When work of digestion is finished and useful part of food has been absorbed, there remains nothing to be done but to dispose of indigestible and useless residue by pushing it along two or three feet further. Certainly no good reason can be assigned for further retention of waste matters. It is indeed highly absurd to suppose that forty hours are needed to transport feces two and a half feet when they have already traveled twenty-five feet in eight hours.

Dr. John Christopher, a naturopathic doctor, recommended moving bowels at least three times a day or after each meal. Four movements daily is a still better rhythm and is easily established by a biologic regimen. When toxic waste matter is left to stagnate in lower bowel tract, system becomes polluted with poisonous gases which congest and irritate surrounding organs, causing adhesions, and other ailments.

The carmine capsule test shows that in most cases in which bowels move once daily, waste disposal function is always several days in arrears.

The colon contains waste and residues of several meals--anywhere from five to twenty or even more, so that there is ample opportunity for putrefactive process to get well under way. The putrefaction is source of foul odor and gases which originate in colon, and which are not only most offensive to sense of smell, but as is well known, are also highly poisonous, and may give rise to nausea, "biliousness," loss of appetite, foul tongue, bad breath, dingy skin, headache, Bright's disease, and a host of other grave disorders.

Meat also has become a culprit in developement of constipation, as it encourages putrefaction of colon both by introducing putrefactive organisms in great numbers and also by providing material which is best calculated to encourage growth of putrefactive organisms in colon. Through putrefaction of undigested remnants of meat eaten, ammonia and other alkaline substances are formed which paralyze bowel.

The infection of bowel which results from meat-eating also gives rise to colitis and causes a spastic or contracted condition of descending colon, a condition found in most obstinate forms of constipation.

Most persons who suffer from constipation also habitually drink too little water. Women drink less than men. It is difficult to account for this scanty use of a necessary of life, which costs little and is of such inestimable value to body. The consequence of a scanty use of water is abnormal dryness of feces, which delays their passage through lower colon, and often causes an actual stoppage in pelvic colon or rectum.

Persons who sweat much, either as result of hot weather, vigorous exercise, or hot baths, are likely to suffer from constipation, unless special care is taken to supply body with water sufficient to make good loss. The skin ordinarily throws off as perspiration an ounce and a half of water each hour, or more than a quart in twenty-four hours. By active exercise or sweating baths this amount may be increased to thirty or forty ounces in an hour. The kidneys excrete two to three pints daily. It is evident, then, that care must be exercised to replace water that is lost through skin and kidneys.

Of course, one may receive temporary relief of constipation by using an herbal laxative to clear lower bowel tract, but only lower bowel tonics will get at cause. With these quality tonics and stabilized probiotics, we feed eliminative organs and allow them to work on their own and eventually eliminate use of enemas, colonics and laxatives. The proper procedure is to build up body, to cleanse it, and see that bowels work freely.

A dependency on drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, robs most users of their best health. It can be extremely difficult to get rid of habit disease, but fortunately there is a lot of help. Read books on addiction and self-help, go to support groups such as AA, and talk about it with someone. Do it!

You know you're getting old when people keep telling you you're looking good. As years get on take pleasure in it, after all - "Growing old isn't so bad, when you consider alternatives." - Maurice Chevalier Every season hath its pleasures; Spring may boast her flowery prime, Yet vineyard's ruby treasures Brighten Autumn's sob'rer time. - Thomas Moore (1779-1852)