Let’s talk about something that nobody really wants to talk about, especially women.
CONSTIPATION is not something you bring up over a cup of tea or while shopping with friends. Yet, without a doubt, it is a condition that everyone has experienced. When is constipation normal, and when is it considered serious? What can you do to prevent this uncomfortable condition? I hope this article will answer some of the questions you may be too embarrassed to ask your doctor or friends.
What happens in the gut
After you eat, food passes through your digestive system and is broken down into nutrients, which are absorbed by the body. When it passes through the large intestine, water is absorbed from it and it becomes solid waste. Through a process called peristalsis, where the muscles of the intestines contract in an ordered sequence, the waste is squeezed through the rectum and anus as a bowel movement.
When you can’t “go”
Constipation occurs when the stool passes through the large intestine too slowly. When this happens, the intestine removes too much water, making the stool hard and dry. As a result, not only do you go to the toilet less often, it also becomes difficult to pass a bowel movement. The actual frequency of bowel motions will differ for everyone. If you usually pass motion three times a week, it doesn’t mean you are constipated compared to someone who passes motion twice a day, unless you start passing motion fewer than three times a week.
Other giveaway signs are pain while passing motion, having to strain, a feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, and dry, hard stools (resembling rabbit pellets). Straining may not be effective and may even cause piles and rectal bleeding. Often, people with constipation feel full very quickly when eating, bloated, lethargic, and may even experience nausea and vomiting. If constipation is associated with severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or passing blood and mucus in bowel motions, then it requires immediate medical attention.
Why constipation occurs
Your bowel habits are affected by the foods you eat, how much you exercise, and other lifestyle factors. Diet is a major lifestyle factor that can cause constipation. Fibre from fruits, vegetables, and grains helps to form soft, bulky stools that are easily passed. Not having enough fibre in your diet could cause constipation. Not drinking enough liquids can also lead to constipation. Changing your normal exercise or travel habits, or experiencing a lot of stress, can also disrupt the regularity of your bowel movements. Some people are so busy that they sometimes ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.
This means the stool stays inside the large intestine longer than it should, causing more absorption of water. Calcium and iron supplements, as well as painkillers with codeine, diuretics, anti- depressants, and some antacids can also contribute to constipation. Some medical conditions can also cause constipation. These include pregnancy or having given birth; problems with the muscles and nerves in the intestine, rectum or anus; irritable bowel syndrome; diabetes; and hypothyroidism. Constipation may be inevitable in some of these cases, but treating the underlying condition may help to alleviate it.
Prevention and relief
Your diet is the easiest thing to change. Ensure you have more fibre in your diet. Take more fruits, vegetables, legumes (such as peas and beans), and grains (wholegrain cereals and breads). Be sure to have a variety of these foods, as they contain fibre in varying amounts. Add these to your diet a little at a time, so that your body gets used to it. If you take too much fibre in one go, you may get gassy and bloated. Cut down on foods that have little, or no fibre eg high-calories foods and processed foods. Drink plenty of water and other liquids, such as clear soups and juices. Coffee and alcohol do not help because they make you excrete more water.
You can also get fibre pills or powders from the pharmacy, but be sure not to take too many because that can lead to other problems. Regular exercise helps your digestive system stay active and healthy, and provides so many other benefits to your body and mind. One of the causes of constipation I mentioned earlier is ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement. So make sure you pay attention to this urge and give yourself time to go to the restroom.
If you know that you have your bowel movement at a certain time of the day, visit the restroom at that time. Allow yourself to relax, and don’t think about having to rush out of the house or back to work. Ask your doctor about the medicines or supplements that you are taking. Do not stop your prescribed medications without your doctor’s advice.
Finally, you may want to resort to laxatives, upon your doctor’s advice. Mild constipation does not require laxatives. These should only be prescribed if you have tried everything else, but are still constipated. Generally, a healthy lifestyle with a proper diet, regular exercise, and manageable levels of stress should help you maintain regular bowel movements. Don’t be shy about bringing it up with your doctor if this troubles you – it is the most natural thing in life, and can have a serious effect on your body and your daily habits.
The Star Newspaper, Sunday June 28, 2009
BY DR NOR ASHIKIN MOKHTAR
