My dear late mother used to call it getting “blocked up,” and as kids we learned early on not to tell our mother if we were blocked up…otherwise the enema bag might come out.

Of course I’m referring to constipation!

And judging by the sea of laxatives that drowns you in the average drug store, there is a whole lot of people getting blocked up pretty regularly.

At first glance, laxatives seem benign enough--once you take a one, Nature usually calls and you get relief.

But there’s more going on than you realize…and it’s not good.

Here’s what I mean:

The sneaky wrath of laxatives

When you rely on laxatives to have bowel movements, things seem fine at first—you take the medication and you have a BM.

But all the while that you use laxatives, you're weakening your intestinal muscles.  These muscles carry out the contractions (called peristalsis) that move your wastes along the intestinal tract and out your "rear exit."

So weakening these muscles makes constipation even worse. 

You can eventually get to the point where you become 100 percent dependent on laxatives and you can’t have a bowel movement without them!

Plus consistently having laxative-assisted BMs can upset your gut microbiome to the point where the harmful microbes have the “upper hand.”  This too can worsen constipation, as well as encourage a leaky gut wall and weaken your immune system.

This is also why diarrhea, bloating, gas and cramping are common side effects of laxatives—they are all signs of an intestinal environment that’s topsy-turvy.

In addition, if your gut wall is leaky and most of your bowel movements are medication-induced, that can affect your absorption of nutrients to the point where you may suffer deficiencies.

At that point, you may be facing any number of health challenges.  Nutrient deficiencies are at the heart of most diseases, including cancer.

Make this the year you’re no longer blocked up!

In order to end constipation and your reliance on laxatives for good, you need to look at what may be causing your constipation and then DO SOMETHING about it!

Here are 4 common causes of constipation and how you can help counteract each…and start getting regular calls from Nature!

1- Medications

Constipation is a side effect of many common medications including pain medicines and antidepressants.

If you suspect constipation due to medications you're taking, it's time to talk to your doctor about alternatives and explore natural remedies.

For example, Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been shown to be very helpful with easing inflammation (a root cause of most pain) and depression (since depression can be triggered by a deficiency of Omega-3 EFAs in the brain).  They can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol by reducing inflammation in your arterial walls.

If pain, depression, high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol are concerns for you, see what a difference it can make to take the natural route and increase your Omega-3 EFA intake with our outstanding VitalMega-3 fish oil formula. 

Vitalmega-3 delivers a whopping 1,000mg of pharmaceutical-grade, anti-inflammatory Omega-3 Fatty Acids in each daily 2-capsule dose.

2- Dehydration

When you're dehydrated, your body has less fluid available to keep your stools soft and easy to pass.

And unfortunately, many people don't even come close to drinking the amount of water that they should be drinking. 

If your urine is deep, dark yellow at any time other than first thing in the morning, or you wait until you're DYING of thirst to drink water, chances are excellent you're dehydrated. 

You should aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

3- Lack of exercise

Exercise helps prevent constipation by helping to move wastes through your colon and preventing it from becoming dry, hard and stuck.

In addition, aerobic exercise raises your breathing and heart rates, which helps to stimulate the peristalsis of your intestinal muscles.

So get your doctor’s OK and get moving!  You might also find you’ll lose some weight while you’re at it—a nice added bonus!

4- Poor digestion

Poor digestion is THE #1 most common cause of constipation!

When your foods are not broken down like they should be, your wastes become hard, sticky and mucus covered. They can get stuck to your colon wall to the point where you practically need a chisel to get them off!

So to overcome constipation (as well as acid reflux, gas and bloating too), good digestion is where it's at!

Here are 3 ways you can get on the road to better digestion:

1. Start with your diet

First and foremost, it's essential to structure your meals so they're naturally easy to digest, and I can make that a breeze for you.

In the Great Taste No Pain health system, I show you how to put together meals that are not only mouth-watering delicious, but are much easier for your body to digest.

This helps things "move along" more like they should...like Nature intended.

Now don’t worry—I’m not talking about existing on “rabbit food” here.  You can still enjoy foods you love—you just need to be more mindful of what you eat together.  It’s easy and you’ll see the difference almost immediately!

2. Address any enzyme issues

Most people need digestive enzyme help at one time or another.

This especially applies to the elderly, people who have taken acid reducers for a long time or junk food junkies, as well as people who have had gastric or gallbladder surgery.

Plus, many people will simply not eat easily digested meals 100 percent of the time, so their bodies will need some enzyme support now and then.

That's where Digestizol Max can step in and help!

Digestizol Max's full-spectrum blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes will give your body an enzyme boost to help break down proteins, fats, carbs, fiber and dairy, whatever you eat!

3. Support a healthy gut microbiome

With constipation, your wastes hang out in the intestinal tract longer than they should, and this can trigger an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and upset the balance of your gut microbiome.

This causes a vicious cycle because, since the friendly bacteria in your intestines help with digestion, when they're overcome by harmful bacteria they can't do their job. 

And your poor digestion and constipation can get even worse.

But taking a potent probiotic supplement like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula every day can help turn that around for you.

Super Shield's 13 strains of robust, friendly bacteria can help repopulate your friendly flora, which can in turn help improve your digestion and even help beef up your immune system. 

Many of our clients have said how they quickly became more “regular” once they started taking Super Shield—as a matter of fact, one satisfied customer calls it “Pooper Shield!”

Imagine how nice it would feel to be regular and never need laxatives again!

Well, this can be the year that becomes a reality for you!

Get going and end your constipation NOW!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia