Food To Have:
Prunes ½ cup
Lentils (cooked) 1 cup
Psyllium husks 1 tablespoon
Wheat bran ¼ cup
Yogurt 1 cup
Best food groups: Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fluids, fermented foods
Also consider: Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchee, nuts and seeds
What is constipation and what can be done about it?
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 4 million Americans suffer from chronic constipation each year, which accounts for some 2.5 million doctor's visits. For most, the lack of fiber, activity, or adequate hydration can explain why going to the bathroom can be a painful experience. In other cases, it can be due to stress, ignoring the urge to go, travel, side effects of medication, or a host of underlying medical reasons. So, what exactly is constipation and how will you know if you fit the definition?
Well, for starters, constipation happens as a result of the colon's absorbing too much water, leaving the stool hard and dry, and/or the musculature of the colon is sluggish and weak and doesn't move waste along as rapidly as it should. You know if you're constipated if you . . .: Strain to go.
- Pass hard, dry, formed stools.
- See bright red blood on the toilet paper (check with your doctor to rule out a more serious condition).
- Take more than a few minutes to do your duty. If you need to take any bound literature in with you, you're bound up!
- Need to take a laxative or enema to go.
Constipation can lead to more than just an inconvenience. Problems associated with chronic constipation include hemorrhoids, anal fissures, prolapsed rectum, fecal impaction, and diverticulosis.
Did you know? An Ohio State study indicates that constipation is on the rise in the United States, and along with it, prescriptions for laxatives. Another unrelated study showed that out of six countries that experience the highest rates of constipation, the United Kingdom led in the use of laxatives as the preferred way of keeping regular versus making a lifestyle change.
Supplements: Popular OTC supplements include senna leaf and other herbal laxatives, probiotics, magnesium, and fiber supplements. Stimulant laxatives can be habit forming, so discuss with your doctor the best path to address constipation. A registered dietitian can design a dietary program that will help and can advise on what supplements may be the best choice for you.
Prunes
A single serving (four to five) of dried plums, a.k.a. prunes, contains 3 grams of fiber and also includes a variety of nutrients, such as B vitamins, boron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also rich in neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, phenolic compounds that may benefit the heart by protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation. Besides the digestive benefits of fiber, sugar alcohols can also help in laxation by drawing water into the bowel. A serving of dried plums contains about 15 g of the sugar alcohol sorbitol, which may help contribute to the laxative benefit of the fruit. An eight-week, single-blind, randomized crossover study that involved forty subjects compared the digestive effects of a serving of dried plums versus psyllium husks. The number of complete spontaneous bowel movements per week and stool consistency scores improved significantly with dried plums, compared to psyllium.
Did you know?
Water is the unsung hero in this whole constipation business. All you hear is about the importance of fiber, fiber, fiber! But fiber wouldn't be the least bit useful unless it came in contact with water. Fiber takes up fluid and provides bulk in the stool. Your digestive tract senses this and gives you the urge to "go." If water isn't your thing, add flavoring to your water—just be sure not to add a whole bunch of sugary calories. And, yes, tea and coffee will do just fine. For some, exceeding 3 to 4 cups of a caffeinated beverage may have the opposite effect and bind them up. For others, excess caffeine works like a laxative. That said, whenever possible, make your beverage of choice water.
Lentils
Remember the high ranking of lentils as a tasty means of adding fiber to the diet ? This little legume provides an amazing 15 grams of fiber per cup.
Psyllium Husks
Psyllium has been used in traditional medicine throughout the world, mainly as a laxative sold in powder or capsule form. As a bulk-forming laxative, psyllium has excellent water-holding capacity. Psyllium also has an approved health claim, but for another benefit: "Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 7 grams of soluble fiber per day from psyllium may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol" (per the FDA).
Psyllium husk comes from the seed of the plantago ovata plant, an herb grown throughout the world. Most production hails from India.
Wheat Bran
A double-blind, randomized crossover study compared the impact on regularity of three types of dietary fiber, including wheat bran, on fourteen adults. After fourteen days, subjects experienced more frequent bowel movements with all three products; however fecal consistency ratings were highest using wheat bran.
Yogurt
Many already know that yogurt and other fermented dairy products are loaded with friendly bacteria that the digestive tract just loves. But what many don't know is that regular consumption of fermented dairy products can promote regular, softer bowel movements. You may want to jazz up that yogurt of yours just a bit to get the maximum regularity benefit out of it. A randomized, double-blind crossover study involving forty-three elderly folks with sluggish bowels found that when flaxseeds, prunes, and yogurt were combined, subjects reported that they had more frequent defecation and that their stools were softer and easier to pass.