The woes of constipation

Dear doctor,
I tend to have problems with bowel movements and stool quite a lot. I go to the bathroom less, get a hard stool and generally have an uncomfortable time. I am told that I should eat greens to ease the movements but I do not like greens much. Is there anything else I can eat to help me out?
­�Uncomfortable woman

Dear Uncomfortable woman, it’s sad that you are going through a tough time with your tummy. The advice to eat greens is good. It is unfortunate that you do not enjoy them much.

However, that advice was given to you on the basis that your tummy needs fibre to function well. And it’s true; green vegetables provide plenty of dietary fibre. This fibre helps the contents of your bowels to move smoothly along. That way you get to visit the toilet at the normal rate (1-2 times a day), and passing soft stool.

The good (soluble) dietary fibre is found mainly in plant products. If you are uncomfortable with greens, then your main source of this fibre should be fruits.

Fortunately, you can eat as much fruit as you can get without any problems. Besides you can try a variety of them; mangoes, paw paws, sweet bananas, pineapples, apples, jackfruit, oranges, guavas, or whatever you can find.

Even among the vegetables, you may try to vary the way to eat them – make salads one day (e.g. out of tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, garlic, cucumber, broccoli); half-fry them another day; steam them on yet another day.

That way you may begin to like them.
You should also take note of foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, fats, oils and sugar. They contain no dietary fibre and need to be eaten in moderation.

It is also advisable that you try as much as possible to eat whole grain meals as opposed to the highly polished (refined) ones. Go for the whole-grain bread, brown rice, posho, oats or wheat instead of the very white, polished alternatives.

Don’t forget to drink adequate amounts of water as well. It will help ease your bowel movements. Besides the foods, you could also try some lifestyle changes. Get more active. Exercise helps ease your bowel movements. Good luck trying the alternatives. It may be a good idea for you to have a more detailed chat with your doctor as well.