Constipation Makes It Harder To Lose Weight

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Constipation Makes It Harder To Lose Weight

Did you know that being constipated is usually a sign of having a slow metabolism? Our patients who suffer with constipation usually find it much harder to lose weight. If your liver is sluggish, it will not produce sufficient bile to stimulate bowel motions. Once you are constipated, the gut wastes cause a build up of toxins in your liver, compounding the problem. Improving gut function makes it easier to have a fast, efficient metabolism.

Ideally you would have at least one bowel motion each day, otherwise waste builds up in your intestines. Retaining waste products in your colon encourages bacterial and fungal overgrowth. The increased microbial load can inflame your gut lining, making it excessively permeable, or leaky. The wastes leak through the gut and make their way to the liver, compromising its function.

The high levels of inflammation generated can foster the development of insulin resistance, which is one of the most troublesome factors that inhibits weight loss. Insulin resistance can cause weight gain around the torso, the development of fatty liver, increased fluid retention and high blood pressure. Berberine is a powerful herbal extract that helps to reverse insulin resistance, and you can read about how it works here. Berberine also helps kill bad gut bugs that grow in response to a diet high in carbohydrate and sugar.

After you have digested the food in your intestines and broken it down into its building blocks, most of the nutrients get absorbed into your bloodstream via a vein called the hepatic portal vein. This vein travels directly to your liver. If you are having regular, thorough bowel movements, the waste in your intestines will be eliminated from your body. However, in a constipated person some of that waste gets reabsorbed back into the bloodstream, and travels straight to your liver.

The following strategies may help manage constipation and improve metabolism:

Try to drink a lot of water each day If you don’t drink enough, the fecal matter will become dry and hard and then become extremely difficult to pass. Aim to drink between 8 and 12 glasses of water each day, depending on the climate you live in and how much exercise you obtain. Drinking too much tea can worsen constipation because of the tannins in it. Being dehydrated can increase hunger and cravings, making it more difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan. If cravings are a big issue for you, the herbs and nutrients in Glicemic Balance stabilize blood sugar and make it so much easier to eat well.
Try to move your body each day Exercise stimulates peristalsis (intestinal contractions). Fast walking, dancing and sports are all beneficial, but even just going for a 5 minute gentle stroll is better than sitting all day.
Fiber is helpful Vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds are all high in fiber. Grains and legumes are also high in fiber but they can be irritating to the gut lining and can actually worsen constipation and bloating, therefore are best avoided.
Healthy fats have gentle laxative properties It is important to include some fat in your diet because it enhances digestion, lubricates your digestive lining and helps to stimulate a bowel action. Olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, oily fish and nuts are all great sources of good fats. Many constipated people don’t produce enough bile, therefore they don’t digest essential fatty acids properly. Bile is your body’s own natural laxative, so if you’re constipated you’re likely not making enough. Taking an ox bile capsule with each meal should help.
Improve the function of your liver Sluggish bowels are usually associated with a sluggish liver. If your liver isn’t keeping up with the job, you can expect your bowel function to slow down. The herbs and taurine in Livatone help to promote efficient liver function.