Foods that Provide Relief from Constipation

Foods that Provide Relief from Constipation

All of us know what constipation is, but not many know how to treat it. People often get anxious as they don’t know how to prevent this condition. This article aims to help readers understand what constipation is, what are its causes, and what foods one should consume if they are constipated.

What is constipation?
Constipation is the partial, or in rare cases, complete inability to pass stools or have bowel moments. It may also cause mild to extreme pain. Constipation can occur to anyone at any time, and generally, it is common in young people below the age of 20. The problem usually goes away in a day, though sometimes, in severe cases, it may take weeks to cure this condition.

What are the causes of constipation?
While the causes of constipation can vary depending upon one’s diet, age, and location, the common causes of constipation are as follows:

  • Sudden changes to your diet or activities
  • Inadequate consumption of water or fiber
  • Eating a lot of dairy products
  • Not being active
  • Resisting the urge to have bowel moments
  • Stress or tension
  • Overuse of laxatives
  • Medications such as strong painkillers, narcotics, antidepressants, iron pills, and any supplement taken in bulk
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Pregnancy
  • Aging
  • Other changes in the routine like the excessive intake of carbs or fats
  • Other forms of disorders and diseases

What should one do if they experience these bowel problems for more than a day?
If you don’t wish to visit the doctor and want to treat your problem at home, it’s rather easy. Adopting a diet for constipation can go a long way of not only curing the problem but also preventing it in the future.

What should one consume if they have constipation?

Water
If you have constipation, you should drink a lot of water, irrespective of how severe your condition may be. Having around 67 ounces a day can help eliminate the problem.

Fiber
According to studies, women between 31 to 50 years should aim to eat at least 0.05 pounds of fiber daily, while men in that age range should eat about 0.08 pounds. And as we grow older, our bodies require lesser fiber than before. Women over 51 years of age need about 0.04 pounds of fiber, while men should get at least 0.06 pounds. If you need to increase your fiber intake, add it to your diet gradually to avoid bloating. You shouldn’t suddenly increase your intake from 0.02 pounds of fiber to 0.05 pounds. Younger people can have around 0.11 pounds of fiber every day. You can add the following fiber-rich foods to your diet to get relief from constipation.

Apples and prunes
Apples are rich in fiber. One medium-sized apple with the skin on (about 0.4 pounds) contains 0.01 pounds of fiber, which is 17% of the daily recommended intake. So, in this case, an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Prunes are another excellent alternative. You can also add kiwi and pears to your diet if you wish to get relief from constipation.

Oranges and citrus fruits
People with constipation must add citric foods to their diet. Rich in nutrients, oranges contain about 0.29 pounds of fiber as well. Thus, you must try and have oranges or other fruits like kiwis regularly.

Spinach and other greens
One must consider including leafy vegetables like spinach in their diet if they are facing the problem of constipation. Other than spinach, you can also have Brussels sprouts as it is not only rich in fiber but also an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. If you don’t like the taste of these foods by themselves, you can add them to meals like a bowl of pasta, or a plate of stir-fried noodles.

Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most healthy food items available. This green vegetable is a fantastic source of essential vitamins, protein, and fiber. Eating plenty of vegetables is necessary for good digestive health. Add a cup of cooked broccoli to any lunch or dinner to get an additional 0.01 pounds of fiber.

Nuts, berries and dry fruits
Doctors recommend adding a handful of nuts like pistachios, peanuts, almonds, or walnuts to your diet every day. Toss them into your yogurt, salad, or just munch on them as a midday snack to boost your fiber intake. They are an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, and just half a cup of almonds can give you almost 0.02 pounds of fiber. If you’re looking for a healthy snack that you can have on the go, you should pick a dried fruit like prunes.

Thus, these are the items that you can include in your diet to get relief from constipation. You can also ask your doctor for suggestions. However, if these dietary changes are not helping, you must go to a doctor as soon as possible.

Related Reading

Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Most of the dogs do not have a food fuss and may eat almost anything that you feed them. Dogs are not choosy at all when it comes to food and nutrition. Hence, it is important to make sure that the food that you are purchasing for your dog is healthy. The landscape of dog food has been developing by leaps and bounds in recent times. There is a wide variety of options to choose from in the online and offline market. Given the wide range of options that are available today, buying the best dog food might seem to be a confusing task indeed. All the commercial pet food that is available in the market today is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, most of the products do contain nutritious, healthy, and safe ingredients. But it does help to know certain basic factors you should look for while buying food for your dog. Prioritize on the nutritional guarantee The best dog food, which meets the dog’s needs adequately has a statement written on the label of the product, from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Buy from some of the best dog food brands, such as Fromm Family Foods, Earthborn Holistic, Nature’s Variety Instinct, and The Honest Kitchen.
Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

The most important aspect when designing your kitchen is deciding on the type of cabinets. In addition to functionality, kitchen cabinets score on aesthetics as well. Once the layout is planned, you can go ahead with choosing the cabinets. If you’re remodeling your home or just the kitchen, what you need to consider are the types of cabinets that furnish your kitchen. Here are a few types of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from. Base cabinets These kitchen cabinets are mounted on the floor and they are placed after checking out the floor plan. A major part of your job in the kitchen is on these base cabinets, which hold and support the countertops. These base cabinets are combined to carve out kitchen islands. A number of base cabinets are fused/set against one another and installed on site. The base cabinets, in addition to supporting the countertops, serve as drawers to hold your cutlery and appliances. Wall cabinets Mounted on the walls, these cabinets can store everything, right from your cookware to cookbooks. In terms of design, they offer utmost flexibility. Wall cabinet kitchen is available in varying heights, multiple widths, and custom depth options. This customization helps you to fit in your stuff of varying shapes and sizes into the wall cabinets.
How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

In today’s world, where you are presented with over a dozen choices for every item you would purchase for your own kitchen, it is not surprising that you have an equal number of options for your dog’s food. However, choosing the perfect brand and formula for your dog out of a range of options in the market is not an easy job. Your pet depends on you and trusts you to make the right choice for them. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your research about the products available in the market, understand what your dog needs, know what might be your pet’s problems, and then make a sound decision. What is a sensitive stomach? Dogs are known to have voracious and large appetites. Keeping that in mind, it is normal to assume that they have strong stomachs. They can eat close to anything be it sweets, bakes, chewy gum, hard leather or even woolen socks for that matter! It always so happens that the strongest of them are prone to allergies and can develop a disorder which is medically translated as a sensitive stomach. This might be due to a sudden change in the food habits or even due an infection picked up from somewhere.
All You Need to Know about Cat Food

All You Need to Know about Cat Food

For cat owners, cat food is a hot topic. You need to think about it in different aspects. The best thing is to know which ingredients are good for cat food and which are harmful. If you are aware of this, you can get an idea about the quality of the cat food just by going through the label. It is always sensible to stick to one brand of cat food. However, you may also want to try and prepare cat food yourself. There are also various options for wet cat food as well. Cat’s love for fish is universal, so you can do without going for expensive cat food. Nevertheless, whether you buy it or prepare cat food at home, you need to ensure that the food contains enough nutrition and calories. You would need to have some idea about the ingredients that must be present in cat food and make a worthy selection for your cat. Basic ingredients present in good cat foods Cats need a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and active; they need various vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and oils. The following is a brief explanation of the basic ingredients that should be present in cat foods.