Do you know that 1 in 7 adults adults are affected by constipation at any time . With the elderly aged 75 years and over, 30% hospital admission is due to constipation. I suffered this for years until I changed my diet . Now it’s the first order of the day once I’m up . That’s how powerful diet is !
So what is constipation ?
It’s defined medically as a difficulty in passing stools or the infrequent passage of hard, dry stools due to food moving slowly through the large intestine . I suffered from both of the above years back when my diet was horrible . I must add that most people will experience this from time to time .
What are the causes ?
- Not consuming enough amounts of fiber and fluid in the diet
- Inadequate exercise
- Bowel diseases like IBS
- Poor diet
- As a side effect of some medications: painkillers like Opioids eg codeine , morphine
- Anti-depressants : the SSRI’s like Prozac
- Blood pressure tablets
- Calcium channel blockers eg Diltiazem and Amlodipine
- Anti-histamines like Benadryl
- Side effect of some supplements like calcium and of iron because of poor absorption , hence the importance of taking vitamin C with iron tablets
- Having kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Pregnancy ( I suffered that during my 3 pregnancies )
COMPLICATIONS :
- Appendicitis
- Hernia
- Varicose veins
- *Bowel cancer : it’s important that we are very aware of this and make sure constipation doesn’t lead to it
- Obesity
- Body odour
- Estrogen dominance and fibroids because bowel movements are required to eliminate toxins and bad estrogen
DEALING WITH CONSTIPATION :
- Eat a high fiber diet which include leafy vegetables, beans , whole grains, sweet potato, okro
- Drink more water and healthy fluids
- Reduce consumption of fried foods
- Reduce consumption of refined and processed foods
- Exercise
- Eat foods high in Pectin like okro, citrus , apples , cabbage , bananas
- Avoid processed and refined foods
- Add psyllium husk to smoothies and some swallows
- Eat prunes and figs as they are natural laxatives
- Taking laxatives : This should be short term only .
Next blog post will focus on the laxatives : the types and herbs we can use to ease constipation.
More health tips available my podcast and social media platforms.
