March 16, 2015
Constipation sucks.
Not only can walking around all day with fecal matter stuck up inside you put a scowl on your face from gas, bloating and that constant time-sucking nag to find a bathroom and “try to go” again, but long term constipation can create more serious complications such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, rectal prolapse, and fecal impaction. Google any of those if you are curious. Not fun.
And you can get constipated for a variety of reasons.
For example, you can get constipated because you have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
You can get constipated because you don't produce enough digestive enzymes.
You can get constipated because you have yeast, fungus, or Candida overgrowth.
You can get constipated because you use sleeping pills, because those can decrease gastric motility.
You can get constipated because you ate too much fiber, or because you ate too little fiber.
You can get constipated simply because you didn't drink enough water the day before.
You can get constipated from an improper pooping position.
You can get even get constipated because you have a parasite (more common than you'd think).
Other causes of constipation can include hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism, heavy metal toxicity, or overanxiety. The tests and health detective work necessary to determine the reason for constipation go beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that constipation is the most common digestive complaint in both men and women, so I figured it would be useful to give you a cheap and easy fix to help you go when you need to go.
Although treatments for constipation include drastic dietary changes such as eliminating fermentable foods like FODMAPs, laxatives, enemas (even the infamous coffee enema), biofeedback, and in some serious situations surgery, I'd recommend you try this three-step 42 cent morning routine if you're reading this and you want to get stuff moving ASAP.
Enjoy, and leave your questions and comments below the post.
——————————————
Step 1: Baking Soda + Lemon Juice
Step 1 is relatively simple. When you first awake, get yourself a giant glass, and put a heaping teaspoon-ish* of baking soda and the juice of half a lemon (or 5-6 drops of lemon essential oil) into about 16 ounces of water, then drink it down. It will taste like salty, non-sweet lemon juice.
Regarding the amount of baking soda, please understand that results may vary. For some, a heaping teaspoon may induce liquid toilet explosions, while for others, a teaspoon may not be quite enough. But a teaspoon-ish amount is a good place to begin.
Why baking soda and lemon juice?
Baking soda, which I discussed in detail in podcast #311, has a variety of useful first aid and medical purposes. It can absorb and neutralize acids in the stomach and relieve intermittent and occasional heartburn and indigestion. It can be an effective odor reducer and natural deodorant because of its ability to neutralize acids and soak up moisture. And because it is a salt, it can also draw fluids into your digestive tract and increase intestinal peristalsis, tiny contractions of your gastrointestinal muscles that assist with movement of food higher up your intestinal tract and poo in the lower regions of your intestinal tract.
Lemon juice is well-known as a digestive aid and as a way to jumpstart digestive enzyme and hydrochloric acid consumption. Incidentally, the polyphenols in lemon can also increase fatty acid oxidation and a dose of lemon is also great for increasing alkalinity, a concept also discussed in podcast #311. Lemon essential oil is a bit different than lemon juice, and is a much more concentrated extract of lemon. It has an incredibly fragrant and aromatic scent, but it's uses go far beyond a nose pleasing aroma, and it is widely considered in alternative medicine as one of the best essential oils for constipation. The bile production that lemon induces can also increase intestinal peristalsis.
And let's face it: it's pretty easy to find baking soda and lemon juice just about anywhere you go.
So where did I come up with 42 cents as a daily cost for the baking soda and lemon juice?
Look at it this way: a big bag of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda weighs in at about 8 cents per ounce on Amazon. Since there's 0.2 ounces in a heaping teaspoon of baking soda, you're looking at about 1/5 of that 8 cents per serving, which comes out to roughly 1.6 cents. Just in case you decide to get crazy with your soda serving, let's round that up to 2 cents.
Next are the lemons. One dozen fresh organic lemons from Amazon come out to around $1.67 per lemon, and if you're using half the juice of that lemon each morning, you'd be spending 83 cents each morning on your lemon habit. And let's face it, I'd wager you could probably get a better deal on lemons at your local grocery store.
If you decide to go the fancy pants route and use essential oils rather than the lemon itself (which comes in handy when you're traveling and can't get your hands on a fresh lemon), you can get the Young Living lemon oil that I use and put 5-6 drops of that in with the baking soda. Lemon essential oil is about 12 bucks for a month's supply, which is approximately 40 cents a day (amazingly, less than using actual lemons!).
So ultimately, unless you factor in the cost of the giant 16 ounce glass of water you're going to put the lemon and baking soda into, you're looking at about 42 cents a day (or if you opt to use fresh lemons, slightly more than that). Everything else you're about to read in this article is…free.
—————————-
Step 2: Do These Seven Yoga Poses
OK, so you've had your giant glass of water with baking soda and lemon juice or lemon essential oil. The next step is to complete the following set of yoga poses, which are fantastic for relieving constipation and for improving digestion. Hold each pose for 3-5 deep, relaxed inhales and exhales. Do not rush through these and do not do shallow chest breathing.
Knee-To-Chest: Lie down on your back on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and your arms relaxed by your side. Bend your right knee and bring it up to your chest with both hands. Both of your hands should be placed just below your knee and on top of one another. Now pull your shin towards your stomach so that your shin pushes against your abdomen, allowing your shin to massage your stomach as you breathe. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths before slowly lowering the right leg and repeating on the other side.
Deep Squat: This is also known as “The Garland Pose”, but I like to call it the “dump-in-the-woods” pose. Squat down with your feet about 1-2 feet apart, and slightly duck-footed (pointing outwards). Your heels should be on the floor and you can place a folded towel under your heels if you can't get your heels down. Now separate your thighs so that they are slightly wider than your body, and then lean forward between your thighs. Next, put your elbows on the inside of your knees with your palms together (in a “prayer” position) and gently push against your knees. You'll feel a stretch in your crotch and you'll feel your low back elongate. The same time length, breathing and relaxation rules apply to this one.
Cat Cow: Get on your hands and knees on the floor in a crawl position. Inhale, making sure your back is flat and your abs engaged. Exhale, drop your head and round up your spine so you look like a cat arching it's back. On the inhale, arch your back, lifting your head and butt and looking forward for cow pose. Switch back and forth between the two poses, connecting your inhale with cow pose and exhale with the cat pose. Slowly repeat 5 times.
Standing Forward Bend: Stand with your legs slightly apart, and bend forward from the waist. Keeping your back straight, place your hands on the floor or get them as close as you can to the floor. Every time you exhale, try to get your hands just a little but further towards your feet or the floor.
Open Triangle: Stand and take a big step back with your right foot, turning it out to about a 45 degree angle. Spread out your arms. Keep your spine long as you hinge forward at the hip. Float your left hand down to the floor. Raise your right arm, keeping your arms spread out. Look up to your right hand. Take your 3-5 deep breaths. Then repeat on the other side.
Spinal Twist: Lie down, hug your knees and inhale. As you exhale, drop your knees to the left, using your left hand to push them down gently. Then, turn your head and stretch your arm out to the right. Stay for 3-5 breaths. Inhale, and return your hands and knees to center. Then repeat on the other side.
Inverted Pose: Place two folded blankets about three inches from the wall and sit on them so your right hip and side touch the wall. Swivel your body around and raise your legs onto the wall. Keep your buttocks close to or against the wall. Lie down so your lower back and ribs remain on your support, your tailbone descends toward the floor, and your neck and shoulders rest on the floor. Settle deeper into the pose by allowing the arms to rest above the head, with elbows comfortably bent and open to the side, and open your chest. Rest in the pose with your eyes closed for 3 to 5 minutes.
Why do these poses work so well? Yoga has a strong ayurvedic medicine component and one state that your body can be in is referred to in ayurvedic medicine as “vata”. Ayurvedic medicine classifies constipation as a vatic disorder, because vata governs movement and elimination, and excess vata can cause spasms, especially in your colon and pelvis. Interestingly, very narrow stools or stools shaped like small pellets or balls signal the presence of a spasm in the smooth muscles that make up the wall of the colon.
If you suffer from chronic constipation, you need to learn to relax deeply enough so those muscles will let go, and these poses are a perfect way to do that. Every time you perform this yoga routine, your constipation can get just a little bit better. This is because habitual muscle tightness in the pelvic often stems from long-term chronic anxiety, stress, or trauma that takes regular practice to resolve, so this yoga routine both relaxes the muscles that tend to get tight, and helps you relax mentally too – relieving the anxiety that can often make morning bowel movements difficult.
The inverted pose above is especially useful if your constipation is due to anxiety, stress and tightness in the hips and pelvic muscles because vata excess disrupts the the downward energy that supports elimination, so when vata is out of balance, things go up instead of down. The solution is to turn yourself upside down, and an inverted pose (or if you want to bring out the big guns, an inversion table) can help settle the organs in your pelvis that may have been out of place or “stuck.”
Incidentally, I simply complete each of the yoga poses described above while my cup of coffee is brewing.
—————————-
Step 3: Move
This last step is simple. Once you finish your yoga, move for 1-2 minutes. Vibration, bouncing, or any type of impact-based movement work quite well.
Some people stand on a vibration platform. That's an expensive option, in my opinion.
Other people bounce on a mini-trampoline.
Me? I just do jumping jacks. About 50-100 will suffice. If you want to be a true pooping ninja, do warrior breathing while you do the jumping jacks. That really gets stuff moving.
After a bit of hopping around, grab a cup of coffee and proceed to the toilet to take a squat, hit the john, listen to the call of nature, grow a tail, prairie dog it…you get the idea.
—————————-
Summary
Do I do this routine every day?
No.
But it comes in quite handy when I'm traveling (traveler's constipation is quite common) or when I have a busy morning, I need to get my bathroom business over with quickly, and I'm willing to substitute the constipation yoga routine described above as a replacement for my normal morning yoga routine.
So that's it! Leave your questions, comments, thoughts, or your own personal constipation fixes below.
Next, remember: even though the routine that you've just discovered will indeed get you a good poop ASAP, it would still be wise to figure out why you're constipated in the first place. I'd be happy to help you via a personal, one-on-one consult, or to point you in the direction of the right blood test or poop test if you comment below.
Finally if you dig stuff like this, you'll probably really like to read about my entire step-by-step morning routine (in teeth-grittingly specific detail).
Does the baking soda have to be fully dissolved in water before drinking it? (Which apparantly takes 15 minutes). I can’t find any article mentioning whether it’s bad to drink before the baking soda is dissolved. Some sites mentioned just waiting a couple of minutes before drinking it.
Ben, the water should be warm or should be at room temperature? Asking this since most of the morning water drinking rituals specifies warm water. Thanks for your review and reply.
This definitely worked for me…I used a tbsp of baking soda a the whole half of lemon. It worked right away.
My concern with the baking soda / lemon juice is that, once you mix them together, they react. You no longer have baking soda and ascorbic and citric acids – you have a sodium salt, water, and carbon dioxide. Can you please elaborate?
I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which underlies some chronic constipation, and this actually works when nothing else does! How frequently is it safe to drink baking soda/lemon juice? Can I do it daily or is that too much sodium or alkalinity? Do you know if it would it cause any dependency or negative changes to the gut microbiome? Thanks!
Great questions, thanks for asking. Check out this transcript- it should answer your question: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/fitness-…
I have done all the Laxatives in the store and still have not went to the bathroom it’s going on three weeks and today I decided to try baking soda do you think it might help or I need to go to the doctor
I’m 2 weeks into your gut healing protocol using all of the supplements. I’m taking in enough fiber and water during my days and am on a pretty strict elimination diet… and am still getting extremely bloated. I was having somewhat normal bowel movements last week but now it feels like nothing is coming out and I’m feeling SO bloated. Any advice as to what to try to help this? This routine? Something else? Thank you so much
Check this out: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/371-why-…
Epsom salts also works. 2-4 teaspoons in a 8oz glass of water drink. Should start to work after 30 minutes. Drink lots of water as the magnesium will cause water to increase in the intestines therefore softening the stool. Read up on the precautions of using epsom salts as well.
Thanks for this, gonna try it in the morning. I have never had this problem until I got my first Prolia shot two weeks ago for bone issues due to the aromatase inhibitor I have to take. It is SO frustrating and uncomfortable, hope this helps!
I’ve never been constipated to the point of not being able to go…until this weekend. I’d taken a stool softener, drank prune juice, nothing was moving. I tried this about 8pm after having nothing but liquids all day and it worked! Thank you so much!!
Hi …i have a constipation problem from last 2 years …i take some medicnes ayuervdic as well but i dint get relief…i have also headache alot..i feel beating drum on the back portion of my head…now fro. The last week i started drinking lemon with lukewarm water in the morning..i found it very helpful. I dnt feel any major headache nd it really help me alot….i lou it….
Tried the baking soda last night and did go a bit first thing this morning. Drank it again this morning – and now nothing… Already taking magnesium and vitamin c daily, along with miralax. Am so backed up that I think I’m going to have to buy an enema kit :(
at this point, I'd be happy to help you via a personal one-on-one consult. Just go to https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/coaching. and then choose a 20 or 60 minute consult, whichever you'd prefer. I can schedule ASAP after you get that.
Try Epsom salt, really works fast, but only once a day
Definitely gonna try this! Do you think it’s better to try in the morning or in the evening! I can’t wait until tomorrow morning lol
You can do either – but morning would be best.
Used 1tbsp baking soda w 2tbsp lemon first thing this morning and no results. Any experience with this not working?
There could be a host of other issues at play here. I would suggest booking a consult at <a href="https://greenfieldfitnesssystems.com/ben” target=”_blank”>www.greenfieldfitnesssystems.com/ben and choosing 20 or 60 minutes and we'll get you scheduled to go into detail there.
I will look around if necessary, for the difference between bicarbonate and salt for the purpose discussed in this thread. I returned here for the first time since early Oct. when you replied (again; thank you). I deserved to be silenced by getting the same response from you twice – sorry to press the issue. Good for me though – because simply reducing the amount of food may have made a difference – my body is running smoothly since I last wrote. Strength and peace, Ben.
Hi was just wondering if bi carb soda is the same….as we only seem to have baking powder and bi carb soda
Nope, they are different.
Thank you thank you! I’m a teacher just starting the school year so it’s always a stressful time plus I’m drinking protein shakes twice a day and I know I did not drink enough water this week by Friday my stomach was extra bloated and my daily routine this week had been non existent I was miserable and out of laxatives! I read ur article had those items in the house and gave it a try! I followed ur three steps and My mind body and stomach feel amazing!!! I have a slight headache but I think it was part of the build up lol!!! Again thank you so much I am ready to start my saturday!!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I was at the er recently and told it was constipation. Have not really been able to go in quite a while. Miralax didn’t work, prune juice didn’t work, suppositories didn’t work! I was beginning to get worried and depressed! Stumbled onto your site…amazing! Worked like a charm! Can’t thank you enough!
Please no reply to my email address, and no use of it. Will bookmark this page and watch for your answer here. Lots of sodium in baking soda – it is over 50% of the daily amount recommended for anyone probably. Does this sodium leave the body with the bowel movement?
Yes, exactly, you're not going to get sodium overload with this.
Thank you…. it was good to see your reply. I have a lot of sea salt on hand – am experimenting with using it, instead. I guess they are sort of equivalent for the purpose we are discussing – if you know of a reason baking soda is best, please let us know. I guess it is just easier to come by. I use baking soda for teeth.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, not sodium chloride and will be far better than sea salt for his specific purpose.
Thank you, Ben. :)
Please help me understand the difference to the body/in the body with the use of baking soda vs. sea salt for this specific purpose. I still have all the sea salt, am experimenting, and am on the point of checking out an equivalent amount of baking soda. Of interest, adjusting to an entirely new schedule: eating last meal earlier and having 2 meals a day is interesting – if I can get myself home in time for that mid afternoon so I don’t have to waste time the next morning waiting. That’s the entire motive since am not constipated.
You need to use baking soda. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, not sodium chloride and will be far better than sea salt for his specific purpose.
Yes, if you use Senna Leaves too much, they will make your constipation worse. they are meant to be used in the short term. For me, I use the Dr Max Powers 15 Days Cleanse. I DO NOT TAKE IT FOR 15 DAYS!!! I only take two pills the day i have constipation, and maybe the next day. NO MORE. And then I dont take it for a month, as you dont want you body getting used to it. A bottle lasts me about a year, and for the last year I have barely had any problems.
Do you just drink this once a day?
Once/day is fine, yes!
Ben, you recommend Baking Soda a lot, but for someone who has low stomach acid production- as a LOT of us do, and that causes a whole host of problems- wouldn’t using BS cause further issues?
No. But I do recommend you take a digestive enzyme and lemon juice prior to meals!
I use apple cider vinegar or sourkraut for heartburn and acid reflux! It’s amazing!
Is baking soda the same as baking powder? Would baking powder still work??
They are different. You need to use baking soda.
Is this remedy safe, effective for a three year old? Would you change the amounts? My granddaughter eats fairly healthily, lots of fruit and vegetables, and drinks water, but still has trouble having bowel movements. Thanks.
I would use very small doses for a three year old and rather than focusing on "bandaid" I'd look into solution…such as squatting to poop, relaxing, tummy massage, etc.
I have been constipated for about a week, despite having diarrhea last weekend. Will these three steps still work if it’s been that long?
I would definitely give it a try. Then there are some other solutions we could potentially look into. Go to greenfieldfitnesssystems.com/ben and choose 20 or 60 mins and we'll get you scheduled.
I am going to try this..desperate! Thank you, will let you know the outcome hehee.
Is this method safe for pregnancy?
You should definitely talk to your physician first, but in most cases this type of approach is not an issue. You just want to make sure you don't de mineralize your body.
Thank you :)
Does the lemon juice cause erosion to tooth enamel? Should you drink it through a straw? How much sodium in 1 heaping tsp of baking soda?
Can I use this few days before going for colonoscopy
Talk to your gastroenterologist and follow their procedure.
Additionally, it tasted suspiciously like the colonoscopy stuff you have to drink and made my stomach gurgle. I wonder if baking soda or similar is their main ingredient as well? Thanks again. I feel about 5 pounds lighter (and probably am).
Yet, the baking soda acts very similarly to the type of things they have you drink prior to a colonoscopy.
After nine miserable days of nothing or just pebbles and using every natural method I could find, I remembered that my grandmother used baking soda for stomach ailments so I searched baking soda. I found this link and gave it a try. I at first tried it in the evening because I was getting more and more desperate and didn’t want to wait until morning. It didn’t work then, BUT I did it first thing the next morning and had RELIEF in an hour’s time. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thanks so much for sharing this – it worked brilliantly! I have suffered with constipation for years. Also I have recently been diagnosed with MS. I am now following the Wahl’s Protocol to heal gut & body overall. I listened to your podcast with Dr Wahls – a huge thanks for that introduction! It is early days but I am seeing some improvements.
MS is another name for untreated hypothyroidism. Read RayPeat dot com regarding TSH, etc. regarding thyroid. Articles discussing MS and other symptoms that may seem unrelated, but are to hypothyroidism.
Regarding this article, read Dr. Peat’s article on Constipation titled “Cascara, energy, cancer and the FDA’s laxative abuse.”
Having hypothyroidism treated correctly also naturally helps bowel motility, etc.
I agree baking soda helps my motility, but have yet to listen to the podcast. This page popped up in a search for “baking soda improves motility”…the effect I’d noted after use of baking soda for occasional reflux….mostly caused for me by undereating in volume, …not lack of fiber and increase of fiber never helps). And possibly simply not enough salt in my diet.
1 tsp of baking soda in a cold glass of water stirred until clear is like drinking super clean wet water. I rarely drink plain water now….and I used to glug it down per the myth of 8 glasses of water on top of natural liquid in food and other drinks….like milk.
I have m s as well but so far have managed with only vitamins none of the meds the Dr’s push. My biggest problem is failure to have a bowel movement mostly due to impaired nerve function. Do not like using chemical laxatives or prescription meds but have had to use suppositories daily to have movement. Trying to find natural remedy. I’ve always used baking soda but not for constipation going to give it a try. Any suggestions for coping with m s it’s a helping disease but I try to remain thankful I’m as well as I am
I had terrible gas pains this morning, traveling from my left chest, over my shoulder and down my back. I intuitively put a heaping spoonful of baking soda in a glass and downed it and had instant relief of the unusual gas pain and then had the most amazing BM! That is how i found this site.. I wanted to see if there was a connection between the two and low and behold there is. I’ll add the lemon juice next time. I have ACV on hand.. seems like that would be easier to keep around daily…
Super interesting. You probably eliminated a lot of that gas from the sodium bicarbonate, so yea.
I didn’t have lemon just used water and a 1/2 tsp… nice burps but nothing. Is the lemon key and should I try another 1/2 tsp? Mine is medication related.
up the baking soda a bit
Would you recommend molasses excellent for constipation and how much and how often
No. Too much sugar.
Ben,
Is the tsp of baking soda with lemon something that can safely be taken every day? I have had long term issues going to the bathroom.
Also, should I continue taking psyllium husk fiber at night? Not sure if it is helping or hurting…
Thanks!
Yes, you can take this every day. It is a very "gentle" laxative. But you may have deeper issues going on. I'd look into something like this: https://greenfieldfitnesssystems.com/product/comp…
You got it.
Tried this yesterday after a good five or six days of constipation, football tummy and what I tend to refer to as “the death farts”. It definitely yielded a result but a fairly explosive one and I’m still bloated and have not yet had what I’d refer to as a decent BM. How many consecutive days is it OK to continue with this routine (I decided not to do it again this morning but instead had warm salt and lemon water…..nada). Also I put in 2tsps of bicarb yesterday – is it possible I overdid it?
Yep, you use too much bicarb for your system! Back off the bicarb. Start with 1tsp if necessary!
OK cool – so using less could actually yield more? Thanks for the reply!
This sounds really cool, and I want to try and see if it works. I’m almost 18 and for about 3 or 4 months now I have been having really bad digestive problems. Almost every time I have a meal I get bad cramps, gas, pain, sometimes nausea, and have to rush to the bathroom, but I sit there for a long time. No diarrhea but irregular stool. Any suggestions on what tests to take or what else I could tell the doctor when I get a check up? Any other tips would help. Thanks!
You should DEFINITELY read this: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/07/how-t…
I take oxyneo twice a day for pain. Will this combination of lemon and baking soda work for me.
No side effects that I'm aware of! But i'm not a doctor!
Thanks for sharing. It’s interesting how complex the digestive system is a… I’ve found some of the keys for me were exercising, deep breathing exercises, drinking plenty of water and taking a magnesium supplement. But If I get in a bind or just need to get things moving quickly I’ll have to try this.
I have IBS and in a lot of pain. Constipated… Help anyone
Susan, try reading through this article: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/07/how-t…
I'd also be happy to help you via a personal one-on-one consult. Just go to https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/coaching. and then choose a 20 or 60 minute consult, whichever you'd prefer. We can schedule ASAP after you get that.
I wanted to find out why you recommend baking soda with lemon juice? If baking soda neutralizes stomach acid and lemon juice helps to produce more stomach acid, isn't that counter-intuitive? Also, I've heard that apple cider vinegar and baking soda work better together? Any help in this matter is appreciated.
One major factor is the role of Vitamin D in causing constipation. Many people are supplementing with very high levels of Vitamin D (and not taking enough magnesium), and constipation is one predictable result.
Do you think it's okay to do this on the days that I am pooping for a stool/ GI effects test? I want to be able to poop, but I don't want to interfere with my testing!
I’d be very careful with the amount. You’d be surprised at how difficult it can be to scoop liquid explosive diarrhea into a tiny little GI Effects analysis tube. Better to use micro doses and be patient. ;)
How long does this last? Dont want mud butt all day!!
For me, just one glorious BM and I am done.
How long should the baking soda lemon juice combo take to work?
Thanks Ben!
About the amount of time it takes you to do Steps 2 and 3… not long!
Thanks Ben! Following on that, does it have to be first thing in the morning?
I suppose not… if you are a shift worker you may need to do it at another time. I just prefer to get it out of the way first thing in the AM.
Is taking the baking soda safe after having laparoscopic surgery? Have not had a BM since surgery 3 days ago… super bloated with the gas they pump in your abdomen need a safe solution
Ben , can I use limes instead of lemons ? Lemons are almost impossible to find in Thailand and must be imported whereas limes are cheap and grown locally .
Lemons are ideal but use what you can get your hands on!
Arm&Hammer versus Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda
The last week I have been using Arm&Hammer to poo. Yesterday, I ran across Bob's Red Mill in the healthy food isle and read that it is "extracted by using a water process that uses no chemicals." First thoughts: it tastes cleaner going down. Any thoughts? https://amzn.to/2oFvb6D
Sounds a bit like marketing to me. If there is a huge price difference, that would explain it.
Ben, I've listened to your podcast on the subject, but I'm not quite following this bit of information, "a dose of lemon is also great for increasing alkalinity". Can you give a little insight on how consumption of lemon juice (pH 2-3) is raising our biological pH. Also, when you discuss alkalinity (I've always wondered why we don't refer to it as just acidity, since we are just referring to [H+] –unless you are discussing specifically ways in which bases are neutralized by strong acids). For the "alkalinity" are you specifically referring to intra- vs. extra-cellular and/or plasma and interstitial fluid? Many thanks and keep of the good work.
Actually I covered all this in podcast 311 – take a listen! Talked about how alkaline compounds can decrease mineral depletion from body, etc.
Last time I tried it worked. However, it also coincided with my hay fever symptoms going into high gear. Can baking soda first thing in the morning cause some kind of violent detox? I was not prepared for that. I am literally eating low histamine veggies, fish, grass-fed meat and good fats.
Probably a histamine release I would suspect, and having a big bowel movement can definitely cause that. I would try this instead of baking soda if this is case for you: 2 tablespoons extra virigin olive oil. Same thing with lemon, etc. however.
And if olive oil does not suit me (even high quality stuff) do you have another alternative? Thanks.
Avocado Oil would do – like this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XA49O8/ref=a…
Holy Shit (literally). It worked.
Going to give it a try, normally I have a couple teaspoons of psyllium husk in water every day, but I think the body needs a curve ball every now and then to shake things up.
Let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like a steller BM to start your day.
Thanx,
Rube
Psyllium is just a bulking agent. Unless you are trying to clog the place up, I would avoid it. Take a look at this https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/01/is-fi…
Ben,
Would you recommend doing this the morning of a long endurance race? I always have trouble ‘getting things going’ on race day.
-Brett
You bet! Especially steps 2 and 3. I wouldn't try Step 1 on race morning until you have tried it a number of times in a controlled environment…. just in case.