West Valley Medical Center - March 01, 2017

No Poop? No Problem: How to Prevent And Stop Constipation.

Become A Human Cactus

You don't need to dress up in a costume. But you do need to take a page from the plant's book: Fill yourself with water. Dehydration causes your body to steal water from stool in order to put it into your bloodstream. Stool that has less water can be trickier to pass.

Most people need about 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Not sure that's enough? If you notice that your urine is dark yellow or amber-colored, it's time to fill your water bottle.

Don't Forget Your Fiber

Eating lots of fiber makes your poop cycle more normal and regular, since fiber helps keep water in the stool. So, don't skimp out on your favorite fiber-filled foods. Fortunately, there are lots of them, as the next few points will show.

A Fabulous Fiber Trio

  • Veggies: Spinach, Artichoke, Broccoli, Onions
  • Nuts: Pecans, Almonds, pistachios
  • Legumes: Lentils, Peas, Beans, Carob, Chickpeas, Soybeans

Mix it up a little. For example, try a veggie smoothie with a bunch of high-fiber veggies included (recommended: the green goddess smoothie at HappyFoodHealthyLife.com). Or toss a fresh salad with delicious chickpeas and pecans.

Fiber-licious Fruits

Give yourself a summery infusion of nature's best:

  • Tangerines
  • Berries
  • Prunes
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Figs and other dried fruit

In-Grain These Fiber Sources Into Your Diet

Not all carbs are bad for you:

  • Popcorn
  • Bran Muffins
  • Brown Rice
  • Whole-grain bread
  • Oatmeal
  • High-fiber cereals like bran, Grape Nuts, and puffed wheat

Foods That Are A No-Go When You're Having A No-Go

Foods to avoid when your're having constipation includes:

  • Ice cream
  • Cheese
  • Chips
  • Fast Food
  • Meat
  • Prepared foods like snack foods or frozen meals
  • Processed foods like hot dogs or certain microwavable dinners

Low-fiber foods like these might make your stool hard, but that doesn't mean you can never eat them. With constipation, you might just want to temporarily avoid these foods.

Don't Skip Dinner

Or any meal, for that matter. Many foods like high-fiber selections act as natural laxatives, helping your body move bowels. Skipping meals means less of these natural laxatives.

Don't Be Lax About Medical Leaxatives, Either

You might consider an over-the-counter laxative or stool softener to give your body a little push when you're feeling stuck. But you need to be careful about how you use them.

  • If you have allergies or are on prescription medications, ask your physician before taking a laxative.
  • Try not to take other prescription medications within 2 hours of taking a laxative.
  • Don't use them for longer than a week. You could lose muscle tone in your bowels, causing chronic constipation. Sounds fun, right?

Anything Else?

When you feel the urge, don't coop the poop:
When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Move your body, move your bowels:
Staying active and exercising can prevent and relieve constipation.

Don't be embarrassed to give your doc the scoop on your poop:
Constant constipation could signal an underlying condition like diabetes or hypothyroidism.

Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, US National Library of Medicine, Merck Manuals