The Constipation Express: Everything You Need To Be A Pooper
Prevention Is The Best "Medicine"
Often times constipation can be prevented, and what you put – or don’t put into your body matters most. For example, a diet high in animal fat and low in fruits and vegetables can lead to constipation. Below you'll find some great tips for staying regular and having award winning poops!
Cut Back
Foods that contain high amounts of fat, such as fried foods and certain fatty meats, may slow digestion and constipate you. Other foods to be limited include those high in white flour and sugar, such as cakes, cookies and white bread. Also, certain supplements - such as those containing iron, can also lead to constipation.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
Eating enough foods high in fiber is one of the best ways to prevent constipation from occurring. Certain fiber filled foods work by bulking up the stool and help move food through the intestines quickly. Some kinds of fiber (like beans) can contribute to constipation, so always drink plenty of water.
Different types of fiber affect digestion differently. Water soluble fiber does not help speed up digestion, while insoluble fiber can help food go through the digestive track faster and prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber also helps make the stool softer and easier to pass. Although both types of fiber have health benefits, insoluble fiber particularly can help prevent constipation. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole grains, bran, almonds, and legumes, such as lentils and white beans. (For the scoop on fiber-rich food, click here.)
Below are some suggestions for sources of fiber that you can easily include in your diet.
High Fiber Bran Cereal: Check the labels on boxes - anything with more than 5 or 6 grams of fiber per serving qualifies as high fiber. If you don't like bran cereals, try mixing them in with your usual cereal and increasing the amount over time.
Barley: Try making barley a permanent addition to your diet. There are many ways to include barley in your recipes, as well as barley flour, flakes, and grits. Barley is excellent in soups and stews.
Sesame Seeds: These seeds provide roughage and bulk, and they soften the contents of the intestines, which makes elimination easier. However, you should eat no more than 1/2 ounce daily, and drink lots of water as you take the seeds. You may also sprinkle them on salads and other foods, but again, no more than 1/2 ounce. Sesame is also available in a butter or paste and in Middle Eastern dips, such as tahini. For more on the health benefits of sesame seeds, click here.
Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Veggies
Select a variety, including sweet potatoes, apples, berries, apricots, peaches, pears, oranges, prunes, corn, peas, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. And opt for the whole produce over juice as much as possible; a glass of orange juice, for instance, provides 0.1 grams of fiber, while eating an orange gives you 2.9 grams.
Please note that certain foods can affect people differently. For instance, some people find corn and cauliflower to be binding. Always listen to your body and discern what works for you and what doesn’t.
Below are some of the best choices that nature has to offer for the prevention of constipation.
> Apples (Eaten an hour after a meal.) Also, apple juice or cider. (Cider can also give you the runs so don't overdo it.)
> Bananas (Eaten between meals. You should avoid green bananas – they can actually bind you up.)
> Raisins (Eat a handful daily, an hour after a meal.)
> Rhubarb: This vegetable is often mistaken for a fruit. Rhubarb is an ancient plant traced back to China in 2700 BC. For medical purposes it was used as a laxative, to cleanse the body, and reduce fever. It can be cooked and sweetened with honey, or baked it in a pie. Also try creating a drink with rhubarb, cooked and puréed, with apple juice and honey.
Maintain Your Intestinal Ecosystem
Constipation can also be prevented by maintaining healthy levels of bacteria in the stomach. Yogurt is often recommended as a probiotic, however, further studies have indicated that yogurt may not necessarily be good for you. To learn more about “gut bacteria”, please click here.
Increase Fluids
Dehydration will make the stool hard and difficult to pass, so in some instances drinking enough water may be all it takes to both treat and prevent constipation. But keep in mind not all liquids are created equal when it comes to dehydration. Water is your best choice, and drinking at least eight glasses of either water or herbal tea is recommended. Certain beverages, such as those containing alcohol, should be limited.
Exercise
Inactivity can contribute to problems going to the bathroom. A sedentary lifestyle can slow digestion, which causes constipation to develop. Getting regular exercise helps your digestive system - including your bowels - function more efficiently. Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise, such as biking, brisk walking, swimming, and aerobic or yoga classes can help reduce your chances of developing constipation.
Establish A Routine
It is important to give yourself enough time without feeling rushed to use the bathroom. Set aside about 15 minutes anywhere from 1-3 times a day, and take your time, even if nothing happens. It may relax your digestive system and help stimulate a bowel movement. Eventually, you may train your bowels to go the same time each day. Keep in mind it is not necessary to have a bowel movement each day, and you never want to strain and force the issue.
Answer The Call Of Nature
Poor bowel habits, such as ignoring the urge to go to the bathroom, can eventually lead to constipation. In some instances, it may not be a convenient time, or you don’t want to use a public bathroom so you fight the urge to go. Continually holding in stool may make it difficult to pass later.
Take Warm Baths
Warm baths may help relax the muscles needed to pass stool.
INSIGHT
Poops
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