Water:
Pure, still water is essential for the healthy functioning of our entire digestive system and is especially important in alleviating constipation. All other caffeinated or sugary carbonated drinks must be eliminated.
Exercise:
This is a very important tool in getting the gut to work. A sedentary life style causes our gut to ‘go to sleep’. Exercise wakes it up and gets it moving. This assists in the expelling of toxins through the faeces.
Dietary Considerations:
A regular bowel function habit should be instilled by training the colon to produce a healthy stool after breakfast. A minimum of one stool should be passed per day. Certain food types generally assist in healthy bowel evacuation. It is suggested that foods with roughage, like legumes (lentils, baked beans, chickpeas), fruits (especially pawpaw) and vegetables (beetroot in particular) , whole grains (including brown, red or black rice) and even some natural oils (obtained from fresh sunflower seeds) be included on a daily basis. Overuse of refined, processed foods is discouraged as well as an excess of meats and saturated fats. For some people wheat products and even rye can be constipating.
People who have committed to a high protein, high saturated fat diet often have issues with constipation. Excess saturated fats can sometimes produce a ’soap’ like compound in the gut that is difficult to pass. Increasing the variety of dietary fibre in the form of leafy vegetables and legumes can be of assistance together with a good 2 litres of water and exercise, every day.