Stating that a large part of the society may have a problem with the health of the digestive system at some point in their life, Nutrition and Diet Specialist Dyt. Anıl Öztürk drew attention to the fact that all diseases begin in the intestine and that the whole body can get sick due to a problem in the intestine, and warned about digestive system diseases, especially constipation.
Pointing out that the decrease in bowel movements among the digestive system problems may be a harbinger of an important health problem in the body, Medical Park Ordu Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Dyt. Anıl Öztürk stated that the problem of constipation, which is defined as difficulty in emptying, is one of the first in this regard.
Constipation lowers quality of life
Although normal bowel motility varies from person to person, if you go to the toilet 2 times a week or less, if the stool is hard and dry as a result, constipation, which is a gastrointestinal problem, may be in question. Constipation can occur for many reasons. Constipation, along with problems such as bloating and stress, lead to disruption of your daily life and deterioration of its quality. In order to effectively treat constipation, it is of great importance to know the reason for which it occurs.
ATTENTION TO LACK OF FIBER AND LESS WATER CONSUMPTION
Stating that the lack of fiber that should be taken through food, inactivity, insufficient fluid consumption and the side effects of some drugs are the 4 main reasons underlying the emergence of constipation, Uzm. dit. Öztürk explained the situations that cause constipation and the ways to be followed for treatment:
“When there is not enough fiber and water in the diet, stool becomes hard, dry and causes constipation as it passes through the colon very slowly. Your stool moves by contraction in your intestines, but when your diet lacks enough fiber and water or when muscle contractions in the colon are slow, stool becomes hard, dry and passes very slowly through the colon. This causes constipation. Fibrous foods, on the other hand, increase water absorption and draw water into the intestine, thus expanding the intestinal diameter and reducing the pressure in the intestinal lumen. As a result, the volume and softness of the stool increase and constipation is prevented.
DO NOT SQUEEZE FRUIT AND EAT WITH THE PULSE
exp. dit. Öztürk made the following suggestions about how we can provide the daily fiber necessary for our body:
“A minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables should be consumed per day. The pulp is found in the skin of the fruit and in the part close to the peel, so it should be preferred to consume the fruits with their skins without peeling them, and to eat them as a whole without destroying the pulp, not by squeezing them as fruit juice. Methods such as cooking meat dishes with vegetables, adding lentils and whole wheat rice to soups can be used. Reading labels while buying food should be made a habit. The fiber content of the foods should be examined and the ones with high fiber content should be preferred.
Whole grains and their products should be preferred. Cereals such as breakfast cereals, wholemeal, oat or whole wheat breads and bulgur should be preferred. Salads prepared from fresh vegetables that can be easily consumed at every meal of the day can be consumed. Legumes can be consumed 2 or 3 times a week. In addition to high-fiber foods, probiotic foods such as dried fruits such as sun dried apricots, dried apricots, prunes, dried figs, and oil seeds such as flaxseed play an important role in the treatment of constipation.
WALK 30-40 MINUTES A DAY
Expressing that the less movement is done, the intestines work equally slowly, Uzm. dit. Öztürk said, “You can increase the work of your intestines by walking or exercising for at least 30-40 minutes every day. In addition to these exercises, you can try to be more active during the day (If you are working, you can buy your own tea, use the stairs instead of the elevator, if the places you will go during the day are close, you can go on foot without using any vehicle, if it is far, you can get off and walk a few stops in advance).
Consume Plenty of Water
Underlining that the amount of water everyone should consume is directly proportional to the amount of calories they receive during the day, Uzm. dit. Öztürk said, “However, when we average this situation, we can determine 2-2.5 liters for women and 2.5-3 liters for men as the amount of water that should be consumed daily.”
DO NOT USE MEDICATION WITHOUT DOCTOR’S ADVICE
Emphasizing that some drugs used can cause constipation, Dr. dit. Ozturk said:
“If you don’t really need strong painkillers, especially vitamin pills containing calcium and iron, you can stop using them, but if you already have to use them because of a disease, you should use them with a medicine that will soften your stool, with the advice of your doctor. Again, antidepressants and some stomach medications cause constipation in some people. If your constipation problem persists despite these lifestyle changes mentioned above, you should consult a gastroenterology or internal medicine specialist. Because, as Hippocrates, considered the father of medicine, said years ago, all diseases begin in the gut.”