Dietary Modifications in Constipation

What is Constipation?

Constipation is a very common condition with the complaints of disturbed bowel movements due to hard stools. Its severity varies from person to person depending on their lifestyle and dietary habits. A person having urgency to defecate, once a day or not at all, is referred to as constipated.

What Causes Constipation?

The presence of either two or three of the following factors in a person’s lifestyle can cause constipation in that particular person:

•    Low fiber diet

•    Inadequate fluid intake

•    Sedentary lifestyle

•    Some medicines (anesthetics, antacids, and diuretics)

•    Hypothyroidism

What Dietary Factors are Important in Constipation?

When it comes to dietary modifications, the first thing that comes to mind is a high-fiber diet.

Dietary fiber is of two types; soluble and insoluble, and both help to improve the quality of digestion. To support the action of fiber, a person should consume foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics too. And, dairy products are rich in these healthy organisms.

Once the digestion process is balanced, the next step is to improve the quality of food movement through the intestine. And for this, adequate intake of water and appropriate level of activity are the best options. This whole pack of a balanced diet and active lifestyle will effectively help to reduce the condition of constipation.

Fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, pulses, nuts, and seeds are considered to be the best sources of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Remedies other than daily foods

Although this condition generally does not get to that point where the need for additional help may arise. But, in case a person needs some extra assistance to get over this complication, he or she can use the following natural herbs as laxatives:

Psyllium Husk and Senna Leaves are traditionally used remedies to reduce digestive issues like constipation. These are perfect mixtures of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber which help in improving the movement of foods throughout the digestive system, by adding bulk to foods.

In all this discussion, things to remember are, “the use of laxatives should be discontinued as soon as normal bowel function is restored and should not be consumed for a longer period.”

References:

•    https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation#1

•    https://www.healthline.com/health/psyllium-health-benefits#laxative

•    https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-160981/fiber-laxative-psyllium-husk-oral/details

•    https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-652/senna

•    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2835784/