CONSTIPATION
AETIOLOGY:
Each person develops a usual bowel pattern, so that a bowel movement every day or every second or third day may be perfectly normal for a given individual. Constipation refers to a decrease in a person’s normal frequency of defecation, especially if the stool is hard, or difficult to expel. Aside from disease conditions like obstruction in the colon,certain drugs like sedatives.
The common causes of constipation are:
• Poor/ faulty dietary habits( lack of water and fibre in the diet),
• lack of excercise and immobility
• voluntary retention(poor bowel habits)
• prolong use of laxatives
• others like change of environment and nervous tension.
• Treatment involves dietary and life style chances, not laxatives.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Passing fewer than 3 stools a week
• Having a lumpy or hard stool
• Straining to have bowel movements
• Feeling as though there is a blockage in the rectum that prevents bowel movement
• Feeling as though you cannot completely empty stool from the rectum.
DIET INDICATION
High fibre and fluid is required so as to initiate easy passage of stool.
Note: Persons who have little or no exercise, especially the elderly, suffer from atonic constipation. They limit their food selection to soft, low fibre foods, they limit fluid intake to prevent urination, especially at night. They become dependent on laxatives, and yet find no relief, as the causative factors not eliminated.
The following dietary changes helps get rid of constipation.
1. Increased fluid intake to 2litres (that is: 8 glasses of water, in addition to other beverages and liquid foods, e.g, soups, milk etc).
2. Include 200─250g of vegetables and fruits in the diet.
3. Eat raw vegetables (e.g, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes).
4. Include 2 or more servings of fruits(e.g, banana,oranges, guava, pawpaw, apple, e.t.c).
5. Include cooked preparations of germinated pulses in diet.
6. Good bowel habit
7. exercise
NOTE: changes in the diet must be introduced gradually to avoid feeling of bloating or cramping due to the changes.
Breakfast: whole wheat bread (2─3 slices) + buttermilk or pap (1cup).
Lunch: rice, beans + fruit salad
Supper: wheat + vegetable soup
Enough water and fruits are also necessary.
Fruits may serve in-between meals
AETIOLOGY:
Each person develops a usual bowel pattern, so that a bowel movement every day or every second or third day may be perfectly normal for a given individual. Constipation refers to a decrease in a person’s normal frequency of defecation, especially if the stool is hard, or difficult to expel. Aside from disease conditions like obstruction in the colon,certain drugs like sedatives.
The common causes of constipation are:
• Poor/ faulty dietary habits( lack of water and fibre in the diet),
• lack of excercise and immobility
• voluntary retention(poor bowel habits)
• prolong use of laxatives
• others like change of environment and nervous tension.
• Treatment involves dietary and life style chances, not laxatives.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Passing fewer than 3 stools a week
• Having a lumpy or hard stool
• Straining to have bowel movements
• Feeling as though there is a blockage in the rectum that prevents bowel movement
• Feeling as though you cannot completely empty stool from the rectum.
DIET INDICATION
High fibre and fluid is required so as to initiate easy passage of stool.
Note: Persons who have little or no exercise, especially the elderly, suffer from atonic constipation. They limit their food selection to soft, low fibre foods, they limit fluid intake to prevent urination, especially at night. They become dependent on laxatives, and yet find no relief, as the causative factors not eliminated.
The following dietary changes helps get rid of constipation.
1. Increased fluid intake to 2litres (that is: 8 glasses of water, in addition to other beverages and liquid foods, e.g, soups, milk etc).
2. Include 200─250g of vegetables and fruits in the diet.
3. Eat raw vegetables (e.g, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes).
4. Include 2 or more servings of fruits(e.g, banana,oranges, guava, pawpaw, apple, e.t.c).
5. Include cooked preparations of germinated pulses in diet.
6. Good bowel habit
7. exercise
NOTE: changes in the diet must be introduced gradually to avoid feeling of bloating or cramping due to the changes.
Breakfast: whole wheat bread (2─3 slices) + buttermilk or pap (1cup).
Lunch: rice, beans + fruit salad
Supper: wheat + vegetable soup
Enough water and fruits are also necessary.
Fruits may serve in-between meals
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