Written by Atiqah Jasin, Marketing Executive
CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a common complaint that often results from the diet and lifestyle. The medical community defines constipation as a reduction in bowel movements or difficulty passing stools.
People who are constipated may have:
- hard, dry, or lumpy stools
- stools that look like small stones or marbles
- pain and discomfort during bowel movements
- a feeling of being unable to empty the bowels fully
- a loss of appetite due to a continual sense of fullness
- a slightly swollen belly
A person may also notice small streaks of bright red blood in the stools or on the toilet paper after wiping.
Everyone’s bowel habits are different, but people who are constipated usually have fewer than three bowel movements per week.
In this article, we look at 9 foods that you SHOULD avoid during constipation.
AVOID THESE 9 TYPE OF FOODS
Dairy
If you get constipated often, do yourself a favour and take a look at your diet. Among the foods that may block you up, too much cheese and milk. But you may not have to give up dairy, just eat less of it and change your choices. Try yogurt with probiotics, live bacteria that’s good for your digestive system. It may help relieve constipation.
Fast or Prepared Foods
Does your busy lifestyle have you eating on the go? Those readymade meals may be convenient, but they could cause a backup. Most are low in fibre, which you need to help food move through your system. By taking time to slow down, you may speed up your digestion.
Fried Food
Consider opting for an entrée with more fibre if you’re having a tough time on the toilet. Fried foods are full of fat and are hard to digest. When food moves through your colon slowly, too much water can be taken out of it. That makes for a hard, dry stool.
Eggs
They’re high in protein but low in fibre. You don’t have to take them off the menu. Just add some high-fibre foods into the mix. Try an omelette with fresh spinach and tomatoes.
Tender Meat
Full of protein and fat but lacking in fiber, that juicy steak needs to be balanced with a side of broccoli. That’ll help herd it comfortably through your digestive system.
Cupcakes
Add possible constipation to the many reasons a sweet dessert should be an occasional, not regular, thing. Pastries, cookies, and other treats with refined sugar are low in fibre and fluids, and high in fat. That’s no good if you’re having trouble keeping things moving. Satisfy your sweet tooth with strawberries and yogurt. Your tummy will thank you for it.
White Bread
Too much of this will give you hard, dry stools. It’s made with low-fibre white flour. Go for whole-grain toast instead. It may help your next trip to the bathroom go more smoothly.
Caffeine
A couple cups of coffee makes some people race to the bathroom, but it can have the opposite effect, too. The caffeine in coffee and soft drinks can keep your body from holding onto water, and you need H2O to stay regular. If you’re constipated, skip that second cup until things pass.
Alcohol
Like coffee, booze can make it hard for your body to hang onto water. That can spell trouble for your bathroom visits until you get hydrated again. If you’re going to have a cocktail, nurse a glass of water at the same time to keep things flowing.