Westeners and bowel movement frequency

[Guest guest]

The Western naturopathic point of view that a healthy individual should

have two to three bowel movements a day contrasts with the Chinese

medicine standard of one every other day to two per day. In fact one

goal of many weight loss diets is to increase intestinal transit time.

Some western sources suggest one bowel movement per meal with one day's

turnaround- contrasting with typical figures as high as eight meals

stored in the intestine before excretion. (Second hand source- I don't

have the reference.) I've found enough digestively healthy people with

bowel movements three times a day to reconsider the Chinese medicine

standard.

 

It seems to me that since westerners tend to have more excess conditions

and richer diets, that this may be a valid exception to the rule. What

have other people found?

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

***************************************

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

" The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite

of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. " -Niehls Bohr

 

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[Guest guest]

Karen S Vaughan wrote:

 

> (Second hand source- I don't

> have the reference.) I've found enough digestively healthy people with

> bowel movements three times a day to reconsider the Chinese medicine

> standard.

>

 

To patients with three BMs per day, my questions are regarding the nature of the

stool, its consistency, color, odor, etc. I do not have any reference for this

at this time, but it seems to me that the absorption of nutrients and water

from food needs a certain amount of time in

the intestines and three or more bowel movements per day may not allow for

sufficient time in the GI track for proper separation of the " turbid from the

clear " .

 

Life style, type of work and cultural environment are also factors in colon

education. People on the go don't have time for three BMs a day and

psychologically, some folks can't evacuate on toilets away from home.

 

>

> It seems to me that since westerners tend to have more excess conditions

> and richer diets, that this may be a valid exception to the rule. What

> have other people found?

>

 

In my practice I find that most patients struggle with infrequent BMs and

border on constipation. This I find more often in women pre/post menopause and

with vacuity as a root rather than repletion.

 

Fernando

[Guest guest]

I think transit time is the overall important 'stat'- vs. how many times

one goes in one day... '1' '2' or '3' times a day CAN all correspond to

the same overall transit time, and be 'healthy'. But for instance one

who goes 1-2 times a day, but has a really slow transit time, might need

some improvement.. Likewise one who goes 3 times a day and has a fast

transit time, could slow things down... This of course can be tested

with a beet or corn.

 

-

 

 

>

> Karen S Vaughan [creationsgarden]

> Wednesday, December 05, 2001 1:44 PM

>

> Cc: carlmill7

> Westeners and bowel movement frequency

>

> The Western naturopathic point of view that a healthy individual

> should have two to three bowel movements a day contrasts with the

> Chinese medicine standard of one every other day to two per day. In

> fact one goal of many weight loss diets is to increase intestinal

> transit time. Some western sources suggest one bowel movement per meal

 

> with one day's

> turnaround- contrasting with typical figures as high as eight meals

> stored in the intestine before excretion. (Second hand source- I

don't

> have the reference.) I've found enough digestively healthy people with

> bowel movements three times a day to reconsider the Chinese medicine

> standard.

>

> It seems to me that since westerners tend to have more excess

> conditions and richer diets, that this may be a valid exception to the

 

> rule. What have other people found?

>

> Karen Vaughan

> CreationsGarden

> ***************************************

> Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

> " The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The

> opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. "

> -Niehls Bohr

>

> ______________

> GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!

> Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!

> Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:

> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Karen,

I've found that most patients I see have 1-2 bowel movements per day.

If they are routinely going several days without a bowel movement or having

numerous loose or liquidy movements a day, this usually stabilizes to the

1-2 b.m.'s a day after a course of treatment with acupuncture and herbs,

as they become better regulated in their functioning. Currently I'm not

seeing anyone on weight loss regimens and most eat 2-3 meals a day.

There's always a variation in bowel habits between individiuals, depending

on their history, age, activity level, what they eat and don't eat, lifestyle,

excess or deficient, etc. I don't know that richer diets in themselves

will relate to the number of bowel movements per day.

Frances

Karen S Vaughan wrote:

The Western naturopathic point of view

that a healthy individual should

have two to three bowel movements a day contrasts with the Chinese

medicine standard of one every other day to two per day.

In fact one

goal of many weight loss diets is to increase intestinal transit

time.

Some western sources suggest one bowel movement per meal with one

day's

turnaround- contrasting with typical figures as high as eight meals

stored in the intestine before excretion. (Second hand

source- I don't

have the reference.) I've found enough digestively healthy people

with

bowel movements three times a day to reconsider the Chinese medicine

standard.

It seems to me that since westerners tend to have more excess conditions

and richer diets, that this may be a valid exception to the rule.

What

have other people found?

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

***************************************

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement.

The opposite

of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."

-Niehls Bohr

______________

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Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed

healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics

specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional

services, including board approved online continuing education.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Does anybody remember what is the significant of needing to have a BM right after eating as a symptom?Alon

 

-

Frances Gander

Wednesday, December 12, 2001 7:42 PM

Re: Westeners and bowel movement frequency

Karen, I've found that most patients I see have 1-2 bowel movements per day. If they are routinely going several days without a bowel movement or having numerous loose or liquidy movements a day, this usually stabilizes to the 1-2 b.m.'s a day after a course of treatment with acupuncture and herbs, as they become better regulated in their functioning. Currently I'm not seeing anyone on weight loss regimens and most eat 2-3 meals a day. There's always a variation in bowel habits between individiuals, depending on their history, age, activity level, what they eat and don't eat, lifestyle, excess or deficient, etc. I don't know that richer diets in themselves will relate to the number of bowel movements per day. Frances Karen S Vaughan wrote: The Western naturopathic point of view that a healthy individual should have two to three bowel movements a day contrasts with the Chinese medicine standard of one every other day to two per day. In fact one goal of many weight loss diets is to increase intestinal transit time. Some western sources suggest one bowel movement per meal with one day's turnaround- contrasting with typical figures as high as eight meals stored in the intestine before excretion. (Second hand source- I don't have the reference.) I've found enough digestively healthy people with bowel movements three times a day to reconsider the Chinese medicine standard. It seems to me that since westerners tend to have more excess conditions and richer diets, that this may be a valid exception to the rule. What have other people found? Karen Vaughan CreationsGarden *************************************** Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment. "The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth." -Niehls Bohr ______________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education.

[Guest guest]

Francis Gardner wrote: " I don't know that richer diets in themselves

will relate to the number of bowel movements per day. "

 

I suspect quantities of food in western diets may be higher as well, and

that might relate to increased bowel movements per day.

 

I'm not talking about loose liquidy movements or movements with

undigested food- just three firm movements a day, which don't speak to me

of pathology and are well-within the western naturopathic tradition of

2-3 movements daily as the desired norm.

 

Interesting point that an increased number of movements per day does not

necessarily correspond to increased intestinal transit time. I believe

that our standard is using # of movements as a proxy for intestinal

transit time.

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

***************************************

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite

of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. -Niehls Bohr

 

______________

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