Cascara Sagrada – a moving experience

If you’ve ever suffered from constipation, you know how miserable and uncomfortable this condition can be. Most often we become constipated because of poor diet. Eating too many processed foods high in sugar and fat, and not eating enough vegetables, fruits, and fibre can wreak havoc on our digestive system, and for lack of a better term, plug us up. Constipation can also be caused by other factors such as sedentary lifestyle, chronic illness, the use of iron supplements, and prescription drugs.

There are two main types of constipation.  Acute constipation and chronic constipation. Acute constipation is usually short-term and involves bloating, discomfort, and an inability to evacuate the bowels. Acute constipation is most often caused by a lack of fibre and water in the diet, and a lack of exercise. Chronic constipation is much more serious. It involves the inability to readily evacuate the bowels over longer periods of time – months or years – and can lead to more serious health issues. 

Getting Enough Fibre?

Experts say the average North American consumes less than half of the recommended 25 to 40 grams of fibre we need daily to help prevent a host of health problems. Not only that, many people are not having any more than one bowel movement a day, and for some the bowel transit time is anywhere from 48 to 96 hours! These are pretty scary statistics considering we should be eliminating waste every 12 to 18 hours when our system is in optimal working order. Of course bowel transit time depends on what types of food we eat and how much we drink, so people who eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains will have shorter transit times than people who eat mostly starches, sugars and processed foods.
Not to mention, if we’re “full of it” we’re often overloaded with toxins which can result in a number of health concerns such as constipation, poor digestion, bloating, gas, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, excessive mucous, poor skin, and even depression. Some health professionals even believe toxic build-up may be related to conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivity amongst others.
In her book Cleansing the Body and the Colon for a Happier and Healthier You using Herbal Dietary Fiber, Teresa Schumacher, author and formulator of AIM Herbal Fiberblend® writes, “everyone is different”. “You should have from one to four eliminations a day, one for each meal eaten. They should be of a good consistency and not loose like diarrhea.”
Increasing the fibre content in our diet is not difficult to do and foods high in fibre also contain many important nutrients essential for optimal health and well-being. Consumed on a regular basis, high fibre foods also provide us with the energy and vitality we need from day to day. There are two types of fibre:
Soluble fibre: dissolves in water and is believed to help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. Vegetables and some fruit contain soluble fibre.

Insoluble fibre: (also known as roughage or bulk) doesn’t dissolve in water and can help relieve constipation and maintain a healthy digestive system. Insoluble fibre is found in vegetables, fruits, legumes such as beans and peas, nuts, wheat bran and whole-wheat flour.

Foods that contain fibre and are easy to incorporate into a daily regime include fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, pears, bananas, berries, peas, broccoli, sweet potato, corn and carrots. Another great source of fibre are beans (kidney and baked), lentils, almonds and other nuts, seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and whole grain breads and pastas. It’s also important for our digestive health to drink plenty of water every day (six to eight cups). Taking herbal and fibre supplements regularly will also help to ensure we are getting enough fibre in our diet as well as help to eliminate toxins.

AIM Herbal Fiberblend® contains both soluble and insoluble fibre making it an ideal product as a source of fibre, as well as cleansing herbs to aid in bowel regularity, scouring the intestinal wall, and ridding the body of toxins. AIM FibreBalance® (Canada only) provides 12 grams of fibre (soluble and insoluble) in two scoops, prevents constipation and protects the intestinal wall. It reduces transit time and provides a more thorough evacuation of waste and helps maintain digestive health.

A diet which includes foods that are high in fibre, can reduce the incidences of colon cancer, heart disease, appendicitis, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and other health complications related to poor digestive health. A diet rich in fibre can help manage and protect against many diseases, prevent constipation, and reduce transit time providing a more thorough evacuation of waste. Are you getting enough fibre?

For more information about AIM Herbal Fiberblend® and AIM FibreBalance® please visit the AIM website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download a data sheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult a health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.