Don't be embarrassed. MANY women have this problem. And it can lead to other, worse, more embarrasing problems such as hemorrhoids, polyps in the bowels, and colon cancer. But I have help for you!
I recently began taking flaxseed oil supplements and since I've been taking them (which has only been for about two weeks) I cannot believe that doctors don't recommend them more often. When I was pregnant I had the big H problem and was recommended everything under the sun EXCEPT flaxseed oil. They told me to take stool softeners, to get some kind of pads, to eat more fiber, to drink more water. Many of those things I did, but unlike stool softeners flaxseed oil is actually good and purposeful for the entire body.
It's rich in alpha-linolenic acid, Omega-3, and Omega-6, all essential fatty acids. Most Americans get far too much Omega-6 and far too little Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 helps to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and plaque buildup in the arteries. It helps improve our skin health as well as our cardiovascular and joint health. Plus, it reduces our risk of cancer. Sounds pretty good right? That's because it is! On top of all these benefits, it helps us go regularly! I can testify to that! It's a good source of fiber, soothes ulcers and irritable bowel symptoms, and prevents buildup in the bowels, which can become toxic and dangerous to the body.
Flaxseed oil supplements can be found at supplement stores like GNC, some health food stores, and of course, on the internet if nowhere else. Just make sure that if you decide to add flaxseed oil supplements to your daily regime (ground flaxseed is good too, but from my experience the supplements work more effectively for the going issues) to drink your water! Increased fiber without increased water can keep the plumbing problems in a mess!
Hope this shed a little light on your day! :-)
Amanda
4 comments:
OMG Amanda thank you so much! It's a embarrassing topic for me to talk about but I struggle with this issue all the time. I have IBS do to Celiac Disease and have never been offered a natural solution! I'll be headed to GNC tomorow! Thank you so much!
Hey Tailina! I really hope that it works for you as well! You may have to play around with the dosage a bit to see what works for you. I am currently taking 500 mg a day, but that's on the low end. I would suggest either beginning there or at 1000 mg and go from there. I'm assuming you don't eat anything with gluten and have to be very careful of the carbohydrates that go into your mouth. Being that that is the case I would also recommend eating lots of veggies and drinking lots of water. It may not be fun at first, but I think it would help a lot, a lot! Flaxseed oil contains no gluten so it seems you are safe to use it. Good luck! Please let me know how it goes! And also, I hope you are LOVING being a mom! In my opinion, it's the most important thing you will ever do!
Hello Amanda, I happened across your site tonight while surfing. Am a mom of three and am trying so hard to become active and healthy again. I plan on returning to your site for inspiration.
Thank you so much addressing this topic and for such a timely reminder (at least for me) about this! Might you know if it helps with the bloated-gassy thing around period time? I'm doing yoga for this - as suggested by my doc - but am dreadfully fearful of passing .... uuhmmm.... gas during class!!
Anonymous...
It's really good to hear that you're trying to get healthy again after having your children. It may be difficult because it's busy times when the kids are young and extremely difficult to find any alone time, but hang in there and do what you can when you can. Eat healthy and feed your children what's healthy and you'll soon begin to see the difference.
As far as this little issue goes...when period time comes it's natural for us to feel bloated. Your body is retaining water in the abdominal area. You can try to reduce it by cutting back on sodium-loaded foods, which cause your body to hold on to water. (This can also cause you to weigh a pound or two more the morning after you've eaten a high sodium meal.) You're right on with the yoga and exercise. Moving helps to alleviate bloating and gas. Also, make sure that you're eating plenty of green veggies, whole grains, and drinking lots of water.
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