What Is Constipation And How To Deal With It

Constipation is a rising concern among all age groups and does not limit itself to just one group. Every person’s bowel movements are unique. From going once or twice a week to a few times a day, bowel movements can differ from person to person. Constipation can start showing its signs either immediately or over a period of time. Having fewer than three bowel movements per week is considered being constipated. Even if you are able to pass pooop, it leaves you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Somehow it never gives you a feeling of being ‘relieved’. 

Disrupted bowel movements are warning signs of larger issues, and must certainly not be ignored. A lot of us often blame it on dehydration, but that is not always the case. 

If your poop is hard and dry every time, it can cause piles and other issues that directly affect your whole digestive tract, mainly your rectum and large intestine.

Causes 

It is important to understand what causes constipation so you can hopefully prevent it from happening. Causes of constipation can be categorized as follows:

Lifestyle

  • Dehydration: One of the causes of constipation is not drinking enough water 
  • Lack of fiber: Not having enough fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich grains. 
  • Irregular meal/sleep time: Changes to our regular routines, sleeping at irregular times, constant traveling, and irregular meal times
  • Stress: Hectic work schedule, personal life stress that cause mental distress directly affect the gut health
  • Excessive dairy intake: It can also be caused due to consuming large amounts of milk and cheeses. 

Medical conditions 

Constipation can be caused by various health conditions, including but not limited to:

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Underactive thyroid gland
  • Diabetes
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Neurological disorders
  • Blockage of small or large intestines 

Our medicines 

A common side-effect of allopathic medication is diarrhoea and constipation. Some common examples of medicines that can cause constipation are:

  • Iron
  • Allergy medicines
  • Anti-depressants
  • Strong pain medicines
  • Anti-seizure medicines

Treatment

Self-care for mild cases of constipation includes the following:

  • Managing your diet
    • More vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high fiber foods.
    • Less processed foods, fried foods, refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta etc. 
    • Taking supplements/probiotics to help maintain your gut microbiome
  • Drinking more water
    • Drink 2-4 more glasses of water in addition to what you typically drink.
    • Avoid consuming alcohol, drinks that contain caffeine, highly-sweet drinks & aerated drinks
  • Exercising
    • Move more frequently than you typically do. Even light exercise like walking helps!
  • Limiting dairy intake
    • Limiting excessive cheese and milk can help you relieve bowel movements. Consider getting tested for lactose intolerance.
  • Routine: Maintaining a fixed sleep cycle and meal times helps to heal your digestive system and in turn your bowel movements

If you are experiencing constipation, it is also important to observe and keep track of the duration. Occasionally, all of us get constipated. Don’t hesitate to visit your doctor if mild constipation is not resolved by your self-care methods. Share with your doctor how long you’ve been experiencing constipation. Understanding if it is a temporary issue lasting a couple days or longer will help your doctor troubleshoot further and ensure it is not a symptom of some other underlying issue. However, we are sometimes unable to take care of our dietary intake due to erratic lifestyle, but we can always take help from products that can help fulfill your requirements and heal you from within. Bene Esse’s Poop Ezy is one such precision nutraceutical that helps you maintain your gut microbiome and its natural ingredients act as natural laxatives and soften the poop to ease your discomfort.

Your health should be your priority, don’t let it disrupt your daily life. Stay vigilant and take care of your gut.

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