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Arthritis and Elimination
© Patricia R. Moynihan 2006
We love to discuss elimination about as much as we love to discuss prostate
problems. But, believe it or not, elimination is ultra important to your
overall health. If your bowel is healthy, you're healthy. Keep your bowel
clean and clear and you'll feel terrific. Most of us miss this point. Most
of us are too busy to think about elimination or constipation. When we
finally realize that we have a problem, what do we do? We buy and ingest the
fastest acting laxatives we can find and get on with our busy lives. That's
exactly what you should NOT do! Do not take laxatives. Do not take
laxatives. Laxatives are not good. I want to reiterate this forever.
Arthritis sufferers have a dual problem. We should exercise because exercise
aids the performance of all bodily functions, including elimination. But
exercise is difficult for many of us and this exacerbates our bowel
problems. What should we do? We need to correct probably years of bad habits
and get our elimination system working correctly. And it's beautifully
simple!
Back in Grandma's day, everybody ate prunes, whether they liked them or not.
Prunes aid elimination. Prunes still exist but we can't be bothered to
prepare them, so very few people eat them. But prune juice works just as
well and, if you buy own brand, it's not expensive. And it really works. So,
to start you off, buy prune juice and drink a tall glass every moprning.
I know you've read about the benefits of fiber in your diet. And it's all
true. Fiber is at the top of the league for getting your bowels back on
track. You should, of course, eat all the fruit and vegetables you can, to
provide the fiber you need. But there's another, overlooked, star in this
firmament. It's old fashioned oats. Not rolled, not sugared, just oats.
Again, buy own brand oats. They're not expensive. Eat them as oatmeal, one
cup oats to 3 cups water (add salt to taste) , or just raw, as an addition
to whatever cereal you like. I eat raw oats every morning.
Getting your body back on track is so important. And it's just as easy as I
have outlined above. But it's really essential to stay away from laxatives.
I can't stress this enough. Laxatives are BAD. Don't take them.
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