By ChiKoong Chong
Do you often experience constipation?
If yes, don't worry, as there are ways to overcome it. Constipation simply means a difficulty in passing motions or the infrequent passing of stools that are hard. In most cases, you'll have to exert a tremendous amount of force in order to push the stools out or you may not be able to fully empty your bowels. Most people may have the misconception that if they don't have bowel movement every day, they're most likely to be suffering from constipation. But how often one needs to empty his or her bowel varies from person to person. For instance, this can vary from as frequent as thrice a day for one person, to as infrequent as thrice a week for another. The fact is the consistency of your stool is a good yardstick to define if you're having constipation. Normal stools should be soft or not lumpy and be passed out easily. Maintaining regular bowel movement is vital to remove waste products and toxins from the body as soon as possible. And having them "stored" in your body for longer than necessary will only encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon.
If yes, don't worry, as there are ways to overcome it. Constipation simply means a difficulty in passing motions or the infrequent passing of stools that are hard. In most cases, you'll have to exert a tremendous amount of force in order to push the stools out or you may not be able to fully empty your bowels. Most people may have the misconception that if they don't have bowel movement every day, they're most likely to be suffering from constipation. But how often one needs to empty his or her bowel varies from person to person. For instance, this can vary from as frequent as thrice a day for one person, to as infrequent as thrice a week for another. The fact is the consistency of your stool is a good yardstick to define if you're having constipation. Normal stools should be soft or not lumpy and be passed out easily. Maintaining regular bowel movement is vital to remove waste products and toxins from the body as soon as possible. And having them "stored" in your body for longer than necessary will only encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon.
Try the 7
tips below to ensure that your bowel movements are
consistent and regular.
1. Adopt a high fiber diet.Dietary fiber is generally
classified into soluble and insoluble, which can
prevent constipation. Soluble fiber aids the stool in
water absorption and retention, thus making the stool
softer and easier to pass out. Insoluble fiber moves
through the digestive tract to build up the bulk of the
stool and speed up the bowel movement. Good
examples of soluble fiber are oats, barley and
peaches and those of insoluble fiber are cauliflower,
wheat bran and nuts.
Healthcare experts often recommend that one should
eat at least 25 to 35 grams of total dietary fiber per
day. If you've not been on a high fiber diet before, it's
advisable for you to increase your fiber intake slowly
and at the same time drink slightly more water to
prevent gas build up in your stomach, which would
cause bloating and discomfort. You can probably
increase your fiber intake by 5 grams everyday for the
first week and 10 grams for the next and subsequent,
until you meet the recommended daily requirements.
You can also add soluble fiber supplements to your
diet such as psyllium husk, pectin or slippery elm,
which are known for softening of stool.
2. Drink more water. Water complements the fiber to
improve the regularity of the stool. Adopt a good
practice of drinking at least 2½ to 3 liters of water and
fluid everyday, no matter if you are thirsty or not. Your
fluid intake can include fruit juice, soup and other
healthy beverages. Of course, it's good to cut down
on beverages such as alcoholic drinks, carbonated
drinks and caffeinated drinks that cause your body to
dehydrate.
3. Take natural laxatives. When looking for some
faster relief from constipation, go for herbs such as
senna. This contains natural laxatives named
anthraquinone glycosides, which helps to increase the
amount of water and electrolyte in the colon and
stimulating contractions of the colon muscles, which
help to hasten the evacuation of stool.
4. Maintain regular meals. Studies have shown that
one of the best times to have a bowel movement is
half an hour after each meal. The reason is that right
after you've eaten, the food in your stomach will
stimulate intestinal peristalsis and subsequently bowel
movements.
5. Stay active. Avoid leading a sedentary lifestyle, as
it's a surefire way of getting frequent constipation. By
incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you'll be
able to cut down the frequency of constipation quite
appreciably. You can try simple exercise like jogging,
walking or even stretching, as these are good in
stimulating the bowels.
6. Cut down stress. Stress related constipation is
also called psychosomatic constipation. This is
common in people who are under a great deal of
stress or anxiety. Sudden change in the daily routine
such as going on traveling or been relocated to a new
environment may also give rise to short-term
constipation. If you're under some kind of stress, you
can relieve it by taking ginseng or vitamin B-complex.
Taking calcium or magnesium supplement is also
helpful in relieving stress as it helps in the relaxation
of the muscle tissues.
7. Answer the call of nature. If you need to answer
the call of nature, just go ahead. Don't try to resist the
urge for a bowel movement. Resisting it may cause
unresponsiveness in the rectum. Eventually, the colon
will re-absorb the water from the stools and causing
them to become hard and difficult to move. To better
manage your bowel movement, make it a point to
have your bowel movement to about the same time
every day. Studies have shown that most people have
bowels that are most active in the morning. If you
don't have a fix time to empty your bowels, perhaps
you should now try doing it first thing in the morning
soon after you wake up. Over time, you'll get use to
this routine and the urge will come naturally.
Try out the above 7 tips and you'll find yourself
constipation free for as long as you're sticking to the
routine.