Foods That Relieve Constipation

Many of us might remember the advertisement on television about the first brand of isabgol mixture that was marketed and advertised about by a reputed brand. It began with the close up shot of a man who couldn’t get his bowels to move! The look on his face elicited both pathos as well as mirth and many people might have associated themselves with what the actor portrayed. Jokes apart, constipation is a problem that plagues many across India and the world; the worst part of the deal is that people do not take necessary steps to prevent or cure it which leads to the exaggerated version called Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The best part, however, is that there are some foods that help decrease constipation and help to increase the regularity of bowel movement. The foods that help relive constipation work in three ways. Read on to know the foods to relieve constipation.

 

 

Some foods lubricate the walls of a person’s large intestine and aid in painless and easier bowel movement and also, waste removal. They are alfalfa sprouts, banana, apricots, almonds, beet, honey, carrot, okra, cauliflower, sesame seed or oil, spinach, whole fresh milk, pine nut, prune, peach, pear, spinach, seaweed and so on.

 

There are some other foods that bring about regularity of the person’s bowel movement. These are sweet potato, figs, coconut, cabbage, papaya, peas, prunes, bran of oats, rice or wheat, black sesame seeds and asparagus.

 

A lot others help in curing symptoms like bloated feeling and pain in the rectal area. These foods include Brussels sprouts, garlic, broccoli, sunflower seeds, radishes, onions, Shiitake mushrooms, turnip, and tomato.  

 

It is very important for the person who has increased his/her intake of foods rich in fiber to increase his/her intake of water along with it. The water will prevent the fiber in these foods from hardening and causing a blockage in the intestine. Drinking enough water alone helps relive a considerable amount of displeasure that a person suffering from constipation feels. Drinking about eight glasses of water each day, preferably more, is absolutely necessary for someone who has constipation or even Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). If you need something sweet, go for natural juices of oranges, cranberries and so on. If you need a stronger flavor, make yourself a cup of herbal tea or something. The worst thing you could do to your system is to go for caffeinated drinks as they give you the feeling of false or artificial dependence on their sugars, preservatives, and chemicals.

 

Yogurt is one big boon for those who suffer from constipation as it aids the colon in two ways. First, active culture yogurt repopulates the colon with lacto-bacteria, which help in breaking down the food. Second, the acidophilus in yogurt encourage the growth of healthy bacterial growth and reduce the production of bile-acid which, if it grows unchecked, could prove to be carcinogenic. Also, yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps prevent excess growth of cells in your colon lining.

 

Whole grains add to your diet the much needed fiber, just like fruits or vegetables. Breads made from whole, unprocessed wheat, whole grain rice, sprouted grains and pulses are the best when it comes to getting rid of constipation or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.