Hey Alex – go ahead and shoot us an email at support@scdlifestyle.com and we’d love to discuss these topics.

Hey Steven,
So could 3 years of super aloe 250(2 a day so 500 mg of cape aloe) cause melanosis coli? Or even an atonic colon? Or would 3 years low dose(160 mg/daily) erythromycin ethylsuccinate for motility or several years on 1 mg clonazepam cause either of these 2 results? Besides these things and magnesium citrate or elemenal magnesium oxide(as in Oxypowder) I’ve rarely ever used any type of herbal/stimulant laxitives or even enemas for more than a day and yet a certain test shows melanosis coli and an atonic colon which are supposedly results of heavy lax use? Also, are these reversible? I’m getting your program/hopefully it has these answers and yet I’d be very greatful if you could share your opinion on these exact issues. Alternatively, if there’s a better way to get in touch please let me know! Thanks for your time!

Best,

Alex

HI Carolyn – the SCD diet can help with your constipation and we’d recommend that along with the tips and protocols in the constipation program. IF you suspect SIBO, you may want to consider a gut infection protocol as diet alone isn’t typically enough to get rid of it. https://healthygut.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sibo-small-intestinal-bacterial-overgrowth/

HI Cassie – we’d highly recommend our constipation product to help you have natural bowel movements. You can find it here: http://constipationhelp.scdlifestyle.com/?_ga=1.74072018.1157347380.1469837330

Hi Lynn – I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through! We recommend checking out our program for constipation here: http://constipationhelp.scdlifestyle.com/

I hope this helps and you’re feeling better soon!

Hey Diana – thanks for reaching out!

Go ahead and check out our program at solvingleakygut.com OR send us an email at support@scdlifestyle.com and we can set you up with info to join the program 🙂

Hi Margarita – thanks for commenting!

It sounds like you have a pretty unusual situation. While Steve and Jordan don’t recommend herbal laxatives in most instances, in a case like yours, they would encourage you to work with your doctor to find a solution for your constipation.

You are a perfect example that everyone is unique and special circumstances do exist! If the herbal laxatives start causing problems or stop working for you, then it would be time to start questioning what else you could try (although it sounds like you’ve tried a lot of other things).

Generally we recommend increasing fat intake and Vitamin C and Magnesium supplementation to help with constipation. Hope this helps!

5 Years ago doctors found out I have a 4 meters long colon which is curved and twisted many times. However, it is functioning and no surgery is needed. The only thing is that I can’t have a proper bowl movement so the doctors actually prescribed me Cascara Sagrada and Dandelion root, which I have been taking regularly in the past 2-3-4 years. I have tried so many different things but nothing really works… Fiber for me makes me even more constipated and my colon is very large (4m) and needs to be emptied somehow? So what do you suggest if the Herbal Laxatives are so dangerous?

Hi Lauren, thanks for reaching out! Sure, these could be used in conjunction with dietary and supplements for a comprehensive approach to constipation.

Hi Corinne, thank you for reaching out! This should be fine, but listen to your body and make any necessary adjustments as you see fit.

I’m wondering…is it harmful to drink peppermint tea on a daily basis (no more than 2, 8oz cups)? I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now because it has been so relieving.

Thanks Ryn! I appreciate the comment. Yes SOO many use Coffee daily.

I tried to make this very specific about the over counter abuse that is happening and I agree that the working with a practitioner who understands herbs is not a bad thing.

I’ll say it again, herbs in general are not bad. But just like anything can be misused and abused.

Thanks for the comment “Billy”. I agree herbs can be very powerful therapeutic agents. Saying that the formula above always works and never causes issues is of course a lie but I get that there are products like it and practitioners out there who understand herbs and use them to great affect.

As you mentioned several times, this post was not about damning herbal usage in general but about the over counter abuse that happens.

No I wasn’t but those can be laxative in nature as well. They can also be healing for some people. It’s a tricky supplement.

cap that off with non organic coffee and boom…lots of added toxins for the liver to deal with

also, it would be good to acknowledge that many people, whether they recognize it or not, depend on a common herbal laxative for bowel movements every day – coffee.

Hi LeeAnn,

Thanks for reaching out! We suggest working with a skilled functional medicine practitioner, but you can certainly try some of Steve’s suggestions he made in his article 6 Real Food Suggestions…https://healthygut.com/real-food-tips-constipation/

Hi, thanks for reaching out!

I recommend starting off with the real food suggestions for constipation that Steve described in his post we linked to.

I am a student at the School of Natural Healing working on my nutritional herbalist degree and eventually a master herbalist degree. Dr. John Christopher was and is still probably the most famous herbalist in Americas history. He founded the school I am enrolled in and was the mentor to Dr. Shulze as well as another amazing master herbalist that is changing peoples lives with their herbal products and education of medicinal plant use.

Dr. Christopher knew the human body as well as anyone today and the colon was one of his main interest. He had a formula that is still the most famous of his today. It did include cascara, senna, fennel, ginger and some others. Its been said that is the most important herbal formula he ever made and allowed many many people to heal and reverse their colon cancers, IBS , colitis etc. Of course we all know diet and gut flora are also key in elliminating constipation, so of course people will become addicted to a laxative of any sort if they dont correct the underlying issue.

The lower bowel herbal formula was proven to retrain the colon to work and help the colon to remove the pounds and layers of fecal matter off the colon walls. i have seen the pictures of diverticuli and colon fecal matter that was expelled by using the herbs…many lives have been saved. Until this day that formula is regarded by the master herbalist as the greatest of all. Dr. Christopher claimed it would NOT become dependant IF the diet was improved…but if people continue to eat bread and cheese and too much meat…then of course they will never get to the underlying issue…

My master herbalist mentor has used the herbs for 30 years and said EVERYONE with IBS, colitis etc…that used the gentle formula, never had colon issues again. His formula is a copy of Dr Christophers with a few additions of his own, but they are not harsh and you actually have to take a lot to flush out.

Again its all about knowing what you are taking and the quality of the products. Herbs are for assistance…but diet is king…have to fix the root cause of constipation.