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You want to consider three things when it comes to constipation.
- What foods should be added to your diet;
- Which foods should be limited; and
- Are you allowing yourself time to go.
I'll first address the last issue as it is very significant and a major cause of constipation for many busy people. It is essential that you take five-lO minutes at the same time each day, to sit in the bathroom and allow yourself to actually have a bowel movement, or at least to teach your body that this is the time it can go. Many people frequently ignore the feeling of having to go to the bathroom because they are busy.
You can add many things to your diet that will assist you with regularity. I find that different things work for different people, so I'll list popular ones and you can try what most appeals to you. Whole grains are essential, such as whole grain breads, high-fibre cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, legumes, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as dried fruit and nuts. But dried fruit and nuts have a lot of calories so limit their portions. Hot drinks can also be effective, as is one tablespoon ground or milled flaxseed per day - I have yet to see a patient that this hasn't worked for. You can add flax seed to cereal, yogurt, salad or tuna, or you can put it on toast or in muffins.
Keep in mind not to overdo the addition of fibre. You should be consuming about 25 grams per day (a hefty amount, as you'll learn when you begin reading the fibre content of foods on labels), but you should add it gradually to avoid bloating and gas. If you are increasing your intake of high-fibre foods, make sure to increase you fluid intake as well, especially with high-fibre cereals, as they require significant fluids to be most effective.
Also consider if there are constipating foods in your diet such as a lot of dairy, bananas or white rice. Constipated people should not eliminate dairy from their diet altogether as it has many health benefits, but you may want to reduce it slightly while correcting the problem. The over-consumption of dairy is frequently the cause for constipation in children who consume excessive milk, more than two cups (l6 ounces) per day.
Lisa Weinberg is a registered dietitian/nutritionist in Toronto, in private practice and at the Genesis Professional Group.
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