Potty Talk:
Constipation and the Drainage Funnel
Not “Normal”
There is nothing like the nostalgia of the teenage years: homecoming dances, football games, best friends, sometimes first loves, and… debilitating stomach pain.
Wait, what?
Well, this was my story. And it took me way too long to discover that the stomach pain that would double me over as I got ready for school in the morning wasn’t, in fact, normal. And it absolutely wasn’t just typical “teenage girl problems” to lay on the floor, waiting for the pain to subside before continuing to get myself out the door for school.
Later, during pregnancy, the pain continued, and I hardly wanted to eat. Again, not exactly your typical memories from pregnancy. It took me years to connect the dots - and then I realized: as a teen, I was having a bowel movement every few days, at best. In pregnancy? Maybe once a week.
What I chalked up to “normal” then, I now realize was my body trying to get me to pay attention - to listen up - the system was malfunctioning, and it took me years to course correct the damage.
So, today, in hopes of sparing someone else the years of discomfort - we are talking poop. It is time to demystify and remove the embarrassment - literally everyone does it! Or, at least, everyone should be pooping once, if not more, a day!
Poop Talk
From the time they are toddlers, poop and potty talk can put our kids in fits of giggles. We shush them out of embarrassment or a sense of propriety, but really, that early poop talk is more necessary that we are realizing. We can officially tell our kids the lid is off the topic of poop. Because unless you are comfortable asking them, and they are comfortable telling you, you will never be able to understand what their gut is trying to communicate through their bowel movements - or, even more importantly, the lack of regular potty stops.
Normalize the potty talk, mommas! Years of ignoring pain signals from my own gut, caused so much unnecessary suffering. Let’s first understand what isn’t normal, but what is OPTIMAL, ok the poop talk, and get our kids’ drainage funnel working properly before stomach pain becomes normalized for them, too.
The color, smell, size, shape, and frequency of your child’s poop can tell you a lot about what is going on the inside of them.
A Backed-Up Drain
A clogged drain doesn’t clear the dirty bath water, and a clogged drain (or colon!) in our bodies won’t clear the toxic sludge that we work hard to clear out. Constipation is unfortunately a common ailment of many kids today. When parents come to me looking to heal and relieve symptoms of root causes, pathogens, and toxins in their little ones, I will absolutely tell them that we can attack these issues- but FIRST we have to address the drain. If we fail to properly open drainage, and clear the toxicity from our bodies, the efforts of diet and supplementation will amount to very little change in symptoms. I like to think of the digestive system like a funnel. For many kids, certainly most that I work with, the top of the funnel is full. And, despite the overflow, more is being poured in, in the form of poor diet, medication, environmental toxicity, emotional stress and so on. But the bottom, where the excess needs to be flushing out, is clogged. The blockage at the bottom means nothing is moving through, just piling on top, and our kids are overburdened. We see them become - and remain- symptomatic and sick until the funnel opens up and the toxins pulled are flushed (pun intended!) right out.
So why are our kids so backed up?
There are a lot of factors at play here. The most obvious “fillers” of the funnel burden would be diet and dehydration. Highly processed foods without enough water increase overall toxicity.
Not to mention, to “flush” the system (and the toilet!) we need water! Dehydration doesn’t just lead to infrequent bowel movements, it can cause difficult and painful bowels. And when it hurts to go? Our kids will start to hold it in - afraid of the pain that comes with pushing out. Starting a pretty nasty cycle of withholding behaviors that compound the problem.
Additionally, what we eat directly determines the bugs we feed in our gut. A healthy bowel movement needs healthy gut bugs. Processed foods feed the “bad bugs” and cause an imbalance of the good/bad - a condition called dysbiosis. Dr. Ari Calhoun describes dysbiosis as,
“... an imbalance in the microbiome that favors a species of bacteria or yeast that may be harmful. In the case of constipation, yeast overgrowth and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (specifically the methane type) are most common.”
Sugar, and its overabundance, can also contribute to constipation by disproportionately supporting these opportunistic bacteria and yeasts leaving the little gut out of balance. And of course, food allergies and intolerances can make it difficult to establish a regular bathroom rhythm. A gut that is inflamed and unhealthy will absolutely not support regular movement and that backup is sometimes our first indicator that the allergies and intolerances exist in the first place!
These allergies and intolerances - and sometimes just picky eating and preferences - can lead to nutritional deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction. Low overall energy from mitochondria dysfunction and sluggish bowels will throw red flags up that more is at play - yet again a time that the stool, or lack of, is an incredibly important communication system for our bodies.
Lesser known, but equally as important is an overburdened liver. Our bodies require bile to lubricate our intestines and move stool along. Toxicity from food, water, environment, or medications can overburden the liver and cause bile flow to be restricted and contribute to that persistent constipation.
And, of course, last but not least - pathogens such as illness and parasites can cause a gut to become stagnant or slow, and restrict the “flow.” All of these underscore the importance of working with a practitioner to determine both the cause of the constipation, the best course correction, and just what that the body is trying to communicate when it seizes one of its most vital functions.
So what do we do about it?
First and foremost, let’s talk about what NOT to do. Hear me now: absolutely NO Miralax.
Numerous studies have been released on the harmful side effects of Miralax in children.
Not only has it not been approved for use in children, it has only been approved for adults for short-term (seven days!) use. Many of our children have used Miralax for years, by doctor’s order, to induce regular bowel movements. But after side effects such as seizures, tremors, tics, anxiety, headache, lethargy, sedation, aggression, rages, OCD behaviors, paranoia, and mood swings have been reported, the FDA commissioned a study at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to investigate the neuropsychiatric side effects of the drug on children. Unfortunately, the grant “ran out of money” before the investigation was completed leaving, in my opinion, more questions than answers. The reported side effects, the lagging investigation, and since Miralax can also convert to oxalate in the gut is incredibly problematic - especially in children. ¹²³
Emotions and Stress
Instead let’s address the known direct causes of constipation, like supporting emotions and reducing stressors. I often hear that kids are scared to go to the bathroom at school, so they hold it all day, until they get home, where they are more comfortable. Over time, ignoring this signaling from the brain and colon reduces the feeling and “urge” to go. I also believe that this causes the brain to stop signaling the stimulation of a bowel movement when the signal is repeatedly ignored or shut down. Stress can be another factor at play in constipation. Whether the stressors are internal (illness, parasites, etc), or the stressors are coming from external circumstances, it will impact the gut. Think of how we know our bodies tense and seize up in times of stress and panic - the digestive tract can work very similarly. Reducing stress or learning skills to manage stress in a healthy way will ultimately lead our children into lifelong skills for a calm, healthy gut.
Supplements
There are times supplements are useful in improving regularity. Since constipation can be an indicator of those internal stressors, allergies, and deficiencies this again, is why it is important to work with a practitioner to determine cause and impact on the body. Vitamin B12 is critical here, and determining if your child is deficient is an important step in opening the funnel. Magnesium is the calming mineral and relaxes muscles. In fact, magnesium is so effective, it is often one of the first tools we use to produce regular bowel movements. Not to mention, most of us are deficient in magnesium through our standard dietary intake today.
I have seen a lot of success with topical magnesium use, as well as Cellcore Bowel Mover, Ortho Aloe 450, and for kids, Bioray The Pooper. But, as always, I recommend working with a practitioner to determine the best option for yourself, your child, and a bioindividual approach to your particular needs and root cause.
Get Moving to Get Going
There are still many options you can pursue until you are able to meet with a practitioner, however. Including grounding and regular MOVEMENT! Getting outside barefoot and move those bodies on a daily basis. A sedentary body is a stagnant body. To drain toxins, sweat out impurities, and increase blood flow, we need regular physical movement. This applies to that internal draining system, also!
Castor Oil Packs
Castor oil packs are another regular part of my protocol recommendations for many kids! And they are absolutely not as intimidating to start as they may seem. Castor oil packs aid in constipation relief:
“..via the PGE3 receptors in the smooth muscle. Your digestive tract is a muscle, a different type of muscle than say, your bicep. It works differently, more rhythmic, and responds to chemical messengers that stimulate its action[42]. This helps you to eliminate in a healthy way but also to better digest and absorb your nourishment.” ⁴
Check out the Queen of Thrones for a full guide on how to get started, and if you are needing a simple option, you can even purchase a starter pack. Of course, you can DIY a castor oil pack, as well, if you’d like.
Posture, Position, and Alignment
And of course, in our hunt for relief, we can overlook the simple physical mechanics of a proper poop. Modern toilets are not conducive to the physical shape we need to assume to effectively move our bowels. Especially for kids that can’t reach the floor! Years ago I purchased Squatty Potties for our home, and I think every home should have one. Lifting the feet curls the midsection into the “squat” formation we more naturally take to effectively push. It is the same reason we often “bicycle” baby’s legs to move gas and are surprised by a mid-diaper change poo when we lift their legs back. This position creates the internal shape we need for relief!
Additionally, a chiropractic adjustment may be necessary for alignment and release. I recommend finding a practitioner and chiropractor to make sure these physical restrictions aren’t what is limiting or stopping the funnel from draining.
Diet and Hydration
And last, but not least, dietary changes. Plenty of whole foods and pure, filtered water are your first steps. A diet high in processed foods is just adding to the toxic load. Beet juice, prune juice, healthy fats, and high-fiber foods such as: pears, berries, broccoli, lentils, beans, chia seeds, flax and oats will keep the gut in a healthy condition to produce a regular bowel movement. Be mindful of “binding” foods such as: bananas, potatoes, rice, and white bread that will work against your efforts to move things along. And, in the effort to feed the good gut bacteria and starve the bad, be sure to include good prebiotic and probiotic foods including: onions, garlic, leafy greens, yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut.
Pay Attention to the Poop Talk
The importance of the bottom of the drainage funnel should not be ignored and can’t be overstated. Opening up this funnel is a critical first step in healing your child and supporting a healthy lifestyle for your child through to adulthood. If your child is constipated, their body is telling you something - and listening to that signal is so important. Have the poop talk daily, moms! They cannot properly drain toxins and pathogens without good, daily bowel movements.
And for more potty talk…
We deep dive bowel regularity, movement, supplementation, diet and more in my membership group: Mighty Warrior Kids. If you’d like to know more, I’d love to have you join us there!
Also, for the scoop on more poop - check out Dr. Ari Calhoun @dr.aricalhoun and Lauren @NathuralNurseMomma for more on constipation, regularity, and dietary support.
As always - I’d love to hear from you: Have you walked this path with your child already? If you have a kiddo that struggles to go, where can we get started? Or maybe you are the one that’s bound up - what has worked to get things moving? I’m not shy about poop talk, friends - and I don’t want you to be, either! Let me know over @gracioushealing or send me a note here!
Now, get chatting! I have a feeling your kids will be delighted to know that “poop talk” is back on the table.