Constipation and Sugar Consumption
Defeating the Monster

Constipation and sugar consumption. My siblings and I were in Paris, and it was beautiful.

Gorgeous old buildings and monuments lined each street. The cobblestone paths, built hundreds of years before, carried us to intriguing locations.

Despite all of the magnificent structures and bronze carved beauties, it was another “beauty” that captivated my interest. Who could resist? The aroma of pastries, croissants and crepes wafted from bakeries on every corner. Their sweet smell and colorful icing called out to all who passed by, luring them in.

We gorged ourselves, my siblings and I. After all, this was our one big opportunity to enjoy French dainties first-hand. We consumed sugar at an alarming pace. But just as such delights allured me throughout the day, by late evening they had turned to a sugar hell within my colon.

There, on one of the most splendid trips of my life, I found it necessary to lock myself into a 200 year old French bathroom down the hall from our hotel room, to wage my own personal war with constipation.

How sugar causes constipation

Most of us know that there’s a link between constipation and sugar consumption. Sugar feeds the yeasts in our gut, which then displace beneficial bacteria.

It is the bodies of these good bacteria that retain moisture, helping to keep our feces from becoming hard and compact. This is how eating sugar can lead to constipation.

Second, sugar has a nasty habit of dehydrating us. Dehydration is one of the primary causes of constipation. It makes for some very hard poop that doesn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

The source of sugar's addictive lure

It has been proven that sugar is highly addictive (I will cover this shortly). This is why just being aware of the evils of sugar many times isn't enough to keep us from indulging.

Where does this “sweets” craving come from? Our minds? Our taste buds? Yes, but also from somewhere deep inside…the gut.

The abusive relationship

Our colon’s relationship to constipation and sugar consumption reminds me of a relationship with an abusive partner. Despite many painful encounters, the abused partner just can’t see how terrible the relationship is, and continues to seek it out.

In a similar way, our guts have a love/hate relationship with sugar, and with Candida, the yeast that live in our intestines.

Is Candida good, or bad?

It is actually beneficial to have a little Candida living in the gut.

Candida functions as a secondary digestive system. It is especially helpful when our digestive system is overwhelmed with too much food. (Yes, I have caused this condition once or twice ☺ )

A little Candida is good, but too much can be very bad. It is a bad thing when Candida displaces beneficial bacteria and takes control of the gut.

What gives Candida its power?

Candida doesn't just take over on its own, it is invited. What invites Candida, you ask?

A course of antibiotics, that wipes out beneficial gut flora, allows Candida to take over. The only answer to this is probiotics.
A diet of starches, including white rice and pastries, breads, cereals, etc. made with white flour.
Being fed an excess of its favorite food - SUGAR, and sugary treats.

Candida produces sugar cravings

Once in control, Candida demands to be fed. It emits a substance that triggers extreme sugar cravings. When Candida sends out its siren call for sweets, the cravings can either be starved out or indulged.

When we respond by eating sugary treats, it only strengthens Candida’s strangle hold.

Some effects of too much Candida in the body are light-headedness, urinary tract infections and fungal skin infections.

Other sugar craving culprits

Though excess Candida is one of the causes of sugar cravings, it is not the only one. Others include:

Depression
Hormone imbalance
Resistance to insulin
Stress
Poor sleeping habits

All of these long for that hurtful lover – sugar.

The simple truth is, sugar makes us feel good. It emits endorphins, which are proven to calm and relax us.

Might this be one of the reasons why a person
who is trying to quit smoking tends to gain weight?

It’s no wonder so many of us, especially on our worst days, run screaming into the arms of a pastry, looking for comfort. Or we seek out a kiss and hug from a chocolate bar as a way to momentarily heal our aching, lonely hearts.

Will power is NOT enough

Coming from someone who absolutely LOVES sugar and who has compulsively consumed every shape, color and form of it, I understand it’s power.

When people suggest to just "stop eating sugar", it feels like they’re telling a part of you to die. At least that’s how it feels to me.

Instead of relying on will power alone to ward off Candida surges, sugar cravings and feasts that celebrate sweets (i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas), I think I speak for us all when I say we must bring aboard some allies to aid us in ending constipation and sugar consumption's terrible reign.

How to Break the sweet siren's spell

You might be surprised at this first tip for gaining control over sugary cravings.

Eat some sugar. Complete deprivation of sugar in most cases actually produces a higher failure rate in attempts at sugar moderation.

It has been shown that those who allow themselves to enjoy a small amount of dessert each night lose an average of 15 pounds more than those who eat no sugar at all.

Allowing yourself the liberty to eat your favorite thing in moderation is a very empowering thing, especially for the emotions and mind. Eating sweets in moderation transfers our thinking from feeling victimized to feeling empowered.
Eat quality sweets in small portions and savor instead of gorging on vast portions of lesser quality sweets.
Eat regularly throughout the day. Don’t allow your body to become intensely hungry.
Keep your body moving as much as possible. Physical activity helps to prevent sitting around and munching.

One of my favorite things to do is go on hour long walks in the evening right around when my normally sugar cravings begin to hit.

By the end of the walk, my body is flooded with new happy chemicals from the exercise and after a good hot shower, the sugar craving has subsided. I am able to easily say "no" to constipation and sugar consumption.

The power of magnesium

Ok, besides avoiding sweets, what is the best way to beat constipation? valuable trace minerals.

Besides, while most other constipation relief products are habit forming and shouldn't be used a lot, the sea minerals are intended for daily use. Magnesium balances out calcium, which helps to keep the bowel in balance and moving normally. I hereby say goodbye to constipation AND sugar consumption problems.

Conclusion, constipation and sugar consumption

Fighting and constipation sugar consumption to keep our systems regular and to keep old nasty constipation away is by no means impossible, nor does it have to even feel unpleasant or sacrificial.

Just by making a few smart pawn moves on the sugary chess board of life, you will be amazed at how much more empowered you will begin to feel in this new approach to sugar.

So feel empowered, live strong and enjoy a very happy colon along the way. Good luck, and may you win the battle with constipation and sugar consumption. Thanks for reading.

By Stephanie

(Return from Constipation and Sugar Consumption to Constipation Complications)