Is Laxative Abuse Dangerous?
Weight loss has become a primary concern for many people in today’s increasingly health-conscious world. Thanks to a barrage of promises from the weight loss industry, many people believe that body fat can be removed simply by taking a simple pill or laxative. Rather than adopting effective, long-term lifestyle changes, some people erroneously believe laxatives (along with other weight loss products) will solve their health issues. Unfortunately, these products can often be a dangerous way to go about accomplishing health goals, especially if used excessively over a long period of time.
Laxatives, for example, can lead to long-term health complications through extended use. [1] Not only does the body become dependent on laxatives and is unable to perform its natural evacuation function, damage to the colon and other internal organs can also occur through extended use.
Increases Constipation Risk
Taking a laxative for occasional constipation relief is one thing; however, continued laxative use can actually increase constipation risk, promoting the exact same problem the product is supposed to remedy. [2] Laxative abuse can cause the walls of the intestine to become weak and unable to stimulate the movement of wastes out of the body. In other words, the colon becomes dependent on laxatives as a means of initiating the body’s evacuation and elimination process.
Anatomical Abnormalities
A 1998 study involving patients who had used stimulant laxatives more than three times per week for a year or more found distinct anatomical changes to the colon versus patients who had not been taking laxatives. [3] It appears that long-term laxative use damages the musculature of the colon, an action that hinders its overall function. For this reason, it is always best to keep the colon healthy at all times, even with occasional laxative use.
Diarrhea and Electrolyte Imbalance
The excessive use of laxatives can also cause chronic diarrhea, contributing to the elimination of much-needed electrolytes like potassium and sodium. [4] Not only can chronic diarrhea cause an electrolyte imbalance, it can also increase one’s chances of developing dehydration. Symptoms of electrolyte imbalance include cramping, mental fatigue, and, in some severe cases, coma and death.
Does Not Promote True Weight Loss
Fat loss can only occur through exercise and nutritional intervention, whereas laxative use results in nothing more than the loss of water weight. Many people believe that laxatives allow the body to remove ingested calories, yet this myth has been consistently debunked. By the time the stool reaches the large intestine, fat and calories have already been absorbed by the body. Read more
Weight Loss Program
Losing weight is the hardest thing that many people will ever do. And regardless of what the TV commercials and magazine articles would have you believe, there is no shortcut. That’s the bad news. But here’s the good news, losing weight can be fun and fulfilling. You can enjoy your life to the fullest by making a few simple changes that will not only help you lose weight, they will strengthen the immune system, reduce fatigue, lessen the side effects of certain medications, prevent constipation and other digestive disorders, and maintain the chemical balance within the body. It’s as simple as eating delicious wholesome foods and making exercise an enjoyable part of your day! Are you ready to make a few small changes that will lead to big results? Read on to learn about the only weight loss program you will ever need for permanent weight loss. We do recommend taking the product Slimirex® with all weight management programs.
Eat and Chew!!
Improving your diet does not mean starving yourself or eating tasteless, boring foods. It just means that you need to be smarter about the food choices you make. You don’t need tricks and gimmicks to help you lose weight. You need to learn the basics of nutrition and put what you learn into action on your dinner plate. That can be the hardest part of a weight loss program: translating words into meals! But the most important thing to remember about a healthy diet is that YOU SHOULD NOT BE HUNGRY. If you feel truly hungry (and not just bored) it is your body’s way of telling you that it needs food to keep going.
If you are hungry, EAT and Chew! Regular meals throughout the day help you stay full and in control of the foods you eat. Aim for five or six small meals to keep you going throughout the day. And when you have time, eat slowly and chew each bite of food 25x before you swallow. This gives you more time to enjoy your meal and allows you brain to signal your tummy when it’s full. If you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, follow a nutritious eating plan that keeps you feeling full and in control.
Make It Delicious!
The best way to ensure you stick with a healthy diet is to plan your meals and snacks so that they include foods you actually want to eat. You will never stick with a plan that forces you to eat tasteless, boring food. What’s the point of living if you can’t enjoy your food? If you want to lose weight you just need to be more selective about the foods you are choosing to satisfy your hunger. There are thousands of recipes in books and online that can offer delicious organic nutritious meals that fit well with a weight loss program. The key is to plan ahead to make sure that you have the time, energy, and ingredients to prepare these meals. It’s not always easy. And there will be days when you simply cannot make it happen. But if you make the effort 95% of the time, you will still be able to achieve the goals of your weight loss program. Read more
