How to Achieve Healthy Bowel Movements
A regular bowel movement depends from person to person. As some visit the comfort room almost every day, others do their thing at least thrice a week. Health experts say that as long as one doesn’t suffer from constipation, thrice a week or three times in a day bowel movements are never an issue. Individuals suffer from constipation when their stool is dry, hard, and painful. Constipation may also be defined as having fewer bowel movements than they usually do.
Many suggest that to avoid constipation, turn to a high-fiber diet. Foods rich in fiber are fruits and vegetables, grains and nuts, beans, and legumes. These types of nourishment are often readily available in the market or grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables, for example, are also natural to take as one can eat them raw or baked. Individuals can also enjoy them as a shake, smoothie or dessert. Examples of fruits rich in fiber are apples, pears, and pineapples.
The Risk of Constipation
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You may already know that constipation can lead to other health issues like bloating and gas. But did you know that constipation can impact your hormones?
In fact, a study published in the journal “Hormones and Behavior” found that women who had irregular bowel movements suffered from lower levels of estrogen and higher levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can be linked with increased belly fat.
One of the best ways to help manage these hormone imbalances is by drinking lots of water and eating more fiber-rich foods. A recent study even found that women who drank more water before bedtime experienced less stress during the night — likely because they were feeling more relaxed overall
Constipation Symptoms
Bowel movements occur every day. They are part of the digestive process, but they can also be a sign that something is wrong with your digestive system. If you have any of the following symptoms, talk to your doctor or gastroenterologist:
- Constipation
- Hard stools
- Infrequent bowel movements (less than once a day)
- Blood in the stool
How to Achieve Healthy Bowel Movements
The goal of a healthy bowel movement is to pass stool that is formed by the body’s own bacteria and enzymes. When you eat too much-refined sugar, your intestines can become inflamed, leading to constipation. The result? A blockage in your bowel can result in painful cramps and even hemorrhoids.
If some aren’t too fond of grains like brown rice and barley or hate vegetables high in fiber like carrots, kale, and broccoli, there are still a lot of options to have a healthy bowel movement. Jumping into high fiber consumption is just one of the many ways to avoid constipation.
Enumerated here are more ways to prevent that dry, painful stool experience.
Hydrate
Increase consumption of fluids, especially water, helps soften the stool. Fruit and vegetable smoothies also help meet a person’s fluid requirement for the body. Examples of fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water are cucumber, melon, and zucchini.
Try smoothies for easy digestion
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There’s no need to go on a diet to improve your digestive health – just try adding more fruits and veggies to your diet. Smoothies are a great way to get the nutrients you need while avoiding excess calories. They’re also packed with fruits and vegetables, which contain vitamins and minerals that support a healthy digestive system.
Research has shown that smoothies can help you to break down and digest the food you consume more easily than regular foods. Smoothies provide fiber, which helps your digestive system work properly and helps with bowel movements.
Here’s how:
Add 1-2 cups of fresh fruit or vegetables to a blender with 1 cup of yogurt or milk. Blend until smooth, then add some ice and enjoy!
Choose a fruit juice or vegetable juice base. If you’re making a smoothie out of whole fruits or vegetables, try using 100% fruit juice for a sweeter taste that won’t overwhelm the other flavors in your smoothie. If you’re using vegetable juice instead, go with something like carrot juice or beetroot juice — these will add nutrients without adding too much sweetness.
Probiotics
Probiotics are good bacteria inside the human intestines that promote digestion. Studies have shown that probiotics are an effective cure for constipation. They can be available in supplement forms like probiotic drinks and chewy tablets. Aside from these supplements, a cup of yogurt a day, as well as kimchi, are an effective way to avoid constipation. All these contain live, friendly bacteria.
Fish Oil
Many have thought that Omega-3 fatty acids are only best in preventing and managing heart disease. Studies have shown that fish oil is also helpful in controlling symptoms including constipation. Fish rich in Omega-3 are tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Caution, though, is advised as one takes these kinds of fish. Some may contain mercury and other contaminants.
Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and some over-the-counter drugs. It works by interfering with the production of adenosine in the body. Adenosine is a natural substance that makes you feel tired and drowsy after you’ve been awake for a while. Caffeine blocks the action of adenosine and makes you feel more alert.
When you drink caffeine, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol which increase your heart rate and constricts blood vessels in your digestive system. This slows down digestion and can lead to constipation.
The best way to avoid these side effects of caffeine is simply not to drink it in large amounts throughout the day or night!
Follow a Regular Schedule
Try going to the bathroom at the same time each day (afternoon or evening) so that there’s less chance of having a rushed bowel movement on those days when you’re tired or stressed out.
Take a bath or shower before bedtime if you have trouble sleeping because of constipation or diarrhea during the night.
Healthy Bowel Movements
Constipation is not a happy problem. It can cause stress and affect the daily living of the person suffering from one. This kind of discomfort may be brought by the wrong choice of food, lifestyle choices even, and some medication. As individuals experience painful bowel movements, they must increase their fluid intake, opt for some probiotic supplements, and check those high-fiber riched foods.
There are many natural ways to relieve oneself of constipation. Individuals can do all these in the convenience of their homes.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
