Years ago, my first couple of years in the military I was consuming MRE's for about a month and was not hydrating enough. The consequence was not having a bowel movement for 2 1/2 weeks. When I finally did I believe it ripped my rectum. Ever since then I usually have blood on my stool. Until recently it has not hurt. About four months ago I went a day without hydrating properly and the next morning's bowel movement was quite painful. Since then I have been experiencing, by other peoples description, hemmeroid symptoms, but I have had a doctor check it out and he said he thought it was a tear. I have increased my fiber intake and made sure I am getting enough water, but the pain does not seem to go away. I have only experienced pain which is worst after a bowel movement or after sitting for more than 30 minutes. I have not experienced any itching. Do you have any ideas?"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Austin: Most Ready to Eat Meals (MRE) foods are generally quite acid, high in aluminum, which cause the body to dehydrate easily as it is acid forming, causing constipation. There is actually a good reason why MRE is done that way, as it to allow the body to conserve fluids, by making the stools quite dry, and thus causing constipation. But you do conserve fluids, if you are out in the field somewhere.
The other problem is in the packaging of these foods, where the electrical charges of aluminium causes lowered colloidal properties of blood, which means the body can carry less oxygen, delaying healing of the body, because blood falls out of the plasma and thus the body accumulate excess free iron and relatively short red blood lifespan.
A simple remedy for this condition is to change the ration of drinking water into 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (I mean REAL sea salt- never common table salt), and add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda in a per one liter drinking water. The drinking water that should to drink should be this, which should keep the stool moist enough so that it won't perform any more tears inside and allow natural healing.
The other thing that should help is taking 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar plus 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. The apple cider vinegar has malic acid, or sodium malate, which will help remove the aluminum caused by the packaging of possible aluminum and freeze drying technology which removes the electrical charges of the natural foods and should at least restore some of those colloidal properties of the blood normally so that the blood can remain suspended in the plasma, so it can perform its function. Usually sodium citrate, which is actually 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid can be alternated with the apple cider vinegar, to control the urinary pH at 7.0 so that constipation is removed.
Another possibility without having to bother with the drinking water is to simply take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda twice a day with 1/8 teaspoon of citric acid, which should get urinary pH to near 7, and the constipation issue is once removed.
A normal bowel movement ideally should be actually 3 times a day, but a minimum of 2 a day. In which case you need to control a consistent bowel movement. I do it sometimes myself to maintain or prevent high blood pressure, by controlling the electrolytes and alkalinity. There is no set agreement, but in my case if it is an emergency where bowel movement doesn't occur all day, I would take 1 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1 teaspoon of sea salt. However that is just for emergencies.
For long term prevention, controlling the urinary pH at 7.0 will in most cases control the body's normal bowel movements. Fiber helps to some extent, but it is the water balance between the intestines, which are often controlled by alkalinity and sea salts and its mineral. Therefore, in such a serious condition, purchasing a pocket pH meter (the prices are often around $50-$100) and increasing decreasing doses of baking soda and drinking water with some sea salt should prevent future constipation, and allowing the body to heal itself. To aid in healing, take some glyconutrient supplements, or just take kelp and aloe vera extract to help healing. Taking some vitamin C sodium ascorbate also help aid in healing too.
It is important to avoid common table salt and replace them with sea salt. The other is in field training an ideal drinking water with a proper electrolyte falls closer to a sea salt solution, with some baking soda, which current medical practices focuses only on just the salt and potassium, while most people who actually have eletrolyte problems is not just potassium, but magnesium, bicarbonates, phosphates, and micromineral (especially left sided minerals on the periodic table, which are alkaline formers, while most preserved foods are the minerals are found on the right side, which are acid in nature, e.g. chlorinated water) being the real issues and sea salts comes close in helping the body manage or prevent uneven dehydration, which can cause long term sickness.
Certain portable water may also be high in chlorine necessary to kill the bacteria, however, I prefer to use iodine drops and sea salt instead, plus some dechlorinator to remove the chlorine. The reason is simple: chlorinated water tend to cause constipation ahd high blood pressure. I remember a case of a child that gained weight to bloating whenever she goes to the swimming pool, but the bloating overweight disappeared whenever the chlorinated water were no longer used or that the girl avoided chlorinated water. Chlorine, by the way is acid forming and it too leads to constipation and may cause rectal bleeding just the same.
It seems most Western diet, is linked with the issue of acidosis, electrolyte and micromineral imbalances."
