Tag: constipation

What does your poo say about you?

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBSTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A lot of people don’t like to talk toilet, but it’s a natural function of the human body. We all need to eliminate waste from our body and are doing so all the time. For example, we eliminate carbon dioxide by breathing it out, we eliminate broken down proteins and excess water by producing urine, and finally, we eliminate unwanted food and fibre by producing solid faeces (stools/poo/poop).

So, why should we pay attention to the waste we produce?
Because it can tell us a lot about the current state of our health.

There are different characteristics we can look for to judge a healthy bowel movement. Of course, the ideal bowel movement would be easy to pass (without straining or pain) and would be soft but formed and brown in colour. However, for people with stomach problems, we can see a lot of different characteristics so keep reading to find out what your poo could be saying about you.

Where does it fit on the Bristol stool chart?

Ideally, you want a Type 4 stool, but a type 3 can happen frequently too.

If you find you are type 1 or 2, you need to read Coping with Constipation. if you have type 5 you may try adding a little extra fibre to your diet, for example with fresh fruit and vegetables or by switching your white bread, rice and pasta with brown alternatives. If however, your stools are type 6 or 7 regularly or over a period of time, you may wish to speak to doctor to figure out what the problem is. If you have type 7, you can look at my post about Dealing with Diarrhoea for tips.

What colour is it?

Stool is most often brown, but sometimes people find that it is other colours. This can be an indication that something isn’t right. So, look below and see if any of the following could be the problem. Please make sure to record any out of character bowel movements and mention it to your doctor.

Are there any of the following?

Now, you’ve looked at the type and the colour. What about anything not mentioned so far?

Undigested food – Sometimes we see pieces of undigested food in our stool. One good example of this is corn. It may appear undigested because it has an outer coating of cellulose. A substance that humans can’t break down easily. Because of this some foods, especially plant-based foods that contain cellulose may appear undigested in our stools. If this happens from time-to-time, it’s no cause for concern. However, if you are finding that a lot of your food is being passed through undigested, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor.

Red blood – seeing a little blood in the stool could be due to various reasons, perhaps haemorrhoids, or a damaged anus. Or it could be bleeding from the lower digestive tract. If this hasn’t happened before, or is a lot of blood or is happening on a regular basis, see a doctor to get checked out.

Mucus – our stool always has mucus in or on it, but often it’s such a small amount that it isn’t visible to us. However, if your bowel movement is accompanied by mucus, it could be a sign of constipation or of inflammation in the bowel. Mucus can vary in colour and appear clear, yellow or even white and can look stringy. Again, if this is happening on a regular basis, it’s important to discuss it with your doctor.

Remember if you have any change in bowel habits, report them to your doctor since they can be a sign of an underlying health issue. Don’t be embarrassed, doctors are trained to discuss bowel habits and reporting yours could change your life or even save your life!

Traveller’s tummy

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Traveller’s tummy or ‘Holiday tummy’ is something lots of people experience when they go on holiday. Some people get diarrhoea and others find they become constipated or experience nausea. Now, I have blog posts that deal with all three of these issues, but wanted to make a specific post about how to deal with this while on holiday. Whether this is because of the nerves from the flight, new food or water, we can’t be sure. Whatever the cause of your holiday tummy, there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re prepared for every scenario and can kick back and enjoy yourself.

Symptoms of ‘Traveller’s tummy’ can include:

However, if any of these symptoms are severe or do not improve at all within a couple of days, you should seek professional medical advice. You may be able to ask a pharmacist, or speak with a doctor or visit a clinic or hospital if necessary. Remember to take your travel insurance documents and your ID with you when visiting health centres. This will avoid large medical bills.

Drink lots of bottled water

Yes it is more costly and can contribute to plastic waste, but it is definitely the safest bet for something with a sensitive stomach. I opt for bottled water even in regions where I’m assured the tap water is safe to drink. Even just a slight change in mineral content or fluoridation can upset a sensitive stomach and have you heading for the toilet more frequently than you would like. Just be sure to recycle your plastic bottles when you’re done!

Avoiding the local water can be difficult, remember that fruits and salads may be washed in tap water and that the ice cubes used in your drinks may be made from tap water. You can easily ask for drinks with no ice, or if the ice comes from bottled water. You may even wish to use bottled water, to brush your teeth!

Eat sensibly

While I’m sure there are lots of delicious foods to try on your holiday, being cautious while you are experiencing any diarrhoea or stomach problems is a good idea. You can stick to plain foods such as white bread or white rice. Avoid spices and heavily-flavoured foods while your stomach is still unsettled.

After a day or two, your stomach is likely to be a little better and you can be a little more adventurous when sampling the local culinary delights.

Anti-Diarrhoea medication

Anti-diarrhoea medication is very useful to take on holiday with you, but beware, it isn’t recommended for everyone. Those with a stomach bug, food poisoning and diverticular disease/diverticulosis should not take anti-diarrhoea medication unless instructed to by a medical professional. If you’re not sure whether you should be taking it, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before your trip.

Stool softeners

Should you get constipated and find it difficult to eliminate stool, you should try a stool softener. These are often taken in the evening so that they work overnight, meaning by the morning, you are able to have a bowel movement. Common stool softeners include lactulose, milk of magnesia and ;axatives such as Dulcolax or Senna.

However, if you don’t fancy trying medication, up your water and fibre (US: fiber) intake and try get some gentle exercise to get the bowel moving again. You can also eat prunes, figs, Weetabix, licorice and drink prune juice or black coffee. You can also read my post about constipation if you need more information.

Rehydration sachets

As I mentioned in my post about diarrhoea, re-hydration sachets can be extremely helpful when recovering from diarrhoea and re-hydrating your body. During this time, you should definitely avoid alcohol since that can cause further dehydration. This is especially important when visiting a destination with a hotter climate and swimming in the sea.

Have you experienced traveller’s tummy before? How did you deal with it?

Coping with constipation

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Getting constipated is something that happens to everyone from time to time and there are many different reasons for why we get constipated. These could include, stress, holding off going to the toilet, a diet lacking fibre, a bowel complaint such as irritable bowel syndrome, poor gut motility, surgery, certain medications including pain killers such as codeine, etc, dehydration or even a sedentary lifestyle.

Whatever reason you are dealing with constipation, here are some helpful ways to deal with it.

Drink plenty of water

The job of the large intestine/bowel is to absorb water from our waste back into our body so that we don’t become dehydrated. However, if we don’t drink enough water, this can make our faeces (US: feces) too dried out and hard, meaning that it doesn’t move as easily in the bowel and is hard to eliminate.
Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated and mean that not too much water is absorbed from the faeces in the large intestine, keeping your bowel movements smooth and soft.

Exercise

Staying active is very important. The body needs to get up and move in order for the muscles to be exercised well and to work properly. This includes your intestines. Spending too much time being inactive can make it more difficult for the bowel to work effectively.
Gentle exercise each day can really help to keep you regular. For example, a small walk to the shop, going up and down the stairs, or even doing some gardening or housework are all good ways of keeping your body moving.

Prune juice, raisins and figs

When a lot of people are constipated, the first things people recommend are prune juice, raisins and figs. These can all help shift stubborn waste and help us to go to the bathroom. It’s always worth keeping these handy snacks and drinks in your home if constipation is something you suffer from frequently.
NOTE: Those with diabetes should be aware that these snacks can be high in sugar and should only consume them if it is recommended to do so.

Glycerine suppositories

Sometimes people with constipation strain and push when trying to go to the bathroom. This isn’t good because straining is linked with the formation of haemorrhoids and hernias. If you want a drug-free method that works quickly to help get things moving and make going to the bathroom less hard work, you can try a glycerine suppository. They are available at pharmacies and are like a small jelly bullet. Your pharmacist can tell you more about the product such as if it is safe for you and can help tell you about how to use it. You can even get ones suitable for children and infants.

Stool softeners

Milk of Magnesia, senna, Laxido, Lactulose and Movicol are all common stool softeners. These medicines, prevent the bowel from absorbing so much water from the waste and so help it to stay soft and easy to pass. However, near in mind that these medicines can take time to work and that it’s important to be patient before taking the next dose. You can discuss with your doctor or pharmacist which stool softener is the right one for you.

Increase fibre in your diet

Since constipation can be caused by a lack of dietary fibre (US: fiber), it’s important to make sure that your diet includes lots of high-fibre foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain cereal and crackers, brown bread, pasta and rice.
Bear in mind, though, some people with bowel problems such as IBS and diverticular disease/diverticulitis may experience discomfort after high-fibre foods. For these situations, you should speak to your doctor about if a soluble fibre supplement might be more suitable for you.

Complications

If constipation is something that you are experiencing frequently, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor because sometimes, getting constipated can be an indication of a problem. For more guidance and tips of constipation in children and babies or indications of when you should visit a doctor with constipation, click here.

What tips do you have for those suffering with constipation? Let us know in the comments.