MONDAY, JUNE 26, A TOPIC WE DON'T TALK ABOUT!!!

 MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023 I CAN’T TALK ABOUT THIS

Okay - I’m writing about a subject that we generally brush under the table. Last week I was losing the battle against CONSTIPATION.  (There I said it …)
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Can I talk about this?  We talk about eating and enjoying food - well, the natural process is what goes in the mouth comes out the bottom (butt? There are other names as well)

Three things first:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” Psalm 139:13-14)

Gravity!!!  (Well, and muscles).  

Tastebuds (I’m glad they are in my mouth!!!)

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Definition: Constipation - a condition in which there is difficulty in emptying the bowels, usually associated with hardened feces.

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I can blame this on a lot of things - but mostly my own stupidity.  I stepped on a glass shard, and it got lodged in my heel.  (Ouch).  I had it extracted and got stitches.  I was given a “boot” (a protective footwear for my foot, was told not to exacerbate the wound, not to get it wet, and to keep changing the gauze.  Okay.  So, I didn’t walk as much as normal (like hardly walking at all!!).  Okay, then I helped my friend feed her boyfriend’s cat - and I suggested that we go to IHOP for breakfast (and I already had breakfast at home) but shoveled more food in my mouth - and when I have pancakes, I really do overdo the syrup - all that good sticky sweet syrup).

And I ate lunch with my friends JP, MN, and didn’t exercise and didn’t drink enough water (fluids) - and I got constipated!!!  And it got worse.  

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Our bodies digest food, nutrients are taken out of the food.  A few substances are absorbed in the stomach and large intestine. For example, water is absorbed in both of these organs, and some minerals and vitamins are also absorbed in the large intestine. However, about 95 percent of nutrient molecules are absorbed in the small intestine.  And, what’s left is (ah) garbage.

Constipation starts when waste material (after nutrients are removed) remains in the colon or in the large intestine for too long, and too much water from the stools, causing them to become hard and dry.  (Think of concrete!!!)

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The main causes of constipation are not enough fiber and fluids in the diet. - A diet too low in fiber and fluids and too high in fats can contribute to constipation.

When those stools get hard and dry, they can clog up the big intestine and the colon and block the natural movement of wastes to be eliminated.  And I became bloated and definitely uncomfortable.  I WANTED IT TO FLOW OUT!!!  (But it’s hard to move concrete after it is hardened!!! <grin>)

Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool. Thus, fiber maintains bowel health.  Likewise, water (or liquids) softens the waste.  Like a clog in a drainpipe might stop the water in the drain - or a dam on a river - things are held up - backed up.  When the next batch of food is passed into the large intestine and colon, and things are backed up it really can be a problem. 

Constipation can cause pain. Dry material is like cement in a pipe.  And on rare occasions it can actually kill the individual.  

My normal goal is to keep the digestive system going smoothly from the mouth to the anus. I know this - and I know how to do this - but … violated all the rules!!!

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Fiber

Many people take fiber supplements - such as Metamucil 3-in-1 Psyllium Fiber Capsules.

Okay there are soluble fibers and insoluble fibers.  Soluble fiber easily dissolves in water and breaks down into a gel-like substance in the colon. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is intact as food moves through the gastrointestinal tract.

Soluble fiber is good for both diarrhea and constipation. Natural sources of soluble fiber include beans (especially black beans, kidney beans and lima beans - Karen adds - yuck), Brussel sprouts, avocados, many fruits (pear, apricot, apple, guava, figs, plums (and dried plums - prunes).

Foods high in insoluble fiber are best for constipation only. 

Psyllium husk is a water-soluble, bulk-forming fiber derived from the seeds of the Plantago plant. Primarily used as a gentle bulk-forming laxative 

But laxatives may be habit-forming if they are used too often or for too long. Psyllium can swell in your throat and cause choking if you don't take it with enough liquid. Drink plenty of fluids each day to help improve bowel regularity. Take psyllium with a full glass (at least 8 ounces) of water or other liquid.  Insoluble fiber is usually better for preventing constipation, although both types of fiber can be helpful for staying regular and free from digestive issues.

INSOLUBLE FIBER:

Wheat bran and wheat germ
Oat bran
Beans, lentils and legumes of all kinds (kidney, black, garbanzo, edamame, split peas, lima, navy, white, etc.)
Berries, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
Whole grains, especially barley, quinoa, sorghum, millet, amaranth, oatmeal and rye

It seems to be a toss-up - soluble fiber helps both constipation and diarrhea; insoluble seems (according to what I read) seems to be better for constipation (but not good on diarrhea).  

The comment about laxatives is significant (at least to me).  I think it is better to eat fruit, beans, and natural things than to take Metamucil and other such products. 

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That’s all the easy stuff.

What if you (like I was) are severely constipated now - what do you do now?  You’ve got a huge block in your colon - and things won’t be happy until you get rid of that blockage.  Serious cases might require a doctor, but if it hasn’t gotten to that stage, you can use an enema.  

If you have been “lucky” enough to have a colonoscopy, you have drunk a powerful laxative that cleans everything out. Enemas aren’t that powerful but can soften that blocking mass that is backing up your systems.  And that was my solution this time!!!    Not a perfect solution, a bit messy - but (hurray) - A SOLUTION!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

LOVE EVERYBODY

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, JUNE 26, 2023