Constipation is when you have bowel movements (stools) that are hard to pass or happen less often than usual for you. You may feel like you need to have a bowel movement but are not able to. Constipation can cause belly pain and bloating (gas) and make you feel unwell.
Constipation can be cause by many factors, including taking medications such as anti-anxiety drugs, antacids, blood pressure medications, etc. From abnormalities in the intestines from various diseases such as cancer or tumors of the colon, intestinal obstruction, etc. Which will block the intestines and prevent defecation. However, most of the chronic constipation that is most often is cause by the type of food we eat every day. If we eat nutritious foods that help with defecation, we can say goodbye to constipation.
Eating vegetables and fruits helps relieve constipation. Vegetables and fruits are foods that contain fiber or dietary fiber that helps with excretion. UFABET recommend that you should eat at least 20-30 grams of dietary fiber per day or eat at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day because dietary fiber helps stimulate intestinal contractions and improves excretion.
- Fruits: all kinds of fruits, such as guava, sweet tamarind, bananas, prunes, berries, apples, papaya.
- Vegetables: all kinds of vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, yardlong beans, artichokes, asparagus, onions.
- Whole grain rice and flour: such as brown rice, oats, barley, whole wheat bread, various cereals.
- Dried beans : such as peas, soybeans, mung beans, red beans, black beans.
- Other plants: such as konjac, jelly, tamarind seeds, basil seeds, etc.
Drink more water. We should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day or at least 2 liters a day. We should start the day by drinking water after waking up because there are many studies that study that drinking water after waking up will help the body’s waste excretion work more efficiently. And we should drink warm water or water at room temperature. Water also helps the food transport in the intestines easier, making it easier for us to excrete.
Eat foods that contain probiotics. Probiotics are microorganisms that are beneficial to the body. They help reduce inflammation in the intestines and help stimulate bowel movements for excretion. Probiotics are found in sour milk and yogurt.
For those who have had chronic constipation for a long time, in addition to vegetables and fruits that contain dietary fiber that we eat every day, we may supplement with certain types of foods that have laxative properties or help our bowel movements significantly improve, such as prunes, which are fruits that contain a lot of fiber and are a type of soluble fiber that the body can absorb quickly and produce results quickly. There are also other foods that have laxative properties, such as figs, kiwi, senna, basil seeds, ironwood leaves, tamarind, and bananas.
In addition to eating vegetables and fruits that are high in fiber, eating foods that contain probiotics, and drinking enough water, exercising regularly helps the intestines move well, which can also help reduce constipation.