Well, constipation is a gastrointestinal disorder which leads to difficulty in passing out of stools. Irregular bowel movement is a common problem among people of different age groups.
When the individual has healthy digestion their stool color is usually brown and doesn’t contain any food residues and are mostly soft. While on the other hand,if a person suffering from constipation passes out stools which are hard and sometimes lumpy.
Let’s just discuss about the common causes of constipation-
Insufficient intake of dietary fiber
Fiber rich diet specially the insoluble ones provides bulk to the stools which results in good bowel movement and easy passing of stool through the intestines.
Dehydration
with inadequate intake of water ,there’s insufficient water to remove waste and toxins through the stool . Moreover, water is needed to maintain electrolyte balance along with that it is absorbed by the insoluble fiber to provide bulk to the stool.
Ø Medications that promote Constipation
Ø Chronic conditions:- such as inflammatory Bowel Disease, Leaky Gut Syndrome and Hypothyroidism, celiac disease.
Ø Lack of exercise
Ø Stress :- chronic stress imparts negative effects on your gastrointestinal tract as stress leads to slow down of your digestive systems. As a result of this digestion, absorption and removal of wastes occurs at a slower rate.
Ø Often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet.
No doubt, reasons for constipation are so many but the most common reason is inadequate fiber intake and fluid intake.
What can be the possible solutions to constipation?
The solutions to cope up with the constipation is both dietary as well as lifestyle modification.
Fiber:-
Depending on your age and sex, adults should get 25(women) to 31 grams(men) of fiber a day. Reason for not getting enough fiber is that older adults might lose their interest in food.
Ø Good sources of fiber are:-
-whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, and bran flake cereals
-legumes, such as kidney beans, soybeans, black beans and chickpeas
-different types of nuts and lentils such as peanuts, almonds and walnuts which also contains good amounts of fiber and is also a good source of unsaturated fats good for your heart health and body.
-fruits, such as berries, apples with the skin on, oranges, and pears
-vegetables, such as carrots, collard greens, broccoli and green peas .
Ø Coffee:-
– the peristalsis movement is also promoted by the coffee as it stimulates the colonic muscles which leads to smooth bowel movement.
Ø Sufficient amount of water intake–
-In order to avoid dehydration an individual should drink enough amount of water
and other fluids. It will help in maintaining overall health as well as provide bulk to the stool.
-the best one is to drink warm to hot liquids during the whole day, specifically in the morning as the basic toilet habit associates bowel movement in the morning time and it will aid bowel to pass smoothly.
Ø Ease Constipation With Exercise:-
-Exercise not only keeps you fit, it may help you stay regular. It can help food move more quickly through your colon.
Ø Intake of good fats :-
-Fat helps in intestinal motility and regulates hormone function.
-Such as olive or olive oil, Ghee, Coconut oil, Fish oil, Eggs, Avocado and many more.
Ø Intake of fermented foods and drinks:-
-As fermented foods improve digestion, increases vitamin content in food and its absorption by the body. The best point is that these foods are in enzymes and restore good bacteria in the gut.
Ø Eat more seeds:-
-Eating more seeds simply means addition of more fiber into your diet such as chia seeds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds also contain some minerals that aids in digestion.
Ø Magnesium :-
-It’s one of the most important supplements which is used to treat constipation as it relaxes the muscles supporting movement of stools.
Ø Psyllium husk;-
-Good source of fiber you may add this into your diet by incorporating into smoothies or oat meals.
Ø Amla ;-
-It helps in regulation bowel movement and cure constipation. Apart from this, it is good for hair, skin, teeth, eyesight and heart.
What to avoid eating or drinking when an individual is suffering from constipation?
In order to relieve constipation or to prevent it avoid eating more of foods which are low in fiber content such as
-fast food (also contain bad fats)
-processed meat
-chips
-frozen meals and snack foods means the prepared food products
-choose whole fruits over juices as fiber is eliminated in the process of juicing.
-gluten containing foods (Celiac disease)
-Artificial sugars such as erythritol, xylitol and mannitol.
CONSTIPATION IN CHILDREN
Reasons for constipation in children might be :-
-Illness, diet, Withholding, Toilet training issues, Medication or Other changes – changes in a child’s daily routine such as travelling.
Symptoms-
-Hard stools, Abdominal pain, Cranky behavior or poor appetite.
Dietary changes ;-
Fruits and vegetables like apple, pear, peach with skin, raspberries, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli.
-If a child isn’t used to the intake of high fiber food, start by adding several grams of fiber per day to prevent bloating and gas formation.
-Drink plenty of water
-Also Promote physical activity
To conclude, constipation may be caused due to various reasons but dietary modification can help you to cope up with the situation and may eliminate the use of medicines.