December is Constipation Awareness Month

Constipation is a condition where you are not able to poop in peace. When you have to, however, you may use great force, which is very uncomfortable. Keep doing that and you may get haemorrhoids – which are extremely painful and bloody. Constipation is normally caused due to poor dietary choices, not hydrating sufficiently or the muscles of the gut not working like they should, among others. In India, almost 22% of the population suffers from constipation and people prefer to not talk about it as they feel shy. Let us unlearn this unhealthy shyness and see how we can all help each other, with proper awareness and information in hand.

Why Is December Celebrated As Constipation Awareness Month?

This awareness month was first celebrated very recently, in 2019. December is the holiday season normally and our diets go for a toss with celebrations and family and friends all around. Many people suffer in silence and try to flush their woes away quietly. We are here to tell you that there is no need to do that! This health awareness month is hence trying to make a difference to your daily quality of life.

With this in mind, did you know that there are 4 different types of constipation? We bet you didn’t. They are normal transit, slow transit, dyssynergic and slow transit-dyssynergic respectively. 

Why Care About Constipation?

We know some of the causes for why we may feel constipated, but did you know that most of them are very much preventable? Let us look at some causes and risk factors in detail-

• Not eating enough fibre everyday is a major red flag
• You should take hydration very seriously!
• Drinking alcohol or caffeine containing stuff can dehydrate you and make symptoms worse. 
• You may face constipation as a side effect of certain prescribed medication.
• If you have thyroid related issues, then you may feel constipated.
• Since it is a gut related disorder, any neuropathy in that area can mean your muscles are not moving properly
• Stress can cause your gut to not work properly, leading to constipation.

Preventive Measures To Keep Things Moving-

We give you sensible pointers to reduce the likelihood of suffering from constipation-

• Your dietary choices are very crucial. Aim to get lots of fresh fruits and vegetables – cooked or raw. Fruit juices don’t count, as all fibre is mostly lost. More fibre is not necessarily good. You need soluble fibre to bulk your stool up. 
• If you can’t remember when to drink water, we suggest you set an alarm or rely on your smartwatch to alert you.
• Sitting all the time and working is bad as the colon won’t feel like working well. So, go dance or run or jog or swim – whatever you’d like, but get some regular physical activity. 
• Do not overstrain when you have to poop. Having good bowel habits is important. This means you should go when you have the urge to poop and not try to control it. 
• Chronic constipation can cause serious complications like haemorrhoids or anal fissures. So be careful!

Conclusion

Constipation can be of different types and is largely preventable. But it is a condition that seems to strike the very young and very old. There are many myths like you are constipated if you don’t poop everyday or that fibre alone can save lives. Every person has a unique gut and hence a unique poop schedule is to be expected. Drinking water, physical activity and eating the right kinds of foods can greatly help relieve symptoms. You may be given stool softeners in extreme cases. But, their long term usage is not encouraged, unless under special circumstances. Let us pledge to follow healthy bowel habits and take care of ourselves, to keep everything moving along like it should! What else do you think can help?