It’s a wonderful day out and you have seen the best places, eaten every kind of tasty food and have had a general great time. You wake up bloated and irritated the next day, trying your best to move out of your bed and do so only after hurling some curses and praying to every god you can remember. And then, you realize, nature isn’t calling yet. Quite a shitty situation to be in (pun intended.)
I have nothing against having a great time, not at all. But there is this little problem called constipation that all of us face at some point but refuse to address. Instead, we spend our day in dinosaur mode, irritated with the slightest push life will give us and waiting for salvation that lies somewhere in the toilet. Perhaps it would be easier to take it seriously if it were doing some visible damage, right? But in reality, ignoring constipation is one of the worse things we can do to our mind and body. People have varied ideas about constipation. From the feeling of being perfectly empty to the number of times one must empty stomach in a day or week, there are various definitions for constipation; the only constant being the uncomfortable feeling it brings with it.
We think, does it matter if you have an irregular bowel movement? It can be corrected easily and has no long term effects so, is there a need to hyperventilate? Wrong. Constipation may look like a small disturbance on a daily basis, but has the potential to make you unproductive, lethargic; give you slow metabolism, poor appetite, sexual dissatisfaction, stress and other serious colon and rectum related diseases in the long run, greatly reducing one’s quality of life. Prevention is always better than cure.
There are some very small but important things we can pay attention to so that constipation doesn’t become an issue in the long run. They are as follows:
- Maintain good diet and stay hydrated.
A good diet’s importance cannot be stressed upon enough. Eating fibre-rich foods can greatly help in maintaining bowel health and eliminate body waste regularly. Also, a famous B-Wood dialogue tells us a universal truth: Paani ka kaam toh sirf paani hi karta hai!
- Set a sleep pattern.
Stress levels and bowel movements are coordinated. Adequate sleep helps us maintain a rested mind and body, helping your body to eliminate waste properly.
- Empty bowel at a fixed time every day.
Setting a daily routine to follow has multiple benefits for the body. Once the clock hits a certain time in the day, train your body to eliminate waste. Eventually, you will never have to strain your bowel to do its job.
- Exercise.
Move that body to a healthy swing. It will strengthen bowel muscles and help them expand and contract easily.
The means to having a healthy bowel are easy and the effects, long lasting. Stop those home medicines and see your doctor for more information. Join the conversation!
Disclaimer: I attended a panel discussion on constipation awareness facilitated by Abbott India Limited. Any opinion expressed in this blog is my personal opinion and not the opinion of Abbott India Limited. Abbott India Limited does not assume any liability for the content of the blog. The blog post is not meant to be a replacement for a doctor consultation, nor is it a medical recommendation or prescription of treatment for people having constipation problems. Any reader of this blog suffering from constipation problems should specifically consult his/her doctor for the same and follow the suggested course of treatment.
Image credits: 
Wolf Of Food Street 