The Sad Facts About Laxatives and Weight Loss
As many of us struggle with obesity, constantly in search of the magic product or diet that will solve our weight problems, we soon become disheartened and either give up or take drastic measures. There are even many of us who are skinny but believe we are large after viewing the models on television that are our heroes of beauty. By now we all know that if you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But an inability to control our cravings has left us paralyzed in what seems a hopeless seesaw battle over the bulge.
Sadly, many have turned to laxatives and weight loss as being complementary terms. Sadly, this is an unhealthy, and potentially deadly combination over time. It can often be just as much a symptom of a serious eating disorder as starvation and bulimic practices.
To understand how brutal the combination of laxatives and weight loss is, we need to examine how this affects the body. The laxative disrupts digestion by causing irritation to your intestines. This irritation causes your intestines to eject their contents, bypassing the usual, healthy digestive and excretory procedures that take place in the large intestines.
One of the side effects of immediate ejection is that your body fails to reabsorb the fluids in the large intestine. Dehydration, kidney problems, and mineral imbalances can be the result. The worst part is that it doesn’t cause calorie loss, just water loss. The nutrients in the food that is ejected were already absorbed earlier in the intestinal tract. You might think you’ve lost weight, but all you’ve lost is water.
But have no fear about long-term water loss. Your body will soon bloat up when you drink again as an overcompensation for getting dehydrated. While bloating up, your body even further fails to remove toxins through your kidneys at the levels it normally would as you urinate regularly. You will likely feel ill as the toxins build. It is not uncommon to have mental issues during this time as well.
In response to the bloating, many people respond with more laxatives, which works for several hours in reducing bloating but results in more bloating later. This vicious cycle continues, all the while you are damaging your large intestine and colon. These are already two areas prone to serious diseases and disorders. You might even find yourself with colon tumors or IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
If you are already stuck in the vicious laxatives and weight loss cycle, you need to see a doctor immediately. One of the cures for a bloating cycle is to drink plenty of water and avoid dehydrating products for several days. Dehydrating products include caffeine, soda, juices, and alcohol. Taking regular walks should also help encourage a return to proper excretory function.
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Eat regular meals each day. Start each meal with fruits and vegetables. This is pretty much the same procedure you would follow to achieve healthy weight loss. If you end up being constipated for at least 3 days, you may be approaching a medical emergency. Hopefully you have already consulted a doctor by this point, but if not, you should see your doctor now.
It may take a while for your body to return to normal function, if not too much damage has been done by this foolish attempt at combining laxatives and weight loss. Your best bet is to eat a balanced diet very heavy in both soluble and insoluble fibers for the rest of your life. You can do this by sticking to those fruits and vegetables and adding in plenty of whole grains.
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