Basics of a Diet to Prevent Constipation
You are trying hard to eat vegetables and drink water, looking for a diet that won't cause constipation. Even so, you may still experience bloating or difficulty passing stool.
Constipation is not determined by diet alone. It can also be caused by a combination of lifestyle rhythms, stress, aging, illness, and the effects of medication.
The important thing is not to rely on specific foods, but to gradually find a way of eating that suits your own stomach.
▼ What you will learn in this article
━━━━━━━━━━
⏱ This article takes about 4 minutes to read
━━━━━━━━━━
Constipation cannot be judged by frequency alone
Constipation does not just refer to a state of infrequent bowel movements.
Hard stools, straining hard, feeling like you haven't finished, or feeling like stool is stuck at the exit are also included in constipation.
It is important to look not only at whether you go every day, but also at whether you are able to pass stool without difficulty.
Also, constipation is not necessarily caused by a lack of effort. Multiple causes are involved, such as reduced food intake, lack of exercise, environmental changes, stress, and medications being taken.
━━━━━━━━━━
If you want to know how stress and stomach symptoms are connected, this article is also helpful.
▼ Read also
“Reasons for Stomach Pain Due to Stress and How to Choose Herbal Medicine”
━━━━━━━━━━
Combine types of dietary fiber
Dietary fiber is broadly divided into insoluble and soluble types.
Insoluble dietary fiber increases stool bulk and helps intestinal movement. It is found in grains, beans, potatoes, vegetables, and mushrooms.
Soluble dietary fiber holds water and has the effect of softening stool. Barley, fruits, and seaweed are typical examples.
Rather than leaning toward one or the other, it is easier to incorporate into your daily diet by combining barley rice, natto, fruits, seaweed, etc.
Start by adding just one item
For constipation countermeasures, there is no need to increase dietary fiber in large amounts all at once.
For example, mix pressed barley into white rice, add kiwi or natto to breakfast, or choose mushrooms or seaweed for side dishes. Start with one item first.
When you eat breakfast, the stimulation of food entering the stomach makes the large intestine move more easily. Water also softens stool and supports the work of dietary fiber.
However, drinking a lot of water does not improve all constipation. If you have fluid restrictions, please prioritize the instructions of your primary care physician.
━━━━━━━━━━
Increase dietary fiber gradually
If you increase dietary fiber suddenly, gas and abdominal bloating may become stronger.
Especially for people who are prone to bloating or who feel like stool is stuck at the exit, increasing fiber may make them feel more uncomfortable.
Do not seek results in a few days, and adjust little by little while watching the bloating and the condition of your stool.
People with diabetes, decreased kidney function, heart failure, hyperkalemia, etc., need individual adjustments for the amount of fruit, water, and potassium. Do not change things significantly on your own judgment; please consult a doctor or registered dietitian.
Signs that you should prioritize seeing a doctor over diet
If you have the following symptoms, do not just increase dietary fiber and wait to see what happens; please consult a medical institution.
・Severe abdominal pain or vomiting
・Bloody stool
・Stomach is bloated and no gas is coming out
・Unintentional weight loss
・Bowel movements have changed suddenly recently
Antipsychotics, drugs with anticholinergic effects, opioid painkillers, iron supplements, etc., may be related to constipation.
Even if you think medication might be the cause, avoid stopping it on your own. By telling your doctor or pharmacist about the frequency and hardness of your stool and your abdominal bloating, it may be possible to review your medication or constipation treatment.
━━━━━━━━━━
Finding a way of eating that suits your intestines
The basics of a diet that is less likely to cause constipation is not to keep eating special foods.
Combine grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, seaweed, and mushrooms within a reasonable range, and be conscious of breakfast and water intake. And, continue little by little while watching the condition of your stomach.
Constipation that does not improve even after adjusting your diet is a symptom that does not have to be solved by endurance or effort.
Let's find a method that suits your stomach together with medical professionals.