Health begins in the gut, and constipation is just one of many signs that your digestive system is out of balance. A healthy bowel motion consists of waste products from digestion, bacteria, undigested food particles, bacteria, toxins and other compounds. The colon is a key organ of detoxification and elimination which is critical to the function of almost every other system in the body.
Imagine if you didn’t empty your garbage bin regularly; waste would overflow into the surrounding room, scraps could putrefy and release unpleasant odours and gases, and undesirable creatures would be attracted to the mess. A similar analogy can be applied to the bowels. If wastes are not removed effectively and efficiently, they can putrefy, damage the integrity of the lining of the gut, and cause recycling of some toxins back into the body creating an increased workload on other organs such as the liver.
Chronic constipation is also associated with conditions like endometriosis and hormonal issues, acne, headaches and more. Passing a daily bowel movement is so essential for health and it's the very first thing we will work on with you if you come to us constipated at Shift.
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Our naturopathic treatment process to relieve chronic constipation
Seeing a naturopath for constipation is arguably the best treatment choice you will make. This is because herbal medicine has such a great affinity for healing gut issues. The first step is to diagnose why - often people will get diagnosed with IBS or just told to take laxatives, when finding the cause of your constipation allows us to actually treat it.
Common causes of constipation are poor digestion and lack of acid or digestive enzymes, lack of fibre intake, lack of hydration, gluten or dairy intolerance, lack of beneficial bacteria and poor bowel function (often due to laxative use or chronic constipation).
Gut testing for constipation
At Shift Brisbane we are very big on using functional stool and microbiome testing to better understand the actual cause of your issues. Without this, we can usually help somewhat but if we don't get to the nitty gritty of the issue we often can't permanently cure constipation.
At your Discovery & Diagnosis your naturopath will discuss what testing may be helpful and why.
Why choose Shift for natural constipation treatment in Brisbane
Proven track record - we have literally helped create thousands of perfect poos all around Brisbane and beyond.
Degree qualified practitoners, headed up by master naturopath Katherine Maslen
Gut health specialists - we literally made the podcast about it
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What to expect from your constipation treatment consultation
The first step to getting you passing bowel movements every day is to book a Discovery & Diagnosis with a Shift naturopath. if you have chronic constipation this is not going to be the only health concern you have. We’re going to look at all of it and see what needs to be addressed as part of your treatment. This session is $260 and is 90 minutes long so we can get your full story and spend time on your diagnostic, diet and lifestyle too.
if you’re coming to Shift Brisbane please plan to be here 10min before your appointment to ensure you get parking and are ready to start on time. You are going to get so much value even from the first session that you’re going to want to start on time.
We have three amazing naturopaths at Shift that are all gut health specialists – Bronte, Vanessa and our founder Katherine. We offer appointments 6 days a week so book in with whoever is most convenient.
The Discovery & Diagnosis is 90 minutes long and is three parts:
Getting your story and a thorough case history
A naturopathic diagnostic – your answers into why you have chronic constipation and what areas we need to look at to treat it
A plan – what are you going to do. We begin with what needs to change now and you leave with a treatment plan, diet advice and next steps.
Your treatment plan will include high quality and specific herbal medicines, nutritional supplements and also what you need to do with your diet. With constipation diet is always important so we will look at what is going to work best for you. If we suspect food intolerances we will work on these and we may use a fibre supplement or beneficial bacteria or even digestive enzymes if we think this will help you.
If your constipation is severe, you have abdominal pain or have not had regular bowel movements for over a year, we may recommend you also see a specialist or order more extensive testing.
Once you begin your treatment you’ll usually see changes within the first two weeks. Yes – you read that right – for over 90% of our patients that present with chronic constipation we begin to notice improvements with bowel movements int he first 2-4 weeks. This is because herbal medicine is so effective for this condition. With our expert nutritional advice and by working on the gut brain connection concurrently we can see remarkable results and our patients are so much happier for it.
With anything gut related, for some patients the road will be a little rocky. This is where our natural health membership Shift Heal comes in – this is designed to be supportive and guide you through the ups and downs of care. If you’re sick of seeing multiple people and not getting results – Shift is the clinic for you.
What our clients say...
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Our expert team of naturopaths in Brisbane that can help with constipation
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Constipation FAQs.
Constipation is by definition, infrequent or incomplete bowel motions. Constipation can mean hard, dry and small bowel movements or bowel motions occurring less than three times per week. If your bowel motions do not fit this checklist for what is considered normal and healthy, then you may be constipated and need to become a “poo detective” to make some changes.
Healthy Poo Checklist:
✓ You empty your bowels 1 to 2 times daily.
✓ No straining.
✓ No pain.
✓ Smooth, sausage-shaped log or a few smaller pieces.
✓ Takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
✓ Brown to dark brown in colour. (Red or black stools require medical attention)
✓ Consistent in its characteristics from day to day.
While constipation is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or can be due to some parasites or gastrointestinal infections, it is most commonly caused by a lack of water intake and low fibre intake. Low bile production can be a big contributor and other health conditions like thyroid disorders can be an udnerlying cause.
Constipation can also be caused by the overuse of laxatives, leading to a “lazy bowel”. The bowel walls have muscles which contract and relax rhythmically to move bowel contents along. If they are not looked after correctly, just like the other muscles in your body, they too can lose tone and become weakened, leading to constipation. Pelvic floor dysfunction can also occur – and sometimes rehab is needed here.
Food sensitivities or an intake of highly processed foods can contribute to constipation as well. Sometimes it is a combination of issues that have built up over time and often it gets to the point where just added fibre and probiotic supplements are of little use. This is why a specific naturopathic approach is best.
Water in adequate amounts is critical to healthy bowel motions. You want to aim for roughly 8 glasses of filtered water every day.
Fibre is the indigestible part of plants that can act as an intestinal broom. Insoluble fibre draws water to itself as it passes through the bowel, softening and bulking the stool supporting regular bowel motions. Resistant starches also fall in the fibre category and are essential for supporting healthy microbial balance in the digestive tract. Eating approximately three handfuls of vegetables with your main meals and including nuts, seeds and legumes are all good ways to get enough fibre in your daily intake. Partially hydrolysed guar gum is a water-soluble fibre that shows promising results in clinical studies for improving the frequency of bowel motions, reducing straining, and reducing abdominal discomfort.
Good Gut Bacteria are critical to our health. They have many important functions in the body, including assisting in digestion and breakdown of foods, absorption of nutrients, production of energy, vitamins and other important compounds for the body. To help support a healthy gut colony or microbiome, including fermented foods in your diet such as yoghurt, saeurkraut, kombucha, kimchi or pickles. Foods containing resistant starches such as bananas, onion, garlic, jerusalem artichoke, asparagus can also help to feed the microbes in your gut, creating a healthy environment in which for them to flourish.
Rest and digest. We often underestimate the importance of chewing our food properly, and taking time away from work to switch our body into digestion mode. Eating consciously and mindfully allows your body to send the right signals to the stomach to break food down properly, pass it successfully through the digestive tract, trigger nutrient absorption and healthy waste elimination. Eating at work or on the go detracts from these messages getting through to your digestive tract, slowing the whole process down.
Your naturopath can also assist you to resolve constipation by discovering the underlying causes and creating a specific treatment plan to suit your unique circumstances. Our toolbox includes herbs, nutrients, and functional foods to enhance the overall digestive process, allowing for an adequate breakdown of foods, optimal absorption of nutrients and effective elimination of toxins. The goal of treatment is to return the bowel to natural healthy function and avoid the use of laxatives.
Making an appointment to work on your constipation is easy – just call us on 07 3367 0337 or book your appointment online here.
Book your appointment online here.
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