How often do you go? Once a day, thrice a day, three times a week? It may be quite personal and for some, the topic may be quite a bit embarrassing. Well, no one wants to talk about such a personal matter but unfortunately, it does happen. And not just to a small number of people but to millions around the globe!
There is too much hype about the importance of passing one bowel movement per day. In fact, due to this notion, a lot of people experience what is now known as imaginary or misconceived constipation. People suffering from this condition are tricked into thinking that when they fail to have a daily bowel movement, they are already constipated. Unusually hard stools, a lot of strain in passing them and a gassy and bloated feeling, on the other hand, characterize real constipation.
To help you in dealing with occasional constipation, you may want to consider the following suggestions:
Be more physically active. A regular exercise routine may bring you more health benefits than you can ever imagine. Not only does it promote physical fitness, it also promotes a regular bowel movement by waking up your sleepy colon!
Drink up! When you are dehydrated, your stool also loses moisture thereby making it difficult to pass. Here are some tips that may help you prevent this from happening:
oMake sure you drink enough liquids. To be on the safe side, drink no less than 8 glasses of liquids per day. However, don't think that you can treat constipation by drinking far more than you need. Any excess liquids will simply be excreted through your urine.
oDrink more fluids when the weather is hot or when you are exercising. Your body tends to lose vital moisture during these periods so you need to replace what is lost.
oStay away from coffee and decaffeinated drinks since these may bring you more trouble. Coffee and decaffeinated drinks act as diuretics and can draw away fluids from your body. You will be better off if you load up on water, seltzer, juice or milk instead.
Please note that these rules may not be applicable if you have other medical concerns such as a kidney or liver problem or any other health complications that may require restricting your fluid intake.
Develop a taste for fiber-rich foods. What is it in fruits, vegetables and grains and beans that make these foods indispensable in promoting a glitch-free bowel movement? The answer? Fiber! Do you know that an extra serving or two of fiber-rich foods may be all that is needed to get things moving? Fiber ensures regularity by adding adequate mass to your stool and stimulates the colon to push things through smoothly. Need help on how to get an ample amount of fiber in your diet? No problem! Check these out!
oDo it slowly. The transition to a high-fiber diet can be best assimilated if done gradually. Introduce fiber-rich foods into your diet one at a time and wait for a few days before introducing another fiber-rich source. Follow this simple rule or your system will be thrown into a state of chaos!
oEat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Some good choices include apples, apricots, berries, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, oranges, peaches, pear, peas, prunes, potatoes and tomatoes.
oEat 6 to 11 servings of grain products daily. Loading up on breads, cereals and starchy vegetables such as green peas, potatoes and lima beans can bring you tons of benefits!
There is no doubt that these simple suggestions can jump start any sluggish colon and may help you in preventing the onset of constipation. Just follow these rules and you can be sure that there will be no more straining as you go!
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