Constipation Awareness Month: What is Chronic Constipation?

Cause of Chronic Constipation

Constipation is an outcome of a variety of small causes. Below are some causes that you should be aware of.

Eating food low in Fiber:

While consuming enough fiber has plenty of health benefits, a lack of fiber results in painful bowel movements.

Not drinking enough water:

Stool passes through the intestines, and if there is less water content in the body, the intestines absorb water from the stool in order to not let it go to waste. This causes the stool passing to be hard and painful.

Exercising insufficiently:

The more you move, the more efficient the colon becomes. If the body does not go through enough physical activity for long periods, it can lead to chronic constipation.

Overconsumption of dairy products:

Dairy products can affect or slow down your gut. Overconsumption of cheese or milk can lead to chronic constipation if not balanced with fibrous food.

Chronic constipation causes immense discomfort and can significantly hinder our smoothly functioning routine. Certain tweaks in your lifestyle can result in better gut health. 

On the arrival of constipation awareness month 2022, let’s talk about the changes we can bring about so that our bowels continue to do what they do best.  

Consume More Fibrous Food

Include more fibrous foods in your diet like whole grains, fruits, spinach, nuts, seeds, legumes and other green vegetables such as broccoli.  

Warm Water

Downing a glass of water every morning as soon as you wake up triggers your bowel movement. Drinking warm water early in the morning helps cleanse the bowels, and if this is done regularly, chronic constipation can be avoided. 

Cut Alcohol and Caffeine

The effects of alcohol and caffeine directly impact the Bowles because alcohol and caffeine irritate the stomach.[1] These also have secondary side effects, such as affecting the sleep cycle and appetite, which again circle back to affect the gut.

Bring Exercise into your Routine

Our lifestyles are more sedentary than before. Sitting in front of screens for hours now counts as relaxation and fun instead of playing a sport and sweating it out. This lifestyle choice is one of the most important reasons for chronic constipation and other underlying issues. Get up and move about more than you do; dance, walk, jog, play a sport and Exercise daily.

Condition your body

Sometimes, all we need is to condition our bodies. Once we do that, the body learns to run on autopilot. Building a habit is when certain aspects of our body fall into place naturally. This may be challenging and time-consuming, but note that once your body knows when to perform a specific function, there is no going back. This kind of conditioning can only happen if other aspects, such as diet and exercise, are in place.

Even after building awareness about the causes of chronic constipation, if you develop constipation, here are the signs of chronic constipation. Owing to the constipation awareness month 2022 theme, let’s bring some signs to your notice so that you know when to act promptly.

• Passing hard and infrequent stool. If you experience less than three bowel movements per week, it could be a cause for concern
• The lumpy stool is something you might generally ignore, but if this is a recurring case, pay attention to it
• Strain in having bowel movements
• The sensation of not having emptied the stool from the rectum

If you notice any of the above, you could suffer from constipation which, if left unattended, might lead to it getting chronic.

Simple elements of our daily routine, like eating healthy and maintaining strong gut health, can save you a lot if done right. Anything small, if neglected, can turn into something chronic, like constipation. Minor lifestyle changes in the right direction can steer your life in a healthier direction. Remember to add leafy green vegetables, seeds, fruits, and frequent water intake to your diet.

The intensity of constipation can depend on many factors. Get an online appointment with Bajaj Finserv Health to learn about all these factors.

Constipation can affect people of all age groups; the sooner it is identified and treated, the better it is. This might appear minor but can cause secondary issues such as irritability and anger if it starts affecting your daily work.