By Angie Smith, Clinical Director
Summer can be wonderful — it provides opportunities to get outside and see family and friends. However, these activities can encourage us to eat junk food, often leading to bloating and constipation.
A Common Problem
Surveys indicate that constipation is one of the most common GI problems in the United States, affecting 42 million people. Recently, 6.3 million outpatient visits were due to constipation, resulting in 5.3 million prescriptions.
Laxatives – Not a Holistic Solution
(Even the Plant-Based Ones)
You may have tried laxatives for constipation: They work by softening the stool or lubricating it. Laxatives help relieve discomfort in the short term, but are not a long term solution. They can actually reduce your body’s ability to naturally eliminate waste and toxins, by creating a “lazy colon”. You need your body’s intestinal system to continue using its own fluids and muscle contractions to create peristalsis and normal movement—-naturally and on its own. But, you can help your body to eliminate naturally by making good lifestyle choices.
Healthy habits which help with a Sluggish Digestion:
- Hydrate! Drink plenty of water-around eight glasses per day
- Eat plenty of fruits and veggies – five servings or more per day
- Consider taking probiotics, digestive enzymes, and essential fatty acids
- Use fiber products, but not without adequate water!
- Exercise daily, even walking can be very helpful
- Consider Colon Hydrotherapy
What is Colon Hydrotherapy?
In contrast to a traditional enema, colon hydrotherapy involves repeated infusions of filtered, warm water into the colon to help tone the bowel and promote healthy elimination. In between these infusions, the therapist allows the client to release, encouraging the body to improve its natural ability to eliminate waste on its own.
A Colon Hydrotherapy session is a comfortable experience for most people. It produces no odor. The water pressure is so light that many clients can’t really feel it being introduced into the colon. Softened waste is naturally released throughout the session. This process is repeated several times until the entire colon is cleansed. By the end of the session, many people feel pounds lighter, and report an improvement in bloating and discomfort.
Want to learn more about colon hydrotherapy? Contact us at Holistic Health & Fitness, 314-647-3999, www.HolisticHealthSTL.com We are located in Shrewsbury and are open 7 days a week, online appointment booking is available 24/7. New clients: Mention this article for a $40 first session (regularly $75).