Constipation is an issue that either
you have experienced or experiencing right now or maybe you know someone who
is suffering from it. However, it is
awkward to talk about poop but you know what your poop tells you a lot about
your health. So talking about it is important.
You will actually be surprised, but many people suffer from this, some
say more than 33 million people in the United States alone suffer from
constipation regularly. Therefore, you are not alone and you do not need to
suffer in silence.
We eat three meals a day sometimes more, so a
lot of food goes into our bodies and therefore it is natural for it to come out
the other way. For some people, you can go to the bathroom or poop as often as
three times a day because that is pretty much how much you eat or it could be
one to two, times a day. However, if you have not expelled for more than three
days then you have a problem because then you will be categorized as
constipated.
CAUSES OF CONSTIPATION:-
Constipation occurs when there is not
enough fluid in the colon, whereby feces become hard and difficult to expel.
There are many things that you could have cause constipation. However, it is
definitely more of a diet and lifestyle choice, as opposed to genetics. Here
are some common causes of constipation.
CONSTIPATION REASON#1: One being the
most obvious is that too much water is being absorbed from the food that you
are eating, and not enough left in the colon for it to go out to the other way.
CONSTIPATION REASON#2: This also happens
when feces are moving too slowly through the intestines due to the muscles not
contracting or not contracting fast enough.
CONSTIPATION REASON#3: Now certain
drugs and medication like antidepressants or iron tablets can also cause
constipation.
CONSTIPATION REASON #4: There are
also, various illnesses and diseases can all cause constipation; like
- Irritable
Bowel Syndrome,
- Colon
Cancer
- Parkinson’s
disease and
- Multiple Sclerosis
CONSTIPATION REASON #5: Of course,
there is also eating too much meat and dairy products, and not eating enough
fruit and vegetable results in constipation. Eating disorders like anorexia
and bulimia contribute to constipation.
CONSTIPATION REASON #6: sometimes
pregnancy can also cause you to have constipation.
CONSTIPATION REASON #7: Sleeping too late
or not having sufficient sleep makes you to constipate.
CONSTIPATION REASON #8: Stress is big
factor that contribute to constipation.
So if you are constipated and you are
struggling with it and you have been taking laxatives, you must know many times
constipation can be fixed by simple diet and lifestyle changes. You should be
eating some foods and natural remedies to cope with constipation as discussed
here.
6 - LIFESTYLE CHANGING
TIPS TO TACKLE CONSTIPATION
First, we will discuss 6 lifestyle-changing
tips to tackle constipation.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 1- Eat Enough Fiber:
We all know that fiber can help
relieve constipation and that is why you reach out for many fiber supplements. Start
by having fiber-rich foods in your diet. If you are still struggling, consider
taking a supplement but a supplement is just what it is a supplement. Try to
eat more fiber-rich foods as first sources of fiber include fruit, vegetables,
beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, whole grains. Any foods that are not processed
and that are not animal products typically have fiber.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 2- Drink Enough Water:
When you are dehydrated, your poop is
dehydrated which means it is harder and more difficult to move through the
colon and to get out of your system. Healthy poop is hydrated poop so make sure
you are getting enough water. Something to remember when you are taking more
fiber supplements or you are eating more fiber, you actually need to drink more
water. Fiber absorbs water so if you are actually eating a lot of it. Not
having enough water, it will just clog up and form a kind of a plug and would not
move. So make sure you drink enough water.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 3- Eat Enough Healthy
Fat:
Eating healthy fats is important for
a healthy digestive system. So if you are constipated and you are on a low-fat
diet, then that might be part of the problem. Therefore, it will be better you
eating more healthy fats, which include things like avocado, nuts and seeds and
salmon if you are a seafood eater.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 4- Take Probiotics:
You may hear about probiotics all the
time these days but how many of us are truly getting enough. Probiotics are
important for a healthy digestive system and if you are constantly constipated
it could just be that you do not have enough healthy gut flora. The way you can
increase your probiotic consumption is you can take supplements, which is a
great choice for beginners. If you want to become a little more advanced, you
can make your own fermented foods like yogurt at home.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 5 - Get Enough Magnesium:
Magnesium is one of the minerals
which is very low in the modern diet. We are just not getting enough. Magnesium
helps you relax the muscles and it helps you to pass stool by maintaining
proper bowel movement. If you are not getting enough magnesium you could get
constipated. People with constipation are recommended to eat more magnesium-rich foods such as nuts and seeds, dark chocolate and leafy green vegetables and
in general eating Whole Foods. Now if that is not doing the trick and you are
still struggling and constipation consider taking a supplement magnesium
citrate supplements can help ease constipation.
CONSTIPATION TIP NUMBER 6 - Change Your
Lifestyle:
Constipation is not just about what
you eat, it is all about your lifestyle as well. Getting daily exercise and
focusing on stress management can ease constipation symptoms. Something as simple as taking a daily walk can
make a huge difference and if you are interested in stress management, you must
try meditation and yoga. Use an app called calm every morning and it makes a
huge difference.
1.
BEANS:
You must have heard about eating too much baked beans will make you pass gas, and it is true. Passing gas is very
normal, and in order to pass gas, it means that your bowels are moving, which is
exactly what you need to be doing to cure constipation. Now beans contain a great
mixture of soluble and insoluble fibers that will help keep the food moving through
your intestines.
2.
SPINACH:
Spinach is a vegetable, and you should
eat it to clear out the intestines, and help you improve the bowel movements.
It contains magnesium and minerals that can help in constipation. Spinach helps
the good probiotic bacteria in your stomach to clear out everything. It can
also eliminate the heat from the body, as well as increasing metabolism and
help to break down the food in a better way.
3.
BERRIES:
Eating more fruits has health
benefits of its own, but in this case, especially blueberries, strawberries, and
raspberries are going to help. Not only they are high in fiber, but also they
are low in calories, which means you do not have to feel bad when you are
snacking on them. Eat them with yogurt, cereal, and oatmeal or in your pancake.
4.
OATMEAL:
Oatmeal contains whole fibers and adds
bulk to your stool, especially great if you have them for breakfast. You can
also add fresh fruits like raspberries and strawberries. We all live very
busy lives and sometimes we skip breakfast, but skipping breakfast, which is
the first meal of the day, not only will make you more constipated, but it can also
cause you to gain excess weight. Because when you do not eat breakfast, it
actually slows down the metabolism and the movements in your bowels. So make
sure you do not skip breakfast.
5. PRUNES:
Now this one works for a meal almost
every time. The advantage of prunes is you can eat too often and does not
matter if you eat too much. Prunes are often considered a better supplement
than fiber, so try not to eat it as much as possible when it comes to
alleviating constipation. Prunes are known to be a natural source of laxatives.
Prunes produce spontaneous bowel movements, and they are tasty too!
6.
SWEET POTATO:
Sweet potatoes are high in important
fibers and have vitamins and minerals. You can bake them, you can boil them,
you can fry them, you can eat them in your congee or have the mash sweet potato
fries.
RECIPE FOR TO DEAL WITH CONSTIPATION
An easy
recipe you can prepare yourself at home using dates and prunes, to get the full
benefits of prunes and dates as a natural laxative. Many people suffer from constipation. There is
a natural remedy, which you can use, which will make you go to the toilet and
flush toxins out from the digestive tract.
·
To
do this, simply take 175 g. of dates and 175 g. of prunes. Use a sharp knife and
slice these thinly. Add these to a pan with 1 liter of water. You can also add
2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice if you wish.
·
Bring
these to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. This will create a very thick syrup.
If the mixture still has too much liquid, cook for a little longer until it is
thick.
·
Then
pour this out into a jar. You can eat this throughout the day.
This will make you go to the toilet and
will help to relieve excess water from the body. The mixture works well with
porridge and cereal and is tasty to eat at breakfast. Make sure you drink at
least 8 glasses of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. You can also add
a pinch of rock salt to your water for added electrolytes. If you do not like
dates, you can switch them out for dried figs, apricots or raisins. The main
ingredient is the prunes, which contain dietary fiber. Eat this with live
yogurt, for a yummy natural medicine. It is very healthy to eat a few prunes
every day to keep your digestive system moving. This is caused by the sorbitol
within them. They are also great at providing the body with energy due to the
natural sugars and fiber.
To continue to stay healthy after this
treatment, it is highly recommended to drinking carrot juice on a daily basis. Carrot
juice contains many great health benefits. This will help you to keep your
bowel movements on a regular basis.
ACUPRESSURE PRESSURE POINTS FOR CONSTIPATION
There are also certain acupressure pressure
points that you could use as self-help for constipation.
FIRST PRESSURE POINT: The first
pressure point is on the back of your arm. Measuring from the crease of your
wrist place four fingers down and the pressure point is on the finger that is
furthest away from the wrist. Press down firmly three times, and then massage
for about 60 seconds. You can do this for up to three times a day.
SECOND PRESSURE POINT: The next
pressure point is the one on your stomach. This one is similar to the debloating
one, as this will help to stimulate your intestine movements. Find your belly
button there are two spots on either side of it. Measure three fingers apart on
each side, massage both spots clockwise 30 times and then counterclockwise 30
times.
THIRD PRESSURE POINT: The last
pressure point is on your leg. This is great if you have indigestion too. Bend
the knee so you can feel the bottom of your kneecap, on the outer side of your
calf. Measure four fingers down from the edge of the kneecap bone. You can use
either your finger or your knuckle to massage this point. Longer you massage
the better it works, so it is awesome for after the big meal.
ANCIENT TRADITIONAL
CHINESE FOR CONSTIPATION
You can try the Ancient Traditional Chinese remedy that has been passed down from older generations. You will need
ginger, white vinegar, white wine, and band-aids.
1. First, you just cut ginger into
some thin slices. Ginger is actually known for many benefits and one of them is
to help with blood circulation.
2. Dip the ginger slice in white
wine, this is a cooking wine commonly used in Asian cooking.
3. Then you dip the ginger slice into
white vinegar. Vinegar has a ton of health benefits.
4. Then you apply the ginger slice
directly to the abdominal area. To keep them in place use a band-aid over it,
and you can go straight to bed.
The next morning when you wake up,
the first thing you are going to do is go to the bathroom.
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