Constipation: only a few want to address it and we need to talk about it

How many of us have wondered about our own poop? Data shows that almost 20% of people suffer from constipation Worldwide and many don’t even know it. 

What is constipation?

Stool evacuation is different for different people. For some 3 times a week is normal and for others 3 times a day is also normal. It’s essential we pay attention to our own bodies so we can see changes. The ideal is to evacuate every day, meaning what goes in, goes out. But we don’t live in an ideal world and we can only try our best.

What is important is to understand that bowel moments should not be painful or difficult to pass. 

Some Basic Symptoms from constipation

• Not evacuating every day
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Gas
• Food sensitivity
• Pain from passing stools

What causes constipation

Although there are other causes for constipation like slow transition, pregnancy or other diseases like IBS, we can find that in general, these are some of the most common causes for constipation:

1. Poor fibre diet
2. Not drinking enough water
3. Travelling
4. Stress
5. Not exercising
6. Medication

Types of constipation

There are different reasons why some people are constipated, some of these reasons are physiological and medical like problems with pelvic floor dysfunction or slow-transit stools, but I would like to address a more general issue that can be resolved much easier.

• Normal-transit bowels are most common and still, we find that food is many times the cause for constipation. Eating well and drinking enough water can help enormously to avoid our stools getting stuck in our digestive system.

Here are some helpful ideas to keep us moving: 

1. Start your day with a glass of water. Start with 1cup, if you are not used to it and increase to 2 cups over time. This will wake up your system hydrating your body helping muscles to move in your intestine.
2. Sitting on the toilet every day at the same time without straining, can help your body to create a routine to evacuate in the morning. Try this to see what happens. 
3. Eat more fibre! All plants have fibre and together with water, it’s the way to move things inside. Veggies, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds are packed with nutritious fibre that we need every day. Try to find a way to eat at least 30-35g of fibre. If you are already there, increase to 50g. Add a few grams here and there each day, go slow, this will also give you a chance to add a diversity of foods that helps your gut to thrive. 
4. Move! Don’t sit around, after dinner and go for a walk, even if it is a short one. Moving is essential to keep our bowel moving too. Exercise is not only good for our bowels but for our mind because it releases neurotransmitters called endorphins which helps us feel good. 

      When we feel good, we see things more positive. Our heart pump more blood and our lungs breathe deeper oxygen, can you see where I’m going?

What if only food does not help with constipation?

Sometimes, only increasing water and more fibre is not the only solution. We need a little help to untuck what is inside already.

My favourite and most used remedy in my family and many of my clients is this poop paste.

I found this on the Cancer Center website many years ago and it’s been a keeper. Research has shown that prunes are an excellent and powerful tool to use when it’s needed. 
For those that have not already seen my “poop” post on Instagram here is the recipe.

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