Help Constipation...

[scooby]

First juice fast, today is day 8. From title you can tell I have a little problem. I have beeb drinking some juiced fruits (apples, watermelon) However, more green juice (kale, cucumber, carrots, spinach, asparagus, etc)

I was going to get a closed colonic yesterday and my partner FREAKED out....so, I didn't go. (she was going to call my 89 year old mother...my God). (We are in our late 40's). Ama doesn't approve colonics.

Help, any input would be so appreciater.
Scooby

[Traceyraw]

Keep the fluids coming in. Flax is a great fiber to get things going. 1 quart of fesh apple juice should get things moving pretty easy.

[delmar]

Are we talking day 8 of the juice fast or day 8 without a BM. If it is the later you need to get something going soon. I personally am in agreement with the apple juice, but I wouldn't stop at one quart if it takes more. I had an enema 40 years ago and I didn't enjoy it, but I suppose I would do it again if that is what it took.

[MysticTree]

If nothing is going in then nothing will come out! Simple. If you are straining your juices then you aren't getting fibre so you won't need to pass anything.

I am not someone who thinks that you get massive back log from years and years of bad eating habits. You'd have blocked solid years ago if that was the case! But that is just my opinion.

Lots of people are doing juice fast these days without building up to it. It's quite a shock to the system both starting and stopping a fast if you just do it without considering working towards it.

Yes I agree, apple juice is a good mover. You could try that. Fresh and at least a pint works for me if I ever need it.

[Charybdisjim]

Lots of people are doing juice fast these days without building up to it. It's quite a shock to the system both starting and stopping a fast if you just do it without considering working towards it.


That's exactly right- and constipation is a common problem if you don't prepare for a fast (or are lucky enough to already have a diet which would tend to prevent constipation during fasting.) It's also significantly more likely for fasts lasting longer than 3 days - for which you should prepare longer for as well. It's even not that unusual if you do prepare but are using strained juices; in some cases this causes a sensation of constipation with pretty much empty bowels. If there is no fiber in your juice then you're not going to be getting much of anything moving out the other end; during fasts longer than 3 days this is commonly associated with feeling constipated.

If it is bothering enough that you were considering a colonic and you are still fasting you may want to eat some high-fiber fruits like dates or prunes along with more substantive foods. If it becomes physically painful or you can feel bloating or hardness through your abdomen than go to your doctor because after 8 days it's likely to be an impacted bowel if there is actually something obstructing it rather than just irritation. I'm not trying to scare you and if you're not in pain I would suggest eating high fiber foods and/or using pulpier less filtered juices combined with a decent fluid intake. If you are in pain, have been taking in solid content and its been persisting that long you should go to the doctor.

If you do have an impacted colon then your partner may have just saved your life. There is a risk of a perforated colon from receiving a colonic in the first place and the risks are many many times worse if you are suffering from an impacted colon and/or have a weakend/damaged intestinal wall (which such an obstruction will cause if it persists too long.)