What Is constipation?
Constipation is a common digestive problem and may mean different things to different people. Your stool may be hard, dry, and difficult to pass. You may strain when you have a bowel movement, or only have a bowel movement 2 times per week.
Or you may feel like you still need to have a bowel movement even if you’ve just had one.
Some people think they are constipated if they don’t have a bowel movement every day. However, bowel habits are different for everyone.
while passing one or more soft, formed stools every day is a desirable goal, a “normal” range is anywhere between 3 times a day and 3 times per week.
At one time or another; almost everyone gets constipated. Although it is bothersome in most cases, constipation lasts only for a short time and is not serious. However, there may be other underlying problems causing constipation and,
therefore testing is often recommended. Fortunately, in most cases, constipation can be easily treated by making a few lifestyle changes.
What causes constipation?
- Wrong diet, faulty lifestyle, and irregular eating habits
- Lack of roughage (fruits and vegetables) in diet
- Insufficient intake of water
- Sedentary lifestyle
As digested food moves through your colon (large intestine), water is absorbed by creating the waste product, or stool. Muscle contractions in the colon move the stool d.nn the intestine toward the rectum.
By the time the stool reaches the rectum,n it is formed and solid because most of the water has been absorbed.
Constipation occurs when stool passes through the colon too slowly if the stool Colon wall Excessive amount’ Hard Constipation stays in the large intestine too long, the intestine removes too much water.
The result is the hard and dry, or infrequent and difficult to expel stools of constipation. Several things can cause the colon to move too slowly.
These include not drinking enough fluids, not eating enough fiber, not being active enough, ignoring the urge to have an Octel movement, or taking certain medications.
Symptoms of constipation
- Difficulty in passing motion Painful and hard stools Irregularity in motion cycles.
- Coated tongue,
- Ulcers in the mouth,
- Bad breath,
- loss of appetite,
- Dizziness, and nausea.
- Dark circles under the eyes, pimples on the face,
- Depression, and insomnia.
- Bloated abdomen and diarrhea which may alternate with constipation.
Stools are arduous, dry, and rare. It’s tough to have a bowel motion Different signs could embody belly discomfort, lack of vitality, dull headache, an unfortunate urge for food, and small again ache
What can I do about constipation?
The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to relieve symptoms and prevent constipation in the future. The most important of these are drinking plenty of fluids, eating a diet high in fiber, exercising regularly, and maintaining good bowel habits.
5 Constipation Causing Foods That Must Be Avoided
Constipation is one of the leading issues which can cause severe troubles in the body and can affect health severely! There are a lot of disbelief regarding foods that can cause constipation which you must get cleared.
Constipation adversely affects our body and weakens the digestive system.
Also, it can cause weight gain, obesity, and such issues. Thus, it is important to avoid foods that can reduce the capability of our digestive system to digest the food effectively!
If you are suffering from constipation on regular basis, you must make some changes in your diet while eliminating the foods causing constipation from your diet.
Here Are The Worst Foods Which Can Cause Constipation And You Must Avoid Eating Them:
1. Unripe Bananas
We all love the delicious and stunning ripe bananas as it can not only help in making the stool smooth and your digestive system booted but also provides numerous health benefits.
But unlike ripe bananas, unripe bananas are the worst enemy of the digestive system. The unripe bananas consist of such elements which can harden the stool and can block up the digestive system causing constipation!
Thus, if you love bananas, go for the ripe bananas instead or unripe bananas to avoid constipation and feel light!
2. Coffee:
Coffee is the favorite drink that people consume every day and sometimes twice or thrice a day! This caffeine-rich drink harms our digestive system and can lead to various issues like bloating, gas, constipation, etc. coffee can cause dehydration which can dry out your stomach.
Water and moisture are extremely important to make your digestive system work properly which is destroyed by coffee! Thus, avoid drinking coffee if you are suffering from constipation randomly! This would help in avoiding dehydration and will boost your digestive organs!
3. Fried Foods
Fried foods are extremely hard to digest as it consists of various sugars, extreme fat, and cholesterol. The fatty fried foods are hard to digest and can cause blockages in your digestive tract which can lead to gas, bloating, and constipation!
The fried foods can destroy all the nutrition from your food and make it hard to digest and thus, for improving your digestive system and to avoid constipation, you must avoid the fried foods! The huge undigested chunks f fried foods can cause your intestine to become slow and can also cause constipation!
4. White Rice
No doubt that this delicious and yummy food can be sued in making some extremely amazing recipes but it can also lead to constipation. When the rice grains are processed, the bran and husk from rice are removed which can reduce its nutritional value and make it hard to digest.
White rice is deprived of all the nutrients and will simply cause heaviness, gas, and bloating which can lead to constipation and stomach issues! Thus substitute white rice with brown rice and avoid constipation!
5. Potato Chips And White Bread
Potato chips are extremely delicious and our favorite snack for munching while we watch our favorite TV shows! But this can harm our digestive system and make us feel bloated!
It can also cause constipation of consumption on a high basis! Also, whole grains can improve your digestive system while white bread made which is low in nutritional value can make you feel constipated! These foods reduce the water in the digestive system and can clog the system making you constipated!
How to get rid of constipation at home [20 home remedies]
1.Drink plenty of fluids
Drinking enough fluids like water and juice adds fluid to the colon and helps make bowel
movements softer and easier to pass. If you are having problems with constipation, you should try to drink more fluids six to eight 8-oz. glasses a day is a good goal.
However, liquids that contain caffeine, such as coffee and soda, tend to have a dehydrating effect and may worsen your symptoms. Alcohol also causes dehydration.
2.Add more fiber to your diet
People who have an adequate amount of fiber in their diet are less likely to experience constipation. Fiber helps form soft, bulky stools that are easier to pass.
Foods rich in fiber include:
- whole-grain bread and brown rice.
- unrefined breakfast cereals (bran)
- Fresh fruits (skin and pulp)
- Dried fruits (prunes, apricots, figs)
- Raw vegetables (cooking reduces fiber content)
- Beans and nuts
when adding fiber to your diet, start slowly and gradually increase the amount. This will help reduce gas and bloating. If you are prone to constipation, it may also be helpful to limit foods that have little or no fiber such as ice cream, cheese, eggs, meat, and refined or processed foods.
Your doctor may suggest that you take a fiber supplement Fiber supplements such as psyllium methylcellulose and polycarbophil may be purchased at your local pharmacy or grocery without a prescription. Be sure to take your fiber supplement with plenty of water as directed.
3.Get enough exercise
Regular exercise helps your digestive system stay active and healthy. Try to find time to engage in 20-30 minutes of exercise daily.
4.Allow enough time to visit the restroom
Make sure you visit the restroom when you feel the urge to have a bowel movement. Don’t ignore the urge to go. If you usually have a bowel movement at a certain time of the day allow enough time for an undisturbed visit to the restroom around that
time.
5.What about laxatives?
Laxatives are medications or herbal supplements that loosen the stool or cause you to have a bowel movement. Most people are mildly constipated.
Home remedies for constipation
6.Wheat Bran
Add wheat bran to your chapattis ( 2 tsp ) or add to soups to thicken them. Drink
10-12 Of water a day with wheat bran to prevent gas formation.
7.Prunes
Eat around 6-8 prunes every day for their laxative effect. For kids soak 6-8 in water, grind and give to the kid.
- Guava
- Apple
- Spinach Cucumbers Carrot
- Kiwi
- Pear
8.Dates
Soak 4-5 dates in water at night, mash it the next morning into fine syrup and drink it slowly for its laxative properties.
9.Figs
2-3 figs a day help provide the required bulk to stools and
stimulate peristalsis. You can soak them overnight — grind and drink the juice in the morning.
10.Pear Guava
Eating one pear daily after dinner is effective. Guava is another effective remedy for constipation. When eaten with seeds, it provides roughage to the diet and helps in the normal evacuation of the bowels. One or two guavas should be eaten daily.
11.Grapes
Grapes have proved to be very beneficial in overcoming constipation. The combination of the properties of cellulose, sugar, and organic acid in grapes makes them a laxative food. Their field of action is not limited to only clearing the bowels.
They also tone up the stomach and intestines and relieve chronic constipation.
One should take at least 100 g of this fruit daily to achieve the desired results. When fresh grapes are not available, raisins, soaked in water, can be used. Raisins should be soaked for a day or two.
This will make them swell to the original size of the grapes. They should be eaten early in the morning, along with the water in which they have been soaked.
12.Bael fruit
Bael fruit is an excellent laxative. Eating one bael fruit regularly before dinner, for few months cures constipation completely. Orange is also beneficial in the treatment of constipation. Eating one or two oranges at bedtime and again on rising in the morning is an excellent way of stimulating the bowels.
The general stimulating influence of orange juice excites peristaltic activity and helps prevent the accumulation of food residue in the colon.
12.Papaya
Eating ripe papaya daily during the day helps to relieve constipation.
14.Water
Drinking plenty of water and consuming soup, lemon juice, and fruit juices also help.
15.Lemon
Squeeze half a lemon in a glass of hot water and add salt to taste. This is an effective remedy for constipation.
16.Copper Glass
Store water in a copper vessel overnight and drink this water as soon as you wake up. This is quite effective.
17.Flaxseed
Linseed (flaxseed) is extremely useful in difficult cases of constipation.
- A teaspoon of linseed swallowed with water before each meal provides both roughage and lubrication.
- Soak a few dates in water overnight.
- The next day morning removes the seeds, squeezes them, and then eats them.
- The larger the quantity of fiber within the food plan, the bigger and softer will the tools be.
- Eat smaller quantities of meals at every meal.
- Concentrated meals, reminiscent of meats, sugar, and cheese are glorious for producing constipation.
- Dairy meals, mushy drinks, white flour, salt, espresso, alcohol, extremely processed meals, and sugary meals shouldn’t be used, if you wish to clear up this drawback.
- Iron dietary supplements trigger constipation. So do painkillers and antidepressants.
- All decongestants and antihistamines are drying brokers and should trigger the stool to turn out to be dryer than it ought to.
- Eat prunes or figs.
- Flaxseed meal (greatest freshly floor) is useful.
- Each will soften stools. Psyllium seed can be useful, however, take it shortly with a full glassful of water.
- When crucial, take cleaning enemas to alleviate the load on the bowel. However, the answer is best residing, not reliance on medicines.
There’s at all times the likelihood that, if constipation happens too steadily, that most cancer, or another obstruction of the bowel, could also be concerned.
Different signs of colon most cancers embody extreme cramping; blood in the stool; a young, distended stomach; and narrowed feces. However, most cancers could be current without these signs occurring.
Best Natural Laxatives For Reducing Constipation
1. Aloe Vera:
Surprised that your favorite herbal cosmetic is also a natural laxative? Well, don’t be. Aloe Vera is loaded with the goodness of anthraquinone glycosides that are strong laxatives when used in a specific amount.
Anthraquinone glycosides are present in the milky fluid of aloe vera, also known as latex. It eases the irritated bowels and softens hard stools.[1]
2. Lemon Water:
Lemon water works as a natural laxative when it is consumed empty stomach. It works even better when it is warmed. It relaxes the stiff bowels and irritation the digestive tract. This is because it contains vitamin C.
And Vitamin C also works like a digestive enzyme in the body. You can also drink lemon soda if constipation is chronic and causes gas and stomach pain.[2]
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an amazing natural laxative but should be taken in small divided amounts since it is strong.
It gently smoothens the tense digestive tract that further smoothens the bowels and stools. It works as a master anti-constipation agent when taken alongside lemon water.[3]
4. Apple:
Apple juice makes a wonderful natural laxative for people who have a record of having problems digesting raw apples. It is loaded with high traces of Sorbitol that effectively reduces constipation by softening the bowels and stools regularly. And raw apple, being rich in fibers, smoothens the bowels.
This helps the food to glide easily. It increases the stomach and intestinal metabolism and functioning, which reduces constipation.[4]
5. Pears:
Pears are packed with ascorbic acid, what we generally call vitamin C. And ascorbic acid works as an activated antioxidant when ingested. And a combination of insoluble fibers and ascorbic acid reduces acidity that reduces gut, intestinal, and bowel irritation.
It softens stools. Thus, pears are beneficial laxatives for people suffering from acute constipation.[5]
6. Spinach:
Spinach is not just a constipation remover for people suffering from both acute well as chronic constipation, it also protects the body from future chances of constipating.
It has a lot of fibers that smoothen feces. And smooth stools reduce irritation in the bowels that removes constipation.[6]
7. Dry Apricots:
Dry apricots have vitamin A in abundance. And Vitamin A along with high traces of insoluble fiber, soothe the inflamed acidic digestive tract. This is because apricot neutralizes the acid and creates alkaline conditions.
It softens the entire digestive tract from the gut to the bowels. This increases better absorption of nutrients and the produced waste is soft.
Thus, the stool is greasy and slips through the bowels without much trouble.[7]
8. Prunes:
Prunes are one of the best-rated natural laxatives that are loaded with the goodness of insoluble fiber, hydroxyphenyl isatin, and sorbitol. Fibers and Sorbitol, which is natural glucose like fruit sugar, absorb water in large amounts in the stomach and intestines.
Thus, the produced stool is moist, and not coarse and rough. And Dihydroxyphenyl isatin increases the flexibility of intestines by reducing muscular stiffness. Thus, the bowels contract and expand normally.
As a result, the stomach is no more constipated.[8]
The above-listed food items reduce constipation naturally without causing any side effects. Instead, they offer side benefits like reduced toxicity, acidity, and stomach cramps.
Useful Resources about constipation
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976340/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3348737/
- ‘https://medlineplus.gov/constipation.html
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190605201123.htm
- https://www.mayo.edu/research/clinical-trials/diseases-conditions/constipation