Move Think and Feel Alive
Why does Next Wave Therapy we give a crap about Red Apple Day?
It raises awareness of bowel cancer, the second highest form of cancer in Australia and fairly frequently reported by our patients at Next Wave Therapy. Next Wave ethos is to help you move, think and feel alive, and this blog is all about helping you do that through healthy bowel motions.
Having a healthy bowel movement is no mean feat.
There’s a lot that goes into it
🍎 Eat well – Apples are packaged perfectly for success in regular and easy bowel movements. Rich in many life enhancing nutrients and they are a great source of soft mucilaginous fibre. See below for more details on fibre.
🥛 Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
☺️ Relax and let the ‘action’ flow
🏃🏼♀️ Exercise – Run for fun not for the loo. [Aka. Days of constipation are sometimes followed by diarrhoea]
Why is dietary fibre so essential for health
Bowel cancer and other bowel conditions such polyps, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease all rely on healthy intake of dietary fibre. A high fibre diet is also associated with a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, obesity, diabetes, constipation and haemorrhoids.
What is dietary fibre?
Fibre can only be gained by including a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes in the diet. It is a carbohydrate that is largely undigestible and so does not contribute to the calorie intake of the diet. There are different types of fibre, insoluble and soluble, found in different foods and have different roles to play in digestive health. So a diet rich in fresh whole foods from a variety of sources is encouraged.
What is insoluble fibre ?
Insoluble fibre is ‘roughage’ that helps produce bulky stools, speed transit time, prevent constipation and maintain health of gut wall. It absorbs water to help to soften the contents of our bowels and support regular bowel movements. It also helps to keep us full and keep the bowel environment healthy. It is found in:
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wholegrain foods (especially wheat bran and rice bran)
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skins of fruit and vegetables
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nuts
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dried beans
What is soluble fibre?
Soluble fibre helps to slow the emptying process in our stomachs, which helps you feel fuller. It is like a ‘mucilaginous gel’ that helps lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol, while maintaining HDL ‘good’ cholesterol. It stabilises blood sugar and regulates an irritable bowel. It is found in:
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fruit (pectin) and vegetables
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seaweed (as agar)
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some cereals (oats, barley)
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psyllium, linseed, slippery elm
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legumes (as guar) – dried peas, beans and lentils.
What if I need help with my digestion?
Nutritional medicine and diet advice
Naturopath’s at Next Wave Therapy value spending time with you to formulate a diet that suits your food preferences and lifestyle. Sometimes it starts with a therapeutic diet to normalise digestive function but the aim is always to establish a healthy diet that suits you and your health needs.
They prescribe nutritional medicines and herbal medicines (as a tincture, tea, tablet or powder) which help you develop regular and healthy bowel movement. These are prescribed after a comprehensive consultation.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease which usually affects the lower digestive tract such as the bowel and/or the colon. However, it can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to anus.
It is important to conduct clinical trials to learn more about disease such as Crohn’s Disease. The team at Health Match’s goal is to make the process of finding and accessing Crohn’s disease clinical trials as simple as possible. Find out ore about their trials here
Digestion is complex and not just about what you eat
If you need help with moving and exercise see one of physiotherapists. If you need help with relaxation, toileting aids and equipment, see one of our occupational therapists.
Next Wave Naturopath Michele Grosvenor has a special interest in digestive health as the cornersotne of good health.
At Next Wave Therapy, we give a crap!
Copyright Next Wave Therapy
Written by Sasha Wray (Principal Occupational Therapist and Naturopath)
