Filed under: Advice, Happiness, Health, Healthy Eating
Each week, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy tells us about a common health problem she’s seen in her practice and how she came to a solution.
This week’s client: Josh, a 34-year-old cafe owner and social networking butterfly.
The Problem: Josh had never been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disorder, but he was convinced something was wrong as he was often on a cycle of one week constipation and the next week diarrhea.
Not surprisingly, he was at his wit’s end having tried everything (or so he thought) from over-the-counter meds to colon cleanses, but nothing seemed to improve his very delicate digestive state. In his own words, “I’m OK for a few days and then BAM, just like that, I’m sitting on the toilet for an hour.” Apologies for the graphic.
Josh’s concerns are not uncommon. Digestive problems are the main reason clients come to see me and the issues are widespread and universal (constipation accounts for about two million doctor visits per year in the United States). Pharmaceutical companies are getting rich from our digestive disturbances and make more profit from stomach remedies than any other drugs, according to according to Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN, and author of Digestive Wellness. The problem with these drugs is they merely suppress the symptoms, but do not address the root cause. So while you may have stopped your diarrhea for a week, you haven’t got to the health issue to blame for the digestive upset in the first place.
Solution after the jump
Continue reading Digestive Problems? 3 Tips to Combat Constipation and Gluten Sensitivities