Good digestive health is the key to your overall well being. But easier said than it’s done!
Not all people enjoy good digestive health as digestive health problems are quite common. Some people have poor digestion while many others suffer from an irregular bowel movement. Any digestive system trouble can adversely affect the routine activities of a person.
Why are digestive health problems are concerning?
From mild discomfort to staying constantly irritated, digestive health issues can be troubling for people. Here, I’m mainly concerned about poor bowel movements. Normally, people try to bear with these problems and only in extreme cases, people go for medication as revealed by a consultant physician from Al-Shifa medical and welfare clinic in Karachi during a webinar on gastric health.
How to improve your bowel movements?
However, before heading to a medicinal solution, there are certain ways that can help to improve a person’s bowel movement. Some of the ways that can help you to improve your bowel movement include;
1- Drink water
Hydration is the key to a healthy digestive system. Dehydration can lead to constipation and for many people it can be quite troubling. So, for a healthy digestive system, it is important to drink enough water to ensure proper bowel movement. There is no fixed amount of water one should consume and this varies from person to person depending upon how one’s body is utilizing the water.
You can also depend upon water-containing foods and other fluids to fulfil your hydration requirements.
2- Fiber
After water, fibre comes next in the list of ways that can aid your bowel movements. Starchy foods can be a cause of constipation and can affect bowel movement. So incorporating fibres in your diet can help to have better bowel movements. But remember you don’t incorporate a lot of fibre at once in your diet and gradually improve the fibre content of your diet.
3- Cut out the troubling foods
When it is important to add certain foods to your diet, it is equally important to eliminate many others. Many foods can trouble bowel movements making it hard to pass stool painlessly. For people struggling with constipation here are a few things that they can add to their diet, including;
- Beverages
- Caffeinated products
- Foods having high sugar content
- Foods rich in spices
- Foods containing fatty acids
4- Work on your posture
If you have troubling bowel movements, your posture can be one of the causes, as revealed by a renowned chiropractor from Dr Agha Ebrahim hospital of Karachi. Your sitting angles change the angle of your colon that affects your bowel movements. You can try different sitting postures and find the one you are more comfortable with and that can let you pass stool easily.
5- Try moving more
Staying physically active not only helps you with digestion but also results in better bowel movement. Normally, our intestine is inclined towards passing your stool. If your intestine is not efficiently doing it, you can try to help it out with some physical activity. Begin with 10-15 minutes of physical activity and see if it causes any good changes to your body.
6- Be mindful of your bowel movements
No one is unaware of the mind-body connection and your stool movements are no exception to this. Be mindful of your bowel movements and try to improve them. You can engage yourself in different stress-relieving activities as well as can try them at the same time every single day. All these ways can help you to regulate your bowel movements by building a connection between your digestive system and brain.
7- Work on stress
Stress plays a key role in defining your bowel movements. You can try overcoming your stress levels to enjoy better digestive health.
8- Know when you need to see a doctor
There are times when we get out of these problems by following natural remedies or working on our lifestyle. However, in certain cases, irregular bowel movements can be due to some underlying health condition such as irritable bowel syndrome etc. In such cases, you should know when you need to visit a doctor and get yourself checked.
Bottom Line!
Regular bowel movements are crucial for your overall health and can affect the general well being of a person. When you can try a lot of things to aid your bowel movements, there are times when such trouble is an indicator of an underlying health condition. In such cases, you need to see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.