Americans eat an average of 3,000 to 4,500 calories at Thanksgiving meals, according to estimates by the Calorie Control Council — and much of that comes from foods that are richer and heavier than people typically eat.
For many, that can lead to digestive challenges in the hours and days following Thanksgiving — with constipation topping the list.
Even outside the holiday, the condition affects 42 million Americans each day, according to Dr. Daryl Gioffre, gut health specialist, celebrity nutritionist and founder of Alkamind.
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“The average person has 5 to 15 pounds of impacted fecal matter inside their gut,” he said in a video shared with Fox News Digital. (See the video at the top of this article.)
If things aren’t moving as they should, it may be tempting to reach for the laxatives — but Gioffre cautioned against that approach.
If things aren’t moving as they should, it may be tempting to reach for the laxatives — but a doctor says this isn’t a good idea. (iStock)
“When used long-term, laxatives can cause significant harm to your digestive system and overall health,” he told Fox News Digital. Â
“They work by forcing water from your organs into the colon to soften stools, which massively dehydrates your body and leaves vital organs like your kidneys and brain underhydrated.”
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Over time, this can lead to dependency, weakening the muscles in the intestines and making it harder for your body to have natural bowel movements, Gioffre said.Â
“Laxatives can also disrupt your gut microbiome, cause nutrient deficiencies and trigger dangerous electrolyte imbalances,” he said.Â
“The average person has 5 to 15 pounds of impacted fecal matter inside their gut,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
The doctor shared with Fox News Digital his top natural tips for getting digestion back on track.
“Add these things on a daily basis, and I promise this will help you gently get the bad stuff out and move you into a much healthier, stronger gut state,” he said.
1. Increase fiber intake
Fiber is critical to digestive health, according to Gioffre.
“When we have more fiber-rich foods, it’s like brushing the inner walls of our intestines — and that’s going to help us remove the constipation and get to where we want to go,” the doctor said.
Constipation affects 42 million Americans each day.
Some of his suggested…
