A little potty talk.

I know I have discussed this before but after 338 some posts, I don't really remember what I have said. Chances are you don't either so I think it is time to do a little potty talkin' again. It has come up in lots of my conversations lately; with friends, family, the naturopath today. Poop. It's important.

I think the first time I really realized just how important poop was to me was when I was potty training my second child; the princess. She got number 1 down instantly and was ready to pass off number two when she saw "IT". The little princess in her decided that it was gross and there was no way she was going to do that again. That began my year, yes...year, of torture. She would hold it, a week or longer , screaming in the middle of the night in pain. I would do everything in my power to tell her that she needed to go but nothing really worked. After a year long of this battle between wills and Ex-lax, number two was mastered. In her cute little princess voice, she exclaimed, "Poop makes you happy, huh mom."

I guess it did because I sure wasn't happy when it wasn't happening. I guess my victory dance when it did happen made her realize that poop to me was what made me happy in life. That little phrase has been around in our family for some time now; "Poop makes you happy."

Really, we should all be thinking about poop. It should be the first question on every physical exam. If the poop isn't right, than there is something generally wrong. It really shouldn't be ignored. Sure, sometimes things just filter out differently but in general, things should be consistent. We should be going daily, if not more than daily. It should be formed, not hard or loose. I know, gross conversation but it is important so hang in there. Sadly, many people aren't going regularly and don't pay attention. There are some things you need to look at.

What is your diet like? Do you eat processed foods, especially the "white" foods like white flour, white rice, white sugar, etc.? Do you lack in fresh fruits and veggies? Do you eat nuts, whole grains, seeds? Do you consume too much dairy or drink it in it's fluid state? Those are the first things to check if things aren't processing right. If you feel that you eat as you should and things still aren't right you can add a few things to try and help.

Natural supplements to help things move along a little easier are:

Aloe Vera Juice, George's is a good brand
Slippery Elm extract (appropriate name)
Psyllium husk
Chia seeds
Magnesium Citrate
Increased dosages of Vitamin C

There are more so feel free to comment if you have more info. (Terri)

Stay away from laxatives and drugs. They can be addicting and have side effects. If you rely on help in any way, even with supplements on a regular basis, there are usually underlying issues going on. If after taking supplements to get regular for a month or so and things don't go smoothly when they are removed, chances are you need to take a closer look at allergies and diet.

If things are too loose, there can be several things wrong. There can be a lack of the good bacteria in the body. There can be allergies, parasites, yeast issues, etc. If after removing some basic common food allergens like dairy, corn and wheat for a month and issues are still present, lab work should be done to rule out other causes. Many times a good probiotic to help bring in the good bacteria can help dramatically. Many times the situation is much more complex.

Poop is something that most of us just don't' want to deal with let alone discuss but as the saying goes, "disease begins in the colon." We poop for a reason. It is how we get the bad stuff out and if it stays in the body too long toxins are released and absorbed into the body. Toxins cause diseases. Our diet in America today is horrible. We are eating food that should not be eaten. Cancer rate and disease rate of every kind has soared. Take care of your bodies. Listen to them, ask questions, ask your kids how often they go (I do). If only every Dr. asked you that question first and did a few basic tests. The world would be a much healthier place. Unfortunately, most Dr.s wouldn't know what to do with the answers they received. The first thing my naturopath asked today was about Tate's stools. Loved her instantly. What goes in, must come out. It's a law of physics.