Arthritis and Elimination

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 morning.

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.