Constipation, Indigestion & Creativity

« There has never lived a poet in the whole history of the world, ancient or modern near or far, who ever managed to write great poetry, or even passable fair & decent poetry, at a time when he was suffering from a blockage at any point along the 30-odd foot long Via Dolorosa (intestines) . . . He is stumped and helpless. The more he tries, the more he is vividly he will be conscious of his impotence. Sweat will stand out in beads on his brow ; he will fish patiently for the elusive thought, he will try coaxing and subterfuge . . . . he will tempt the invisible powers with black coffee, tea, alcohol and the alkaloids – but he will not write his poem . . . striving in the face of such an interior obstacle is the most cruel of enterprizes – a business more nerve-wracking and exhausting than reading a newspaper or watching bad play. » H.L. Menchen, A Menchen Chestomathy.

Constipation and creativity
Constipation, the slowing of passage of waste product through the intestines, starts with the triad of 1) poor food choices, including low water (excessive tea or coffee) & low fiber (fruits & veggies) intake (most common cause), 2) mental tension & repression 3) lack of exercise. 4) certain medications (especially strong pain drugs such as narcotics, antidepressants, iron pills, and ironically, overuse of laxatives).
The sufferer feels heavy, bloated & lethargic. Other symptoms include: dull headaches, mental depression, loss of appetite, some nausea, bad breath, and crampy abdominal pain. Straining to relieve the discomfort, the sufferer is rewarded for his sweaty efforts by hemorrhoids, diverticulae, colitis, intestinal polys (precursor to colon cancer).
The only natural way out of this morasse is by re-educating the mind (relax) and re-education the intestines. Let's go!

The Art of Mindful Eating:
We spend 40% of life in unthinking habit that are caused by: stress & boredom. Biting nails, smoking, drinking every weekend, stale friendships, nervous eating, wasting time on Facebook, time to evolve. Overcome this tendency by becoming more mindful of daily decisions. Scan inside. Start by HOW you are eating. Instructions

1. Avoid eating ‘by the clock’ and when practical, delay eating until genuine hunger is present.
2. Avoid ‘clearing your plate’. No one will starve if you learn to say “NO” to your appetite.
3. Avoid ‘eating for later’ Some people eat with a goal of avoiding hunger before the next meal.
4. Avoid tense or stressful interactions and concentrate on enjoying the meal.

The Big Clean Out
Here are the 4 tried-and-true natural steps to avoid all this discomfort, without drugs:

1. Vitamin C : one teaspoon of organic Vitamin C (pure ascorbic acid) is highly concentrated. 1 teaspoon is usually about 5 grams of vitamin C), in a liter of kiwi juice: drink slowly over 2 hours. Also, drink lemon water (one freshly-squeezed lemon juice in a liter of water) a preferred hydrating drink throughout the day.

2. Try some gentle exercise. Take a short walk every day, after heaviest meal. Gradually increase your walking time until you are walking for at least 15 minutes. You can try this easy entry-level 5 minute workout with Juliette for get things moving internally:

Abdominal Snap : Stand bent slightly forward with hands on the thighs, fingertips pointing inwards. Open the mouth and extend the tongue.
a. Contract and expand the abdomen while simultaneously breathing in and out, like the panting of the dog, but in synchronous harmony with associated abdominal ‘snapping’ movements.

b. Then, take a deep breath and exhale fully. Exhale slowly all your air. Contract the abdominal muscles. Hold it ! Then snap the muscles out . Repeat 3 times. It strengthens abdominal muscles and relieves constipation.

1. Lentilles à la Juliette: Juliette’s Lentils List of ingredients for 4 servings
   ½ kg of lentils
   1 onion
   3 cloves of garlic
   2 Soup spoons of olive oil
   2 Soup spoons of butter
   ½ tea spoon of red hot Chili pepper
   1 tea spoon of salt
   ½ tea spoon of fresh ground pepper
   1 star anis
   5 green or light brown cardamom
   1 black cardamom
   ¼ tea spoon of ginger
   1 tea spoon of cumin
   ½ tea spoon of turmeric

Cook chopped onion and garlic in olive oil and butter, in big pot, slow heat until light golden color. Add lentils and all ingredients. Cover with 2 liters of boiling water and cook for 30 minutes in a pressure cooker.

As a gastroenterologist, I can say without hesitation that the natural & delicious approach is the most effective and simple way to push the « intestinal re-set button ». Your family will thank you, so, start your new life today! You'll wish you had in a year's time! Bon courage! You will be rewarded with high energy and a pain-free existence, finally!