Whatever it is, this is the season of love and sharing. It is a period when greetings,  prayers, gifts are shared and in this part of the world food constitutes a major part of items received or given. With so many parties to attend, so much to eat and little work to do, it is also a time when many wilfully abandon their healthy eating patterns. Having so many activities lined up  means  there may be no structured plan for the day, as the  intent is to have as much fun as possible during the holidays with family and friends.

Many prefer to modify the saying “work hard, play hard” by adding “party hard and eat plenty”. Also, a number of make room for additional weight to be gained during the festive holidays and some may say “weight watching  continues  after the celebration” or “I’ll  exercise twice as hard  after the holidays”. As a feast involves different delicacies,  so  individuals choose to eat a variety of foods, or, all the food that comes their way this period.

The interesting thing is that the message here is not intended at discouraging anyone from eating at all but to encourage all to eat healthy.

Constipation may be described by people in different ways. Some may say it is when there is difficulty or pain while passing stools or passage of hard stools or reduced bowel movements and so on. Whatever the description, people just don’t want to feel that way and seek  relief from their symptoms. Most times, when is more than three (3) days a person last had bowel movements (which could in the form of passing stools or flatus), the intestinal contents may start to harden,  leading to difficulty in passing stools and other effects of constipation. Constipation may affect anyone  regardless of age, sex, ethnic or social background, however,  certain factors may make some people more prone to becoming constipated frequently.

Bowel habits vary amongst individuals and many times adults  already know their own pattern, hence,  they  get concerned or  complain when there is  an alteration from the normal. With variation in bowel habits, it is important to note that bowel habits can be influenced by several factors like the type of food eaten, the quantity of food eaten, age, hormones, stress,  environment, recent travel, psychological, certain medical conditions and medications. Although it is important to have regular bowel movements, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ for the entire populace as regards  bowel habits. Thus,  unusual persistent changes should be discussed with your primary care physician as soon as noticed. Constipation may be acute, with an episode lasting only a short period, or chronic when it occurs more frequently or over a long period. Very common  complaints from people who are constipated include abdominal bloating, straining while passing stools, abdominal discomfort, reduced bowel movements, passage of hard stools, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, abdominal swelling, nausea and so on.

The severity of constipation varies and could range from a random acute episode (that resolves after a short period with minimal treatment) to chronic cases which interfere with the person’s daily activities. Constipation may sometimes be  associated with haemorrhoids, anal fissures, faecal impaction, rectal prolapse amongst other complications.

Continuing with the celebrations, here are some  tips to prevent  constipation:-

Eat plenty of high-fiber foods in your diet. For example,  legumes, vegetables and fruits, wholegrains. This adds  bulk to stools and shortens transit time.

Reduce intake of low- fibre foods like diary, processed meat, refined sugar

Drink lots of water

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Exercise regularly

Empty the bowel promptly  when you feel the urge.

Although the symptoms of constipation are common to many, it is recommended that individuals should discuss with their primary care provider especially when it gets frequent or persistent. To assist with management,  a physician may request for some medical investigations, depending on  findings from medical history and clinical examination obtained. Investigations may also be useful in excluding other medical conditions that may cause constipation.

Treatment of constipation may include diet and lifestyle modification(for example, increasing dietary intake of fiber, regular exercise, liberal fluid intake to mention a few). Medical treatment may include the use of laxatives. Even though some laxatives can be bought over-the-counter, medical advice from your doctor should be sought before commencing any as is the general recommendation with any drug. There are different classes of laxatives, each having a different mechanism of action. There are other medications that can be prescribed by your doctor. Surgery is  another option for  treating constipation.  However,  the modality of treatment chosen will depend on the cause of the constipation, co-existence of medical conditions amongst other factors.

When symptoms persist or for further clarifications seek medical advice from your primary care physician.

Always remember that you can still smile even when you are constipated.

Health quote of the week: 

“I wish that being famous helped prevent me from being constipated”

–Marvin  Gaye