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IMAGES/NPDESIGNDE1 DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Whenever
you’re constipated, ask yourself if you’re
drinking enough water. The goal is to drink
half your body weight in ounces of water
daily. Doing so keeps your bowels clear,
clean, and ready to go.2 KEEP CALM. Keeping your nervous system
in order is one of the most important things
you can do, particularly if you have IBS.
A calm nervous system helps your body’s
other systems move in an orderly fashion. A
9-week relaxation response study at Harvard
demonstrated the power of meditation on
calming the gut, showing that meditation can
improve symptoms of IBS. I recommend 10
minutes a day, every day. Treat it as a habit,
like brushing your teeth. Find a consistent
time each day and stick with it. This is the
most effective and least expensive way to get
your large intestine on track.3 MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET. TCM uses
acupuncture and herbal remedies to heal gut
health issues. Alongside these aids, patients
need to do the basics for gut health on their
own: Choose healthy, quality foods. Avoid
fast foods and heavily processed foods. Shop
for fresh fruits and vegetable options at your
local grocery store. Making conscious choices
around food and developing new habits can
be profoundly helpful.4 TREAT SKIN CONDITIONS. Psoriasis or
eczema can be visual signs that there’s an
issue in the gut. If you suffer from these or
other similar conditions, consider cutting
wheat and dairy from your diet, as well as soy
and eggs, to heal your skin and gut issues.
Eliminate one at a time to learn which is trig-
gering the skin reactions. When in doubt:
Avoid inflammatory foods like wheat and
dairy, veer towards soups and stews, skip the
fast food and soda, and drink plenty of water.5 EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST. One of the
easiest ways to ensure good, regular bowel
movements is with a digestion-promoting
meal at the start of your day. Steel cut oats
with warmed apples or pears, a tablespoon of
walnuts, cinnamon, and a splash of almond or
rice milk is one of my favorite breakfast choices.6 LET GO OF REGRETS AND GRUDGES.
Emotionally, some people have a hard time
letting things go, and this conflict can reflect
in the bowels. Consider anything you might
be holding on to that no longer serves you.
Make a list of what you want to let go of,
whether it be a habit, a relationship, or a
particular memory. Write it down, and then
either bury it, burn it, or tear it up and throw
it away, consciously letting it go. Letting go
of regrets, grudges, and losses helps keep the
large intestine strong.By implementing some of these simple
self-care habits into your daily life, you can
help the lungs and large intestine become
more resilient during the season when they
are most vulnerable. I hope you too have
success nourishing your lungs and large
intestines in fall.Julie Bear Don’t Walk is a licensed acupuncturist and
national board-certified herbalist. After experiencing
life-changing results of her own, she decided to spend
her life helping people feel better in their bodies and
their lives. You can learn more about Julie and her
clinic at http://www.JulieBearDontWalk.com.Moving Toward a Healthy Large Intestine
Try any combination of these self-care strategies to keep the large
intestines at optimum health as the seasons shift.