Constipation and slow digestive transit

The good news is there are lots of things you can do to help your digestion and linseed is one of the easiest ones to get you on course for a regular digestion and perfect poo.

Constipation can have many causes. Some people are born inclined to a slow transit but the modern UK diet isn’t always digestion friendly and many people get to accept a less than good digestion which predisposes constipation.

Contributory causes of constipation and slow transit

  • Starchy and sugary foods,
  • lack of of dietary fibre
  • wrong sort of fibre
  • wheat and gluten,
  • shortage of omega-3,
  • hormone imbalance,
  • sedentary job, lack of exercise
  • stress,
  • illness,
  • antibiotics, painkillers and other drugs
  • not drinking enough water

Linseed a simple natural aid for a healthy regular digestion

Linseed is probably the number one favourite of natural health practitioners and their patients as the best natural remedy for restoring a healthy digestion without laxatives.

  • Suitable for people of all ages and stages of life
  • A natural food
  • Tastes great in ordinary food
  • Works with your digestion
  • Prebiotic; can help improve your gut flora
  • Works with your body to naturally restore a healthy digestion
  • Provides soft bulk
  • Hydrating
  • Lubricating
  • Improves omega-3:omega-6 balance;: supports a more responsive digestive tract
  • Gentle and suitable to small children and the elderly
  • An aid for constipation caused by hormone imbalance 

Using Linseed for your digestion

golden linseed and rhubarb cOMPOTE cLinseed can help support your digestion in may ways; it can be effective in overcoming constipation and achieving a naturally regular digestion. Aim to have at least two heaped dessertspoons per day and at least one extra glass of water per helping.

  • Add ground linseed or linseed porridge of muesli into your baking
  • Use whole linseeds  or ground linseed sprinkled over any food; salads, desserts, breakfasts, yoghurts
  • Drink linseed tea. Recipe: place one rounded teaspoon of Flax Farm ground linseed into a cup. Top up with boiling water, leave for a  few moments and enjoy. It tastes nice, slightly sweet, nutty, comforting. Try it with hot milk instead of water as a bedtime drink so it can do it’s magic overnight.
  • Replace ordinary breakfasts with a Flax Farm linseed porridge or muesli
  • Get a bit more of the benefit of Flax Farm linseed; try a Flaxjack® instead of your cake, cookie or chocolate bar with your cuppa: Flaxjacks® are real treats and do you good as well.

Using Linseed in the diet of children with constipation

Even young children from 12 months old can enjoy the benefits of linseed in their diet.  Children may benefit by starting with a very small helping, even just a pinch or 1/2 a teaspoon for toddlers, and  a little more pro rata for older children. Flax Farm linseed porridge or muesli is an easy way to get the right amount of ground linseed into children’s diets.

Ground linseed in smoothies is a good way to get kids eating linseed. If you use a golden linseed in their smoothie they will probably neither see or taste it.

Kids love Flax Farm Flaxjacks® and just one or two per day is a delicious natural way to get the right sort of fibre into the diet to get a child’s sluggish digestion back on course.

Linseed for younger children

Younger children can get benefit from linseed tea. Boil 1 tablespoon of linseed for an hour in a litre of water, strain and add a little of the liquid to food and drinks.

Tips to help constipation 

  • Dairy foods, milk, cheese processed yoghurt etc. can have a detrimental effect on the digestion. Try to reduce or cut out dairy except for live yoghurt
  • Eat less wheat based, starchy and sugary foods: especially pasta and white bread; sugar, limit beans to just one small helping per day as these foods work against your digestion.
  • Eat less processed food
  • Eat fewer potatoes
  • Eat more leafy veg, broccoli, kale, spinach and chard; asparagus; asparagus, sprouted seeds;  rhubarb which work with the linseed to enhance its magic.
  • Make sure you have enough exercise – aim at least for your 10,000 steps per day; walking is good; if your job involves a lot of sitting make sure you stand up and walk around at least every hour.
  • Look for exercises that target the digestion and core muscles such as yoga and Pilates.
  • Eat more fermented foods, kefir, live yoghurt try making your own home-made sauerkraut.
  • Flax Farm cold-pressed linseed oil for extra omega-3 to help wake up your digestion. Cut back on butter, vegetable oils, salad dressing, mayonnaise and olive and use Flax Farm cold-pressed linseed oil instead in soups, salad dressing, mashed potato, porridge or on toast Add a bit more omega-3 to your diet; use instead of butter.
  • The Budwig diet is designed to give you a healthy digestion as well as being supportive of all over health. Consider following it for a fortnight, then incorporate the important principles into your usual diet.

Constipation: useful links

  • www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org is a charity which has a website that is a great source of information for all bladder and bowel disorders and constipation (which can exacerbate bladder problems). General enquiries for the B&BF is 01536 533 255
  • www.theguttrust.org The gut trust is the largest national patient-led charity for people with IBS. The site includes a comprehensive online self management programme for IBS and lots of helpful information about the condition.’ Helpline 0872 300 4537 Tue/Thur 19.30-21.30

Natural Flax Farm linseed products for a healthy digestion

Flax Farm breakfast cerealsYour healthier digestion can be as simple as:

  • Starting the day with a helping of  Flax Farm linseed porridge or muesli or
  • Adding  2 heaped dessertspoons of Flax Farm ground linseed sprinkled into your current breakfast cereal or a yoghurt.
  • Treating yourself to a Flaxjack® – each has a useful helping of ground linseed baked in!

The Flax Farm ‘digestion-friendly’ linseed range:

Flax Farm ground linseed is rich in the fibre that supports a health digestion. Our lovely linseed breakfasts all designed give you a good helping of ground gold and bronze linseed in every meal.

  • Ground linseed gold and bronze
  • Linseed porridge 5 varieties
  • Linseed Muesli 2 varieties
  • Flaxjacks 12 varieties
  • Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and vegan options

Whole linseed

Whole linseeds  which have a long shelf-life (can be kept in the cupboard until you need them) and they are a traditional store-cupboard remedy.

For adults:  2 tablespoons added to food or taken in drinks up to  three times a day can to get things going again. In the long run the ground linseed is a better option. If you suffer from diverticular disease/diverticulitis you should always use ground linseed and not whole linseeds.

More benefits of Flax Farm linseed

  • Always wheat-free
  • No-nuts
  • No-added sugar
  • Low carb,
  • Digestion-friendly
  • Rich in omega-3

Always drink enough water

Drinking plenty of water is always important for a healthy digestion. When you eat linseed always remember to have an extra large glass of water for each helping you have, especially if you know you may not drink enough.

Constipation can be serious

If there is no improvement after a couple of days be sure to see your doctor.