When I encounter patients that say I just don’t feel well or I ache all over, I have to think outside the mechanical musculoskeletal box and think in terms of what is out of balance systemically. One of the many important topics I need to address is whether or not they are having a well formed or banana shaped bowel movement daily. Yes, daily! Infrequent bowel movements are associated with bad digestion and can lead to chronic inflammatory disorders such as leaky gut syndrome and fibromyalgia, according to Howard Loomis DC. Not having a daily bowel movement means that the feces are moving very slowly and this gives the body an opportunity to take water from the bowel making the stool hard. As a side note, people who eat a low carbohydrate meal need to drink more water for the same reason. Most importantly, the slow movement causes bacteria and yeast to be absorbed into the blood stream thus causing inflammation of the mucosa of the bowel. This phenomenon is called autointoxication. How to improve bowel function? Make sure that you are incorporating fiber found in vegetables, fruits and grains. Eating a full spectrum of soluble and non soluble fiber from different sources is important. If not enough dietary fiber is consumed then supplementing with natural psyllium husk which can be found at a natural marketplace or non flavored Metamucil from the grocery store is recommended. Make sure to drink enough water daily. You want to drink about half your body weight in ounces or enough water so that your urine is always straw colored. Include food enzymes if you feel bloated or gassy after eating, feel full quickly after eating small amounts, or feel that your food is sitting in your stomach.
References – Autointoxication by Howard Loomis DC which can be found at www.loomisinstitute.com.
