About health and constipation

by Emmy
(USA)

I am 38. I have chronic constipation and chronic anal fissures since having my first child. Using laxatives for about 17 years. Trying to eat food which has fiber. I'd like to get rid of the laxatives, please help me out.
Emmy

Sue-Anne's Reply:

The main things for you to do is increase water and increase fiber. It is unfortunate that you have been on laxatives for so long. They make your intestine lazy. The colon is a muscle and by taking laxatives the muscle is weakened. It is important to eat foods high in fiber to tonify and reinforce your colon. It will take time but it is possible.

For constipation, foods to avoid- reduce:
cheese, dairy
white rice
cooked carrots
sugar
coffee, tea, chocolate
replace some animal protein with beans,
replace frozen foods with fresh foods.

Increase:
fruit and vegetables especially with the peel
raw carrots, beets
whole grains
nuts - especially raw almonds and walnuts
seeds - sunflower and pumpkin seeds
dried fruits
wheat bran, oat bran, spelt bran, (flax seeds - freshly ground)
sprouts
Foods with pectin like apple sauce - easy to make homemade, go for organic apples if possible, regular apples are high in pesticides.

Healthy Snack for constipation

Chop by hand or in the food processor:

1/3 pound organic raisins
1/3 pound organic prunes
1/3 pound organic dates

Put in a bowl and add
8 tables spoons of whey protein powder
6 tablespoons ground flax seeds
8 tablespoons organic molasses

Mix well
Add a little water if necessary, form into balls about golf ball size. Eat 1 before a meal with a large glass of water. Complete with a probiotic supplement.

You can take psyllium hulls. Starting with a tiny amount, 1/8 tsp in full glass of water, followed by a 2nd full glass of water. After 3 days increase to 1/4 tsp always with 2 glasses of water and keep on increasing very slowly every 3 days, working up to 2 teaspoons per day for 6 months and then gradually decreasing. Also see my page on constipation.



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