Tips to relieve Constipation

I am suffering from severe constipation with bleeding and pain while passing motion. What diet will ease movement of bowels and relieve me?

The first factor to consider in the case of constipation is your water intake. You have to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. This may seem impossible but it only requires a little planning. Drink two glasses of lukewarm water on rising. One around breakfast time, between breakfast and lunch fit in two glasses, around lunchtime one glass and between lunch and dinner 2-3 glasses is a must. Take one glass at dinner time and if necessary one more at bedtime. If still constipated your personal water requirement may be more so add 2-3 glasses more. Two to three liters water per day is the ideal.

The second factor to be considered is exercise. You must have a regular 20 -30 minutes walk planned in your daily schedule. Walking helps to regulate most of the hormone systems in our bodies and also helps to relieve stress and tension which can lead to constipation. It therefore regularizes the bowel movement.

Now let’s look at the diet. Try to eat whole grain cereals like whole wheat (atta) chapattis and ragi instead of rice at all meals. Rice is a refined cereal where the skin of the grain has been removed by polishing. Sooji (rava) and maida are also refined products from which the skin of the wheat grain have been removed. Atta, dhalia, ragi, oats ,corn,jowar and bajra are cereal grains which are consumed with the skin. This increases the fiber in the diet. The fact most affecting bowel movement is the fiber content or the roughage in the diet. Whole pulses like channaa, rajma, moong, etc., also add additional fiber and it is still more if they are sprouted so they too are good for relieving constipation.

Besides, these try to increase your vegetable intake. Make sure you are eating a sabji or pallya for lunch along with a cup of salad. At dinner too a large bowl of raw salad, about two cups, is a must. Increase your fruit intake, at least two fruits per day is ideal. You can have a some papaya or an orange at 11 am. and an apple, pear or guava at 6.30 pm and some papaya after dinner. Always try to eat a whole fruit instead of a juice and whole vegetables instead of a soup so that you get the fiber.

Besides this try to avoid very rich and oily foods. Reduce salt intake specially reduce intake of fried salty snacks like papad, chips, namken and mixture. These salty foods will result in water retention in your body which will lead to constipation. Chinese food which is also high in fat and salt content may cause constipation.

Finally heavy consumption of alcohol and aerated drinks must be avoided. All these things tend to create fluid retention and thereby increase constipation. When you drink one bottle of Coke or Pepsi you are consuming 150 cals or 7 teaspoons of sugar. Three large pegs of whisky is 450 cals or 22 teaspoons of sugar. When such large amounts of sugar enter the blood, the concentration rises. This causes water that is to be excreted to be retained so that the blood concentration can be brought back down to normal. This will result in constipation.