By Michelle Mintz
Cultivating good bowel habits is more than a physical practice; it is a spiritual journey. By harmonizing the physical act of elimination with the spiritual meaning of letting go, purifying, and renewing, we embark on a path that feeds both the body and spirit.
But what if you can’t go? What if you can’t get it out? According to John Hopkins, about 4 million people in the United States have frequent constipation. As a Pelvic health Occupational Therapist working with women, constipation affects bladder symptoms, back pain, pelvic organ prolapse symptoms, as well as mood and hormonal health.
Very few people know how the pelvic floor muscles play a crucial role in bowel movements and can significantly impact constipation. These muscles form a supportive sling-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis, and their proper function is essential for maintaining regular bowel function. During a bowel movement, these muscles need to relax and lengthen, and what often happens is the opposite: the muscles contract.
Below are my 7 Tips for good bowel health:
1. Stress management: I cannot “stress” this enough! We have an internal system called the gut/brain axis. It is a complex communication network that exists between the gastrointestinal system (the gut) and the central nervous system (the brain). This intricate connection plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. Reducing stress allows this integral communication system to “flow” smoother!
2. Chew your food: Spend time slowing down to eat and chewing your food. The saliva is actually what starts the digestive process
3. Create habits: The bowels like consistency. They like the same time, the same bathroom, in the same house each day. We can train our bowels. Sit on the toilet for 5-10 minutes, about 20 minutes after a meal.
4. Use a Squatty potty: This is a little stool that you can put under your feet for better pooping posture.
5. Increase your water intake: You want to sip throughout the day about half your body weight in ounces. Water softens and lubricates the stool to move through your digestive tract.
6. Move your body: My favorites are walking and yoga, but do anything that you enjoy and will do consistently.
7. Go when you feel the urge!: This is very important. The bowels like to be in control, and when we do not go when there is an urge, the poop goes back up and becomes hard, which causes pain with bowel movements.
As you commit to nurturing your bowel health, remember that you are not merely tending to your physical well-being; you are also nurturing your inner self, aligning with the divine, and experiencing the profound interconnectedness of your earthly and spiritual existence.
Michelle Mintz is a Pelvic Health Occupational Therapist in West Bloomfield, MI. She specializes in treating women with bladder and bowel issues, pelvic pain, and prolapse. She can be reached at 248-318-6654 or michelle@innerconnectionswomen.com Website is: www.innerconnectionswomen.com