Have you had a good poop today? What have your recent bowel movements been like? It might sound like I’m getting too up close and personal, but it’s actually a very important question for health. Chinese medicine practitioners rely on this information to make key diagnostic decisions — important both for your digestive health and your overall well being!
The bottom line (no pun intended) is that while you may not think that you’re constipated, in reality, it’s very likely you ARE!
If you don’t have a good bowel movement at least once a day, you’re suffering from constipation. This causes a buildup of toxins in your digestive tract, which can lead to many more, sometimes very serious, health problems. If you move your bowels after every meal, you have a healthy digestive system.
In with the good, out with the bad! It’s that simple.
Constipation can also make it much harder for you to lose fat while also wreaking havoc on your digestive system and overall health…really bad stuff. Just imagine all that rotted, disgusting food sitting there in your digestive system…yuck!
Women tend to suffer from constipation more than men, especially, before menstruation. In Chinese medicine, the blood system helps promote bowel movements during premenstrual blood start-up and through the blood’s circulation in the uterus. The increased progesterone can cause constipation, so as an herbalist I would prescribe specific herbs to promote bowel movement and move blood and toxins. Formulas like Tao he cheng qi tang, GUI Zhi fu long wan, for mild constipation and bloating, and Da huang my dan pi tang for constipation and accumulation of water toxins.
Fortunately, this can be corrected rather quickly, with a few simple steps:
Eat well, eat foods high in fiber, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly – and don’t be afraid to answer a personal question now and then!