There are some things that make people uncomfortable to talk about, Poop seems to be one of them! We can not emphasize enough, how important it is to keep track and understand what your bowel movements are doing. Awareness of this is such a good way to stay on top of your health!
If you didn’t already know, there is such a thing as ‘Healthy poops’ and ‘unhealthy poops’.
Unfortunately, most likely due to our unbalanced and unhealthy diets, use of pharmaceutical drugs, and disorders such as constipation, acid reflux, ulcers, chrons disease, IBS, and GERD are more than common.
All of these illnesses are related to our topic of poop today!
Why the ‘quality’ of our poop matters:
Quality of poop has a lot to do with an individuals lifestyle, in relation to the food they eat. When your digestive system is in order, your elimination process will be in order!
Rather than reaching for over the counter aids (laxatives, Pepto Bismol etc.) when you have a disturbance ‘down there’, we recommend solving the problem with whole, natural, healthy foods!
Why ‘food’ solves some problems:
Gut health is directly affected by what we consume, and our gut health, directly affects our pooping habits.
(Read a whole lot more about gut health, with a more depth explanation here)
But today, we are going to keep things simple, and share with you a few smoothie recipes for some common poop-related issues!
The GUTASTIC:
It is jam-packed with nutrients that support healthy gut bacteria, promote a strong immune system and keep everything moving with regularity.
- ½ cup organic apple cider
- 15 coconut water ice cubes (fill a tray with coconut water and freeze)
- I frozen mango, cubed
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 cup plain kefir
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ½ teaspoon chia seeds
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
Put ice in the blender first, followed by other ingredients, and blend well. Drink the smoothie right away.
The UNSTOPPER
If you have a bowel movement less than 3 times a week, chances are you are constipated. Your poops may be small, hard and very difficult to pass, causing you exceptional discomfort.
- 6 pitted prunes (dried plums)
- 1 cup organic apple juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
- 1 cup crushed ice (made with filtered water)
- 1 cup plain acidophilus yoghurt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
Put ice in the blender first, followed by other ingredients, and blend well. Drink the smoothie right away.
The DEBLOATER
Nothing is worse than the feeling that you have gained fifteen pounds of bloat. Bloating can occur for any number of reasons, but an unhappy digestive tract is generally the culprit. Along with bloating often comes excessive gas. In addition to switching to a diet that is loaded with fresh, whole foods, drink this smoothie as often as needed to reduce the pressure of bloating.
- ½ cup organic dandelion root tea
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- ½ cup plain kefir
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- ½ cup ice cubes
Put ice in the blender first, followed by other ingredients, and blend well. Drink the smoothie right away.
The STINK BUSTER
Okay, so you say that all poop stinks, right? Well, not exactly: some poop smells way worse than other poop. The odour of your poop is really dependent on a number of things, including what you are eating, medications, how long it has been sitting in your colon and possibly the bacterial balance (or imbalance) in your digestive tract.
One way to bring balance back to your gut is to be sure that you are consuming plenty of healthy and organic vegetables and fruits, and very little – if any – processed foods.
- 1 lemon
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup of crushed ice
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice
Put the ice in the blender first, followed by the other ingredients, and blend well. Drink right away.
The BINDER
Not only is diarrhea uncomfortable, it can also be embarrassing. No one likes to spend all day in the bathroom if they don’t have to. Most Americans experience at least one bout of acute diarrhea, defined as passing loose stools of one to two days, each year.
Young children are more apt to suffer twice as often as adults, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse of the National Institutes of Health. While most cases of diarrhea will eventually calm down, you can get your digestive system back on track by consuming plenty of filtered water and a binding smoothie.
- 1 cup oat milk
- ½ cup organic steel-cut oats
- ¼ cup raspberry Kefir
- 1 frozen banana
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons organic plain yoghurt
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy your drink right away.
Give one – or more! Of these recipes a try to help maintain a healthy, happy gut!
Happy Pooping!