipski, PhD