It is estimated that a poorly functioning bowel, namely constipation, is an issue in 80 to 90 percent of health conditions. Dr. Bernard Jensen, Dr. Norman Walker, Brian Clement of the Hippocrates Health Institute, and many other health professionals, feel that proper bowel function is crucial in not only helping people attain great health, but overcoming many serious health conditions.

In more than 15 years of lecturing, I have asked thousands of people how many bowel movements they have each day. I would estimate that less than 20 percent have proper bowel function. I get answers from three a day to two or three a month.

I have people tell me that their doctors tell them that if you have one or two or seven bowel movements a week, "then that is right for you," but that's not accurate.

Animals have a 1:1 ratio of meals to bowel movements. Children and adults should have a bowel movement for every meal they eat, so two to three bowel movements daily is healthy.

The Unhealthy Bowel

When the bowels are not releasing what they are holding, the contents start to ferment after 24 hours. The colon contents now are in a dark, warm, moist environment, creating a situation where the rotting fecal matter is absorbed back into the bloodstream. This creates toxins, odor, bad breath, fatigue, and over many years, can create health issues.

It is estimated that more than 60 percent of the world population has worms and parasites in their intestinal tracts. Medical textbooks have estimated that more than 150 million people in America alone suffer from intestinal parasite infection, and more than 50 million American children have worms.

Once in the intestinal tract, parasites have easy access to other parts of the body where they imitate various symptoms and diseases. Even worse, they can enlarge the liver, invade the lungs, brain, and skin, and can cause grave complications. Parasite infestation usually resides in a constipated colon.

Inadequate levels of beneficial intestinal microorganisms such as acidophilous and bifidus—the two main strains of beneficial bacteria of the 400 strains present in a healthy colon—are directly associated with the following ill-health conditions:

• fatigue
• constipation
• low immunity, frequent illness
• PMS symptoms
• Poor mineral absorption leading to osteoporosis
• diarrhea, colitis, crohns
• skin conditions, rashes, dry skin, eczema
• hormonal imbalances, leading mainly to infertility and weight gain
• slow healing from bruising, sprains, broken bones
• nutritional deficiencies - vitamin B deficiency, anemia
• intestinal gas
• bladder infections
• allergies
• vaginal or yeast infections
• high cholesterol levels
• dairy sensitivities
• candida yeast
• low sex drive
• enlarged prostate
• chronic bad breath and body odor

Simply put, not having proper bowel movements overstresses the body's other organs.

There are a variety of factors that can deplete intestinal bacteria. Medications including antibiotics, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and steroid medications can upset the balance of intestinal bacteria, as can chronic stress, chlorinated water, a low-fiber diet, and too much of cooked foods.

Ease Constipation Naturally

Raw foods digest in one or two hours, while and cooked foods can take two to four hours or more to digest. Eating 75 percent or more raw foods, drinking before meals, and eating raw foods before cooked foods can aid your digestion. Because raw foods digest quicker, there is not only less stress on the body, but less chance of constipation.

Some simple foods, herbs, and supplements can help get your colon back on track; gentle options that can be used on a fairly regular basis include, psyllium husk (unheated), Slippery Elm powder, and ground flax seeds.

Periodically, it might help to use certain herbs or herbal colon cleansers to assist the breaking up of waste material in the colon, ridding the body of mucoid plaque, which helps cleanse the blood, cleanse the lymph of impurities, works gently to assist the body in re-establishing its peristaltic action for a lazy constipated colon, and cleanses vital organs, blood, and tissues. Some natural laxatives include: Ayurvedic Triphala, Cascara Sagrada, turkish rhubarb, yellow dock, dandelion, and Chamomile.

Colonics or enemas, when used correctly, can help speed up results in urgent health conditions.

A simple colon cleanse drink can help your bowel get back in good working order. Before going to bed (or on an empty stomach), combine the following ingredients in a blender, and drink immediately:

1/3 cup pure organic Aloe Vera juice or gel

1 1/2 cups pure water

1 oz. fresh wheat grass, or 1 tbsp. of powdered wheatgrass

1 tsp. powdered acidophilus

2 tbsp. ground flax seed

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Wayne Gendel