Let's Talk Shyt!

How often do you have a bowel movement (BM)? I know a lot of folks don't like talking about the subject, but we're all human and we all do it. Some more than others and that's what this tip is about! I notice that my dog craps after every meal. He eats twice a day and he has a BM twice a day. This is the ideal pattern that most Americans don't enjoy. If you aren't going to the bathroom at least once a day, that means there is serious waste building up in your body which can cause a lot of issues. The backup of toxins in your body can cause acne, bad breath and body odor (some people's breath can really smell like shyt!), headaches, stomach pains, bloating, low energy and low spirits, weight gain, and other chronic illnesses. 

There are lots of reasons why constipation can occur: lack of fiber, fats, and oils in your diet, insufficient water intake, stress, lack of good bacteria, too much processed foods and preservatives, caffeine, etc. Here are some tips for getting you regular:

1. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you weigh 200 lbs, then you need to drink 100oz of water per day. Remember our body is made of mostly water...it's the best stuff on earth.
2. Eat at least one raw piece of fruit per day. It's important to eat fruit on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning and then have the rest of your breakfast 5 - 10 min later. The reason, fruit doesn’t combine well with other foods. Fruit contains simple sugars that require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the stomach. Other foods, such as foods rich in fat, carbs and meat, will stay in the stomach for a longer period of time because they require more digestion. So if you eat fruit after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and ferment. This is why people experience digestive trouble when eating fruit that way.
3. Take 2 tablespoons of fish oil, flaxseed oil, or psyllium husks per day. This keeps your body lubricated!! And fish oil can lubricate everything ladies... I mean everything! (That's another tip for another day :))
4. Eat as much raw veggies as you can everyday. I don't care if you walk around the office with a carrot hanging out your mouth. Get it in!

I don't know about you but I like to take a good BM and afterwards...yes I will take a quick glimpse to check out the color, shape, smell, and anything else I can notice. Your craps can tell you a lot about your health believe it or not. If it floats you are eating too much oil and fats. A healthy stool should be medium brown or the color of what you ate last. It should be shaped like a banana and easy to pass. Passing several ping pong ball-sized stool can mean lack of fiber and your waste is spending too much time in the intestines. Pencil -thin stool is not good..could mean you have colon cancer. I found a good article on what you should look for: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/digestive-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100182622

Take good care of yourself!