Peristalsis and Segmentation

by Lola
(Sacramento)

I need help with peristalsis and segmentation problems.

As of September 2008, I have begun to include fermented foods and organic meats, soaked nuts and legumes, raw dairy and homemade kiefer and saurkraut in my diet.


I have had constipation issues for 30 years, due to, what I believe, holding bowel movements from young adult through adult years because I was embarrassed.


I'm a small female, 110 -115 lbs., about 5'3". I take pretty good care of myself otherwise, physically. I don't drink near enough water and never have. I drink plenty of kombucha, made at home.


I've included, as of 4 months ago, hydrotherapy obtaining an enema bag (flowmaster from optimalhealthnetwork.com). It's the only thing that really helps me.


I can't seem to get enough pressure built up to initiate the normal urge to take place in my bowel. I never get the urge to eliminate as I once did years ago.


I have gone as long as 30 days without a bowel movement on some instances in my life. Usually, it is about 5-7 days. I will force elimination in inconvenient places or if I am in a hurry by inserting thumb into vagina and pushing against walls of vagina until I feel hard, impacted stools release into the toilet.


Sometimes that will allow more stool to be able to come forth. I don't know what the condition is, but someone out there does!


I take so much better care of myself than so many other people I know by my habits of omission. I rarely eat sugar. I eat dinner out frequently, I know this is bad, however, fine dining never fast food! I follow guidelines of Sally Fallon/Dr. Weston Price.

Any ideas?

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Hi Lola,

It sounds to me like you have done a pretty good job of identifying your problem regarding peristalsis and segmentation.


First of all, your pattern of holding your bowel motions for so long would definitely have an adverse affect on your ability to go regularly and easily now.


Secondly, the lack of water in your diet is very important. Adequate water intake is critical to proper elimination. The hard little balls you describe as your bowel movement are almost always the result of a lack of water in the intestines.


You must break this habit of not drinking water. It's well worth the effort for the benefits you will receive.


I'm not overly familiar with kombucha, but it's my understanding that it is a form of homemade probiotics. From what I have read about it, it is a mixture of sugar and tea added to the cultures that allows the kombucha tea to be formed.


This sugar concerns me. You may want to consider switching to a different form of probiotics for a while to see if that makes some difference to your system. You could try Florafood which is a combination of three strains of good bacteria providing you with a healthy mix of probiotics.


I'm glad that you have found some relief with hydrotherapy, but hydrotherapy should not be continually necessary for you to get relief. Your bowel needs to learn to function properly on its own.


This chronic constipation is not at all healthy for your digestive system. It is allowing toxins to build up in your body and probably prohibiting your body from utilizing a great deal of the good nutrition you have been so faithful to give it.


When your colon is impacted with old waste matter, you have malabsorption. In other words, your body is unable to absorb the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the food you eat and the supplements you take as efficiently as it should.


To put it very plainly, the nutrients can't get through the layer of poop!


I would highly suggest that you give yourself a minimum 3 month cleanse using Herbal Fiberblend. For your height and weight you would use 3 pots over a 3 month period.


Start by taking one teaspoon of the powder mixed in water or juice in the morning and again in the evening. Do this every day. After 4-5 days, increase to 2 tsp. and continue up to 1 well rounded tablespoon 2x per day by the end of 2 weeks.


Continue to take this amount for the rest of the 3 months or longer if you still feel you are passing old fecal matter from the walls of your intestines. You'll probably be able to tell as you look at your stools.


When you are finishing the cleanse, you will gradually decrease the dose back down to 1 tsp. before stopping.


In your case, with your history of bowel dysfunction, you may decide to continue indefinitely with 1 tsp. per day as a maintenance dose to keep your body functioning as it should. I know many people who find this works best for them.


The herbs in Herbal Fiberblend have healing properties as well as cleansing properties. In fact, several of the herbs help to improve the peristalsis action of the bowel and help give you that urge to go that you've been lacking.


Very Important! If you decide to use the Herbal Fiberblend for a cleanse as suggested, you really need to commit yourself to drinking more water. You need to drink at least 8-10 glasses per day.


If you take the HFB without drinking adequate water, don't expect the herbs and fiber to be able to do the job they are sent in to do. The water is necessary to bulk up the fiber and give the necessary lubrication needed in the bowel.


I know it's difficult if you are not used to drinking enough water, but you need to develop a system that you can stick with. Some ideas are...

• Set your watch or alarm to go off every hour. Drink a very small glass (4 ounces will do) every time the buzzer sounds. Over the course of your day, you will get in enough water to make a difference and 4 ounces of water is hardly a chore.
  
  
• Whenever you feel like a drink of your favorite beverage, make yourself drink a glass of water first and then have your preferred beverage.

If you implement these little steps, you'll find that after a couple of weeks, you will actually have a "water breakthrough" and almost crave the water. Your body will begin to function much more like it was designed to originally.


There are two other suggestions I'd like to make to you for consideration.

1. Omega 3,6,9 oils - These essential oils are extremely helpful to many people in restoring proper bowel function. They're good for your skin and have other benefits as well, but I'm particularly recommending them for your constipation problems.
   
   You can order AIMega along with the HFB, or find a good quality Omega combination that you prefer - but be sure it IS a combination and not just one of the Omega oils.
   
   
   
2. Composure - I'd also like to recommend that you get at least 1 bottle of the Composure herbal capsules for your first month of cleansing.
   
   One of the naturopaths that I've consulted with always recommends her clients start with Composure as they begin an intestinal cleanse.
   
   The reason for this recommendation is because the herbs in Composure act to relax the muscles surrounding the intestines so that the bowel can begin working more easily.

I sincerely hope that this information is of some help and benefit to you and that you can get your digestive system working properly for the first time in over 30 years.


The digestive system is absolutely foundational to overall good health.


I think you'll find that when your peristalsis and segmentation problems are solved, you'll begin to reap much more benefits from the other natural health principles you have embraced.

To your good health!
Angie