Come regolarizzare l'intestino con prodotti naturali

Guide to the article

Regularizing the intestine is possible! Let's see how

The intestinal regularity

Our digestive system is a highly efficient system capable of absorbing, processing and transforming nutrients from food and liquids in a few hours, eliminating waste material. The waste substances travel about 6 meters of the intestine and reach the colon, where the water is partly removed and are expelled in the form of feces, in about 1 or 2 days.

Based mainly on diet, lifestyle, age and physical activity, intestinal regularity it can vary from 3 bowel movements per day up to 3 per week; a normal evacuation must be neither too hard nor too soft and must absolutely not require excessive effort.

Less than 3 movements per week can be considered constipation while 3 or more soft stools per day are likely to be diarrhea.

However, there is no real definition of intestinal regularity because it depends a lot from individual to individual; most adults will experience an episode of at least once in their life constipation or diarrhea, but a drastic change in bowel frequency should be discussed with the doctor, without shame.

Our state of well-being also depends on a healthy intestine; the intestine is in fact considered the second brain since, thanks to the release of serotonin, also known as the good mood hormone, constantly communicates with the brain and contributes to digestion and peristalsis.

In the thickness of the intestinal wall lies the enteric nervous system, consisting of about 100 million neurons that process and transmit sensations to the central nervous system. While the mucosa is covered by the bacterial flora that makes up the intestinal microbiota, with more than 400 bacterial species, to keep the body's immune defenses high.

There are many factors that can alter the intestinal regularity but small daily tricks are enough for regularize the intestine.

How to regularize the intestine

Here are some good behaviors to adopt, along with foods and supplements to take, for regularize the intestine so simple and natural.

Get moving every day

Anatomically, the human being is not made to lead a sedentary life. However, often for work reasons, too many hours are spent in front of the PC and this negatively affects the general state of health. The consequences are reduced blood circulation in the lower limbs, water retention, weakening of muscles and joints and a sluggish intestine. Peristalsis by nature tends to move the fecal mass forward to facilitate its expulsion, but if the body moves little, the intestine also adapts. It only takes 15-30 minutes a day of mild physical activity, such as walking, brisk walking or running, to promote intestinal regularity.

Don't delay the stimulus

Doctors noted that the evacuation process is both physicist be mental: many people, in fact, feel embarrassed to use public toilets, especially in the workplace. This causes the stimulus to be delayed until the evening, after hours. However, remember that defecation is a natural physiological process that unites everyone, therefore it is advisable to train your body to always evacuate at the same time of day, following the stimulus; the more you hold it back or postpone it, the longer it will take. If you can't do this at home, bring disinfectant wipes and find a place that makes you comfortable where you can have some privacy. Give yourself at least 10 minutes.

Adopt correct posture and breathing and plan a routine

Even the posture you assume while sitting on the toilet can facilitate and speed up the evacuation. Leaning back towards the backrest is not recommended as it partially obstructs the anorectal angle. This exposes you to the risk of developing hemorrhoids, cystitis or hernias due to incomplete emptying and overexertion.

The correct position is the crouching or "squat" position adopted by most animals in the wild. Just sit on the cup with your feet resting on a normal desk footrest or low stool (available online for this task) to keep the knees higher and form an angle of about 35 ° with the back that stretches the final part of the rectum. . It is also important to try as much as possible to have meals at the same time to train the intestine and, when we feel excessively stressed, try to release tension by stretching in the shoulder area and breathing deeply with the diaphragm to regulate bowel movements.

Consume foods to regulate the bowels and drink plenty of water

A diet rich in fiber and water is essential, not only for intestinal regularity, but also for the absorption of nutrients. Prefer foods that are easy to digest, with a good proportion of insoluble and soluble fiber, such as: fresh fruit and dried fruit (especially apples, pears, citrus fruits, figs, kiwis, plums, berries, peanuts, almonds, walnuts ...) ; fresh, raw or steamed vegetables, especially green leafy ones (spinach, lettuce, radicchio, endive, chard ...); sprouted foods (alfalfa, radish, clover, soy ...) that contain digestive enzymes; Whole grains…

A good balance of fibers helps to increase the volume of stools and facilitates their expulsion but, for the consistency to be optimal, it is important to drink at least 1.5 -2 liters of water a day.

Supplements, herbs and natural remedies to regulate the intestine

To maintain a state of psycho-physical well-being it is essential to take care of the intestinal microbiota intended for the assimilation, sorting, recovery and production of nutrients and the maintenance of a functional immune system. The alteration of the intestinal regularity due to constipation o diarrhea, infections, use of drugs or an unbalanced diet can weaken the bacterial flora and a valid help in these cases is the use of supplements of: lactic ferments and probiotics, or living organisms that repopulate the intestinal flora; prebiotics, or fibers that are not digestible by us but a source of nourishment for the resident bacterial flora and for probiotics.

Probiotics are contained in fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, cheese, sourdough, miso and in specific supplements, often in combination with vitamins. Prebiotics are mainly contained in the vegetable fibers of asparagus, legumes, oats, garlic and dried fruit (an example is constituted by inulin powder, which is often also added to fermented products). There are also numerous natural remedies based on plants and herbs to restore regularity:

Aloe gel: plant with laxative and detoxifying power, it acts at the level of the flora, repairing the mucosa and fighting inflammation;
fennel: controls the excessive fermentation of foods and acts as an antispasmodic on the smooth muscles of the colon, eliminating swelling, cramps and flatulence (carminative property);
lemon balm: antispastic and anti-inflammatory activity, indicated in cases of meteorism, digestive difficulties and nausea;
angelica: antispasmodic and calming, it relaxes the nervous system in case of somatization of stress and negative emotions in the intestine. In addition to the carminative property, it is endowed with that cholagogue, that is, it stimulates the production of bile and gastric secretion;
charcoal (or activated carbon): it is produced by burning wood or coconut shells; it has an absorbent activity, retaining the air that forms in the stomach and intestines and counteracting abdominal tension.
hot herbal teas with natural senna extracts, dandelion, fennel, rhubarb, cascara: the warmth relaxes the intestinal muscles and, synergistically with the natural extracts, favors the transit of faeces;
psyllium: plant native to India and the Middle East, it stimulates intestinal activity, soothes inflammation and regulates the metabolism of macronutrients, in particular carbohydrates and lipids.

Many of these plants and herbs are present in the supplement based on plant extracts for the regularity of intestinal transit Bioline: Herbal Lax. Find out more!

In order to make the most of the properties of these natural substances, different types of phytotherapeutic supplements are available which, thanks to their phytocomplex, act immediately to restore the correct functionality of the intestine and the balance of symbiotic flora. They exist in different formulations (tablets, capsules, sachets, syrups, herbal teas), also added to lactic ferments and vitamins (for example Vitamin C, B6, B2, B1).

Avoid or limit foods that irritate the gut

Some foods can slow down intestinal motility, therefore it is good not to overdo it with excessively refined foods, rich in preservatives and condiments, such as: cereals, desserts and fried foods, red meats, cured meats and cheeses, ready and fast food dishes, spices spicy, excessive consumption of alcohol and sugary carbonated and / or caffeinated drinks.

Remember that taking the supplements and / or remedies alone, without a lifestyle modification and a correction of bad habits, will not solve the problem. Many supplements should be used only when needed and at the right dosages to avoid side effects or drug interactions. Always talk to your doctor and get advice onright supplement for you. Even with regard to herbs and natural remedies, excesses are to be avoided as they are useless and harmful.