Many people look for effective treatments to find relief from bowel problems such as abdominal pain, digestive disorders and irregular bowel movements. Intestinal problems are no fun, it can easily ruin your whole day. Are you sitting with friends or are you away for a day with family, suddenly your stomach starts to rumble. Soon you are only sitting near the toilet.
Did you know that almost a quarter of all Dutch people suffer from gastrointestinal problems? That’s an awful lot. If you suffer from your intestines, you naturally want to get rid of them as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are a lot of natural ways to reduce or even completely remedy your intestinal problems. In this blog we explain how chiropractic can help with intestinal problems. We also give a number of tips that often work well.
How do your intestines work?
The intestines are part of your digestive tract. When you eat, the food enters your small intestine through your esophagus and stomach (about 5 meters long). The small intestine ensures that food is digested and that important nutrients are absorbed into the body. After this, the remainder continues to your large intestine, where fluid and salt are extracted from it. This then ends up in the rectum, the last part of the large intestine. Your stool then leaves your body through the anus. If everything works properly, your body has absorbed all nutrients and you can easily go to the toilet.
Symptoms of intestinal problems
Intestinal problems are not only very annoying, but also embarrassing. It’s a topic you’d rather not talk about. Nevertheless, it is good to seek help if you regularly suffer from intestinal problems. The symptoms of intestinal problems vary from person to person.
Maybe you suffer a lot from bloating after eating, while someone else has to go to the toilet immediately after the meal. Common symptoms of intestinal problems include:
- constipation
- diarrhoea
- flatulence
- bellyache
- Cramps
- heartburn
What causes intestinal problems?
Most intestinal problems are caused by a disorder in the nerves, an unhealthy diet or stress. When you regularly suffer from intestinal problems, but can’t really find a cause for them, this is sometimes called “irritable bowel syndrome”. This is a hypersensitivity of the gastrointestinal system that reacts too violently to certain stimuli. Other conditions related to bowel movements include celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The relationship between the nervous system and digestion
To understand how chiropractic can help with intestinal problems, it is important to know that there is a close relationship between the nervous system and digestion. The nervous system controls and coordinates various functions of the body, including digestion. Specific nerve pathways, such as the vagus nerve, affect intestinal movement, the secretion of digestive enzymes and other important processes.
Tips for intestinal problems
There are many things you can do yourself to reduce intestinal complaints. If you do not know exactly the cause of your intestinal problem, try one or more tips below. Chances are that this will quickly reduce your intestinal problems.
1. Watch your diet
We now know that fruit and vegetables are healthy. But did you know that there are certain fruits and vegetables that your intestines can react sensitively to? That’s because many vegetables are full of fructane: a sugar enzyme that normally does no harm at all, but when you can’t digest this enzyme, you can get a stomach ache, for example. These vegetables do not contain fructan, so you can safely eat them in case of sensitive digestion:
| Potato | Cucumber |
| Aubergine | Bok choy |
| Endive | Parsnip Radish |
| Baby corn | Red bell pepper |
| Kale | Arugula |
| Broccoli | Spinach |
| Ginger | Carrot |
| Green peppers |
2. Use good probiotics
Probiotics are good bacteria that your intestines need to digest your food. When you don’t have enough of these good bacteria, your intestines may have trouble digesting. Other natural remedies such as Aloe Vera, peppermint oil and flaxseed also help your intestines. 3. Reduce stress Stress regularly plays an important role in intestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia. Did you know that chiropractic helps reduce stress by stimulating the nervous system? Your body will relax better and recover faster. This also has a positive effect on intestinal problems.
3. Reduce stress
Stress regularly plays an important role in intestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia. Did you know that chiropractic helps reduce stress by stimulating the nervous system? Your body will relax better and recover faster. This also has a positive effect on intestinal problems.
4. Try fermented vegetables
According to some, a true panacea: fermented vegetables. Fermented food contains high concentrations of vitamins and supports healthy intestinal function. Fermented vegetables contain many good, living bacteria that keep your intestines healthy. The more often you eat fermented vegetables, the harder it becomes for “bad” bacteria to settle in your gut. After a while, these good bacteria go away, which is a good excuse to eat kimchi regularly.
5. Drink plenty of water and tea
Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water or tea every day. Different types of tea have a healing effect on your intestines. For example, chamomile tea is very good against inflammation and flatulence, while rooibos tea helps with cramps. Do you suffer from nausea? Try mint tea or ginger tea.
6. Keep moving
Exercise keeps your digestion active, so that constipation, for example, is resolved faster. Exercise also has a positive influence on the blood flow to your intestines. Well-blooded intestines ensure that nutrients are better absorbed, while toxins are removed more quickly.
7. Pay attention to your posture more often
Poor posture, such as sitting hunched over or a slumped back, can increase pressure on the abdominal cavity and hinder the natural movement of the digestive organs. This can lead to slowed digestion, decreased bowel movement and possibly constipation. Therefore, pay attention to your posture more often and keep an eye on whether this has a positive effect on your intestinal problems. If you spend a lot of time, invest in an ergonomic workplace. Do regular exercises and stretches. to strengthen the muscles around the spine and improve mobility, this supports bowel function.
Reducing intestinal problems with chiropractic
Chiropractic is not immediately known for solving gastrointestinal complaints, but in many cases it helps very well. Since intestinal problems are usually the result of blockages or malfunctions in the nervous system, this can be easily remedied with chiropractic. Blockages, also called subluxations, put pressure on nerves, disrupting communication between the nervous system and digestive organs. By applying various chiropractic techniques, we bring the spine back into balance. This restores normal nerve function, including that of the digestive system, which quickly reduces complaints. This way you can do what you want again, without having to constantly think where the nearest toilet is.
Would you like to get rid of your intestinal problems? Request an initial consultation. Together we determine health goals and work on a healthy body in balance.