Today we are going to be learning about pooping💩💩💩💩…. We’re going to learn how to poop more frequently and healthily…. For some going to the toilet in the morning is their worst experience of the day. They may spend more than 10 minutes on the toilet seat, trying really hard to push but nothing seems to come out because everything is blocked. There are many factors that can cause constipation. Some of the most common reasons include severe stress, a poor diet lack of exercise lack of sleep, dehydration and even a change of environment or time zone due to traveling. Here’s a fun fact!! Did you know that women suffer more from constipation than men? This could be due to the slower movement of food through a woman’s intestines as well as the effects of female hormones on the urinary tract Constipation is especially common in the days leading up to menstruation, during pregnancy and even after menopause So how frequently should you go to the toilet? There is no one straight answer as each individual’s bowel movement is different, for some it’s on a daily basis, some might even go up to three times a day, whereas for others it could be on alternate days, However if you have less than three bowel movements a week and your stools are dry, hard and difficult to pass you’re likely constipated. It is very important to have a healthy gut because your gut is your second brain, your gut health does not only affect you physically but also mentally and emotionally. I’m sure when you have been constipated for several days, your abdomen feels bloated and extremely uncomfortable making you agitated and even moody. All of us do face constipation occasionally, but if you’re someone who has to deal with it almost on a regular basis then try doing these seven things to help relieve constipation naturally. Drinking enough water is extremely important to keep everything moving in your digestive tract. Just think of your colon like a tube imagine that you’re eating, all these foods and they go into this tube, but there isn’t enough water to push the food down through the tube hence everything will start to get blocked and eventually harden. Drinking warm water helps to break down food faster than drinking cold water hence helping you to go to the bathroom more easily and reduce constipation. If warm water doesn’t even help you then the next step you can try is to drink a cup of hot coffee, for some people, consuming coffee can increase the urge to go to the bathroom, this is because coffee stimulates the muscles in the digestive system to contract causing a bowel movement, in fact a study found that the effect of coffee is 60% stronger than drinking water. Coffee also contains small amounts of soluble fibers that can help prevent constipation by improving the balance of gut bacteria. However for those suffering with ibis, caffeine could over stimulate your bowel making the digestive symptom worse so this method might not be for everyone depending on your digestive health, but caffeine certainly does help to relieve constipation. Just like eating sleeping and exercising you need to establish a poop routine as well for most people, some would go to the toilet first thing in the morning, for some it might be at the end of their day. Choose whatever works for you but you need to have a bowel movement at the same time every day and it needs to be at a time where you don’t feel rushed. For some of you, eating a small breakfast can help to stimulate the gastro colic reflex which can help waste move through your colon. So you might try going to the bathroom 15 to 45 minutes after breakfast but avoid having a heavy breakfast that could slow down your digestion and cause constipation Did you know that your toilet posture could also cause constipation? Let’s first take a look at our standard sitting toilet posture, typically a person sits on a western toilet bowl. The position is basically at a 90 degree position where your hips are bent while sitting on your toilet is comfortable. The placement of your upper legs at 90 degrees to your abdomen, disrupt the passage of your intestines making having a bowel movement more difficult. Some of you might find yourself bending your upper body forward while sitting thinking that it can help with your bowel movement. In fact it blocks it even further the natural human impulse is to squat while emptying the bowels. I’m sure some of you might have seen and even use those squatting type toilet bowls and it’s still pretty common in Asia, when you’re in a squatting position your knees are brought closer to your abdomen positioning your organs and muscles in a way that relaxes your rectum in a straight line this maximizes the efficiency of your bowel movement. Of course you can’t be squatting on your regular toilet bowl, it’s just dangerous. So what you can do is to place a low stool in front of your toilet seat and place your feet on the stool, this will help achieve the 35 degree hip angle that does not constrict your rectum and allow the stool to pass more smoothly. If you are constipated, eat more vegetables and fruits, this is because dietary fiber increases the size of your stools makes them softer and easier to pass. The general recommendation for dietary fiber intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men daily. If you don’t consume enough fiber in your diet, start adding more high fiber foods to your meals including fruits vegetables, beans and whole grain, breads and cereals but add it in slowly. If you start eating too much at once this can actually cause constipation. If you consume more than enough fiber yet your always bloated and constipated here’s what you need to know. Having too much fiber in your diet can also cause bloating gas and constipation this is especially uncommon if you’re someone who is following a vegan or a raw diet. Fiber is vital for healthy solid bowel movements, however, eating more than 70 grams of fiber a day, can cause bloating and constipation so don’t overdo it. The reasons why you have digestive issues is because of an imbalance in the bacteria that live naturally in your intestines. We need both pre and probiotics to keep your immune system strong and to support your overall digestive health. Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that helps keep your body healthy and working well. Probiotics are live bacteria cultures that we consume in fermented foods or in supplements fermented foods which are rich in probiotics include yogurt, tempeh, aged cheese, kefir sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and miso. While probiotic foods have live bacteria, prebiotic foods feed the good bacteria that already live in your gut. Foods rich in prebiotics include banana, apple, barley, oats, seaweed, asparagus, garlic, onions, artichokes and honey. The importance of regular exercise to your overall well-being muscular contraction is directly related to blood flow, less blood flow will mean weaker contractions which equals slower food transit time. When you exercise, especially, performing cardio training, you increase the blood flow in your body, hence stronger blood flow pumps through the intestinal muscles. This helps to stimulate the natural contraction of muscles in your intestines and decrease the transit time of food passing through your intestine. It doesn’t have to be a long or vigorous workout session even a short 15 to 30 minutes morning walk can help keep the digestive tract healthy stretching and even practicing yoga may also ease constipation. Certain yoga poses can be helpful because they reduce stress and increase blood flow to the digestive tract which stimulates the intestines to contract. One of the yoga poses include the deep yoga squat which mimic the squatting position of passing stool. So these are 7 simple tips to help relieve constipation naturally, try them out and let me know what works best for you. It is important to also remember that your digestive health still comes down to your overall lifestyle. Eat a well-balanced diet and avoid greasy or fatty foods, reduce your intake of fast foods alcohol and soft drinks. Get enough rest daily and move daily, do things that will reduce your stress levels. Occasional constipation is normal but if you experience pain every time you go to the toilet then speak to your doctor if you’re concerned about your ongoing constipation.
