CONSTIPATION
Constipation means that
our intestines work too rarely or irregularly. It also refers to
hardening of feces, which is a typical problem in the Western
countries. Constipation and hemorrhoids are not found among primitive
people, whose food is natural and includes more fiber. It is common
only in urban environments where people have turned to another kind of
nourishment. Furthermore, many other diseases that were not as common
before are a result of the new diet:
Doctor Denis Burkitt,
who was a missionary doctor in Africa, was a skilful researcher. He
did research on the undigested substance and fiber in the diet.
Burkitt observed that the natives of Africa in their tribal
environments did not actually suffer at all from stomach and intestine
problems. They very seldom had constipation, appendicitis, gallstones
and colonitis, cancer of the colon or other digestive and intestinal
disorders. Those who had moved to a town started to have these
diseases within 15–20 years.
Dr. Burkitt observed
that the turnaround time for food (the time from eating to defecation)
was notably longer for those who ate "cultural food" than for those
who lived on natural food. The time among the natives was on an
average 18–30 hours. For people living in towns, it varied from two to
seven days. The essential difference between these two diets was the
amount of fiber and undigested ingredients.
The diet of the
natives was very natural, fruit and vegetables were eaten without
processing and a lot of preparation. The tribe population got plenty
of undigested ingredients, fiber, and unrefined versatile
carbohydrates from their food. The diet of the town people was quite
the opposite. (4)
How can constipation and
hemorrhoids often caused by constipation be taken care of? Our food
plays a big part in this. The next factors have been noticed to be
beneficial, for example:
Significance of fiber
is great, both in the care of constipation and in preventing many
diseases. Intestinal disorders are usually caused by a small amount of
fiber and the wrong kind of food (plenty of sugar, white flour, and
foods containing animal fat, such as fatty sausages) are the cause
of many “elite diseases”.
If we do not get
enough fiber from our food (about 25–35 grams per day), it
always slows down the food turnaround time and enables many harmful
ingredients, such as carcinogens (that cause cancer) and cholesterol,
to be absorbed into the body because they have more time. Instead,
food containing fiber, both insoluble and soluble, has been found to
benefit the body and speed up the food's journey through it.
Useful ingredients
are, for example, dissoluble fiber from oats and barley, berries,
fruit, and vegetables, because they make defecation easier by making
the feces softer. All of these and also rye bread contain plenty of
insoluble fibers, which speed up the progress of food in our body and
increase the amount of feces. Both fiber types are useful in the care
of constipation.
Water
and sufficient drinking are also useful in preventing constipation,
because lack of water can cause constipation.
The significance of
water is based on this: if we do not get enough water, the contents of
our intestine will dry up more and more. The contents become hard and
the progress slows down. Instead, it we get enough water – at least
1.5–2 liters per day – it has a positive effect on the intestine and
prevents constipation. Sufficient amounts of water are a benefit also
in the prevention of kidney stones.
