You need the 3 legged stool to get everything balanced

[Guest guest]

Remember everyone, you are really trying to balance a 3 legged stool -- gut

ecology, motility and fluid balance. If any or allof these are out of balance,

constipation will result. So, if the gut ecology is the only thing that is out

of balance for you, eating fermented foods, yogurt and or taking probiotics may

be all you need to change your status. For others, their gut has reduced

motility - due to genetics, drugs or physical impairments. For these people,

taking a stimilant every few days, like senna, may be all that it takes.

Increasing their seratonin levels alone may help too. Or getting their spinal

column in alignment may help. And lastly, for some their colon just doesn't

have the right % of water to stool - heredity again, or another impact of

motilitly. For these people increasing fluids, adding minerals that have an

osmotic effect like magnesium, or increasing fluid retaining fiber -- with

prunes, pears. celery, etc. Or frequent baths may help too. These changes alone

may be all it takes to change the % of fluid in the bowel so the impaction

stops.

But the most important to recognize is this -- some people may have success from

only one intervention, but others may need to 'attack' on all three fronts.

I've noticed a tendancy here lately for people to suggest that they have found

the one thing, the silver bullet. Please remember that's the kind of thinking

that helped to market Miralax to begin with. " Sure you can try all those other

methods, but this drug will work for sure so just use it " Sound familiar?

Anyway, my belief is that constipation is merely a symptom of other problems and

we should remember that we are caring for our entire body. Listen to it -- and

follow your 'gut' (pun intended)

LeeAnn

[Guest guest]

Thanks LeeAnn! This post was incredibly helpful for me and easy to understand! I

think my son has all 3 issues. I will look more closely at what we are doing for

each of those areas for a balanced attack.

>

> Remember everyone, you are really trying to balance a 3 legged stool -- gut

ecology, motility and fluid balance. If any or allof these are out of balance,

constipation will result. So, if the gut ecology is the only thing that is out

of balance for you, eating fermented foods, yogurt and or taking probiotics may

be all you need to change your status. For others, their gut has reduced

motility - due to genetics, drugs or physical impairments. For these people,

taking a stimilant every few days, like senna, may be all that it takes.

Increasing their seratonin levels alone may help too. Or getting their spinal

column in alignment may help. And lastly, for some their colon just doesn't

have the right % of water to stool - heredity again, or another impact of

motilitly. For these people increasing fluids, adding minerals that have an

osmotic effect like magnesium, or increasing fluid retaining fiber -- with

prunes, pears. celery, etc. Or frequent baths may help too. These changes alone

may be all it takes to change the % of fluid in the bowel so the impaction

stops.

>

> But the most important to recognize is this -- some people may have success

from only one intervention, but others may need to 'attack' on all three fronts.

I've noticed a tendancy here lately for people to suggest that they have found

the one thing, the silver bullet. Please remember that's the kind of thinking

that helped to market Miralax to begin with. " Sure you can try all those other

methods, but this drug will work for sure so just use it " Sound familiar?

Anyway, my belief is that constipation is merely a symptom of other problems and

we should remember that we are caring for our entire body. Listen to it -- and

follow your 'gut' (pun intended)

> LeeAnn

>

[Guest guest]

yesterday I read an article on infant massages..........this increases the seratonin

Subject: Re: You need the 3 legged stool to get everything balancedTo: miralax Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 12:01 PM

Thanks LeeAnn! This post was incredibly helpful for me and easy to understand! I think my son has all 3 issues. I will look more closely at what we are doing for each of those areas for a balanced attack.>> Remember everyone, you are really trying to balance a 3 legged stool -- gut ecology, motility and fluid balance. If any or allof these are out of balance, constipation will result. So, if the gut ecology is the only thing that is out of balance for you, eating fermented foods, yogurt and or taking probiotics may be all you need to change your status. For others, their gut has reduced motility - due to genetics, drugs or physical impairments. For these people, taking a stimilant every few days, like senna, may be all that it takes. Increasing their seratonin levels alone

may help too. Or getting their spinal column in alignment may help. And lastly, for some their colon just doesn't have the right % of water to stool - heredity again, or another impact of motilitly. For these people increasing fluids, adding minerals that have an osmotic effect like magnesium, or increasing fluid retaining fiber -- with prunes, pears. celery, etc. Or frequent baths may help too. These changes alone may be all it takes to change the % of fluid in the bowel so the impaction stops.> > But the most important to recognize is this -- some people may have success from only one intervention, but others may need to 'attack' on all three fronts. I've noticed a tendancy here lately for people to suggest that they have found the one thing, the silver bullet. Please remember that's the kind of thinking that helped to market Miralax to begin with. "Sure you can try all those other methods, but this drug will work for sure so just use

it" Sound familiar? Anyway, my belief is that constipation is merely a symptom of other problems and we should remember that we are caring for our entire body. Listen to it -- and follow your 'gut' (pun intended)> LeeAnn>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for posting this, I agree it helps sort out the pieces to know which you are addressing and how.

Carole Re: You need the 3 legged stool to get everything balancedTo: miralax Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 12:01 PM

Thanks LeeAnn! This post was incredibly helpful for me and easy to understand! I think my son has all 3 issues. I will look more closely at what we are doing for each of those areas for a balanced attack.>> Remember everyone, you are really trying to balance a 3 legged stool -- gut ecology, motility and fluid balance. If any or allof these are out of balance, constipation will result. So, if the gut ecology is the only thing that is out of balance for you, eating fermented foods, yogurt and or taking probiotics may be all you need to change your status. For others, their gut has reduced motility - due to genetics, drugs or physical impairments. For these people, taking a stimilant every few days, like senna, may be all that it takes. Increasing their seratonin levels alone may help too. Or getting their spinal column in alignment may help. And lastly, for some their colon just doesn't have the right % of water to stool - heredity again, or another impact of motilitly. For these people increasing fluids, adding minerals that have an osmotic effect like magnesium, or increasing fluid retaining fiber -- with prunes, pears. celery, etc. Or frequent baths may help too. These changes alone may be all it takes to change the % of fluid in the bowel so the impaction stops.> > But the most important to recognize is this -- some people may have success from only one intervention, but others may need to 'attack' on all three fronts. I've noticed a tendancy here lately for people to suggest that they have found the one thing, the silver bullet. Please remember that's the kind of thinking that helped to market Miralax to begin with. "Sure you can try all those other methods, but this drug will work for sure so just use it" Sound familiar? Anyway, my belief is that constipation is merely a symptom of other problems and we should remember that we are caring for our entire body. Listen to it -- and follow your 'gut' (pun intended)> LeeAnn>

[Guest guest]

Great post. Thank you for making this excellent point!

>

> Remember everyone, you are really trying to balance a 3 legged stool -- gut

ecology, motility and fluid balance. If any or allof these are out of balance,

constipation will result. So, if the gut ecology is the only thing that is out

of balance for you, eating fermented foods, yogurt and or taking probiotics may

be all you need to change your status. For others, their gut has reduced

motility - due to genetics, drugs or physical impairments. For these people,

taking a stimilant every few days, like senna, may be all that it takes.

Increasing their seratonin levels alone may help too. Or getting their spinal

column in alignment may help. And lastly, for some their colon just doesn't

have the right % of water to stool - heredity again, or another impact of

motilitly. For these people increasing fluids, adding minerals that have an

osmotic effect like magnesium, or increasing fluid retaining fiber -- with

prunes, pears. celery, etc. Or frequent baths may help too. These changes alone

may be all it takes to change the % of fluid in the bowel so the impaction

stops.

>

> But the most important to recognize is this -- some people may have success

from only one intervention, but others may need to 'attack' on all three fronts.

I've noticed a tendancy here lately for people to suggest that they have found

the one thing, the silver bullet. Please remember that's the kind of thinking

that helped to market Miralax to begin with. " Sure you can try all those other

methods, but this drug will work for sure so just use it " Sound familiar?

Anyway, my belief is that constipation is merely a symptom of other problems and

we should remember that we are caring for our entire body. Listen to it -- and

follow your 'gut' (pun intended)

> LeeAnn

>

[Guest guest]

Yes and serotonin levels are very important to gut motility. Too much serotonin

and the gut motility stops, too little serotonin and the gut motility stops.

This was a study done on rats. So there is an area in between where the amount

of serotonin makes things flow regularly. This is what we have to strive for

with our kids. Massage is a great tool.

There is also a pediatric chinese therapeutic massage that helps gut motility,

too. It involves rubbing the abdomen in the clockwise motion, like an upside

down U, starting at the right side of the belly, over the belly button and down

the left side of the belly. This follows the natural course of the GI tract.

Also about three fingers widths away from the belly button on either side, is an

important acupoint in chinese medicine, and deep tissue massage in small focused

circular motion on those points also stimulates the GI tract.

>

> yesterday I read an article on infant massages..........this increases the

seratonin

>