Effects of Constipation on the Heart

Have you ever been constipated to the point that you were sure you were going to have a heart attack? All the straining and forcing can definitely put a strain on your entire body, but does constipation itself have any adverse effects on the heart?

First off, it’s important to know the signs of constipation and understand what it is. Constipation is not so much a condition as it is a symptom of a much larger issue. The larger issue could be something as simple as a side effect of a prescription medicine or as complex as a health risk, such as diabetes. Constipation can have nearly infinite causes, so it pays to know your body and how it works.

Constipation can be diagnosed when the following occurs:

• No bowel movements for 3 consecutive days
• Hard stools 25% of the time
• Straining and/or incomplete bowel movements 25% of the time
• Two or fewer bowel movements within a week’s time

As you can see, being diagnosed as constipated doesn’t always mean that you cannot have a bowel movement. Many people have bowel movements and are still considered constipated. It’s a matter of the quality, and not just the quantity, of the bowel movements that count.

The Heart of the Matter

Many of the same things that cause constipation can also be detrimental to your heart’s health. For example, high blood sugar causes constipation and can also cause heart problems. Just as a high fiber diet can dramatically help constipation; it can also reduce your chances of a heart attack.

In a study of French adults, it was proven that the higher the fiber intake, the lower the chances of high cholesterol and blood pressure or of being over-weight. All of which affect both the heart and constipation. High fiber diets also show to lower abdominal obesity as well as blood sugar levels. The recommended amount of daily fiber is between 25 and 35 grams. The average American eats about 15 grams per day.

The proper amount of daily water soluble dietary fiber can help control diabetes, hemorrhoids, constipation, intestinal polyps, diverticulosis and even reduce the risk of colon cancer. It can even significantly reduce cholesterol within 4 weeks. Fiber has scientifically been shown to be a valuable ally in the war against many cancers, stroke, hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Virtually every one of the most notorious health killers can be impacted by eating a diet that’s high in fiber. So, it’s plain to see how constipation can affect the heart. When you’re constipated, it can be a warning sign that something is wrong with your body internally.

While low fiber intake can certainly be a reason for constipation, it’s important to remember that there is always a possibility of an underlying reason for your constipation and many of these reasons can also affect your heart.

Give Your Heart a Break!

Many health experts agree that the best thing you can do for your body is a periodical colon cleanse. It rids your body of years of built-up sludge and mucous that sticks to the inside of your intestines. When your intestines get clogged with all that matter and debris, it makes it extremely difficult for your body to absorb nutrients that are needed for it to function properly.

Everything starts with the colon. If your colon is clogged and dirty, your immune system will suffer, your risk of cancer is higher, your heart works harder and you are actually self-poisoning yourself since toxins are being re-absorbed into the body instead of being expelled. A clean colon will increase your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight easier and give you a sense of overall well-being.

Oxy-Powder is a product that can cleanse the colon as well as build a healthy environment for good bacteria to grow within your intestines. Oxy-Powder is an all-natural solution that can help constipated sufferers on their first step to a healthier lifestyle.

Oxy-Powder uses a unique combination of oxygenated magnesium, germanium and citric acid to leave your colon clean and fresh. And that’s exactly how you’ll feel too! If your colon is clogged and sluggish, you feel and act like it. Likewise, when you colon’s clean, you’ll feel lighter and experience energy like never before.

Use Oxy-Powder to clean out all of the deep down sludge and grime that’s been collecting in your colon over the years. Restore your vitality and actually receive the nutrients from the foods you eat. Your heart will work more efficiently and many of the dangers that can affect your heart can be alleviated before they have a chance to do any real damage.

By using Oxy-Powder, you can treat the constipation and in turn be doing your body a world of good. The tips for a heart healthy lifestyle? Increase your fiber intake, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly and periodically cleanse your system with a product like Oxy-Powder. It’s as easy as that.

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The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/effects-of-constipation-on-the-heart-89945.html

Discover The Benefits Of Soluble Fiber

 

Soluble fiber represents one half the team known commonly as fiber. Together with insoluble dietary fiber, it has many important functions. We’ll cover some of the benefits of soluble dietary fiber in this article, how it works in our body, the importance of good bowel bacteria in relation to it, and some surprising sources of insoluble fiber.

Fiber has been studied well enough in relation to disease prevention that the FDA has approved health claims about its’ benefits for heart disease prevention. Foods or products that naturally have 0.6g of soluble fiber per amount referenced qualify for this claim. This highlights how crucial soluble fiber is in relation to insoluble.

Other benefits of soluble fiber are that it may help lower blood cholesterol levels, assist those with non-insulin dependant diabetes, as well as people with inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis), or diarrhea, and constipation. Whilst it may seem contradictory that one thing can help with the opposite problems of constipation and diarrhea, soluble fiber does this by acting as a regulatory mechanism. It forms a gel in the body, including the colon, and when a person has diarrhea the gel adds bulk and slows the transit time. When a person has constipation, the more liquid nature of the gel makes the hardened stools softer, provided enough fluid is drunk.

Soluble fiber has an interesting characteristic in that it is fermented in the colon. This occurs through the activities of the beneficial bacteria that naturally exist there. Problems can potentially arise if the population of beneficial bacteria is depleted. These bacteria produce gas and short chain fatty acids from soluble fiber, and it is the short chain fatty acids that provide some of these considerable benefits. Fortunately, soluble fiber helps increase the population of good bacteria in the bowel.

The short chain fatty acids are the reason soluble fiber is helpful in stabilizing blood glucose levels. They also reduce levels of the ‘bad’ cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, both implicated in heart disease. And they provide additional benefits by lowering the rate of cholesterol synthesis by the liver.

Most people do not consume enough dietary fiber – either soluble or insoluble. And whilst legumes, grains, fruit and vegetables are well known sources of fiber, scientists are turning up some surprising sources. Recent research revealed that a cup or coffee is a source of soluble fiber, despite previously being believed to have none. It contains 0.47 to 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per 100ml, so there are richer sources. However, the results are very interesting, especially when you consider that most people drink a cup with at least 200ml, or more likely in the range of 250ml, per drink. At 250 ml, that puts a cup of coffee in the range of 1.16 to 1.88 grams of soluble fiber. Depending on how much coffee you drink in a day, that does add up.

Instant coffee came out a winner as well, as it’s a greater source than filter or brewed coffee.

Soluble fiber is important for the maintenance of health, as well as being a credible, natural treatment for those troubled by some forms of diabetes, cholesterol, and bowel problems. Unfortunately, most healthy people don’t take enough fiber in their diet, which potentially increases their risk for illness later on. And whilst soluble fiber has many benefits, insoluble fiber is still a critical part of our diet as well. Fortunately, there are many known sources of fiber, and coffee can now be added to that list!