bowel movement
Moderator: talkhealth
bowel movement
how can i get my bowels to move more effectively and efficiently?
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Dr Jamal Hayat
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:28 am
Re: bowel movement
Hi,
It partly depends on why they are not moving effectively in the first place. Starting off with a healthy balanced diet ad lifestyle with lots of regular fresh fruit/veg, a good intake of non-caffeinated fluid and regular exercise. Please see the following link for some simple dietary tips to start of with:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/incontine ... %20ibs.pdf.
Sometimes bowel habit can be affected by underlying conditions or medications, so, in particular if there is a change to your bowel habit, it is worth a visit to your GP to ensure in the very least you have in the least some initial diagnostic tests.
It partly depends on why they are not moving effectively in the first place. Starting off with a healthy balanced diet ad lifestyle with lots of regular fresh fruit/veg, a good intake of non-caffeinated fluid and regular exercise. Please see the following link for some simple dietary tips to start of with:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/incontine ... %20ibs.pdf.
Sometimes bowel habit can be affected by underlying conditions or medications, so, in particular if there is a change to your bowel habit, it is worth a visit to your GP to ensure in the very least you have in the least some initial diagnostic tests.
-
Julie Thompson
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:24 pm
Re: bowel movement
Hi friday85
Some more detail about diet and lifestyle - you can try linseeds/flaxseeds or chia seeds - a tablespoon can be added to breakfast cereal, soup or salads but please do ensure that you drink a cup of fluid when you have it to help the fibre move through the bowel.
A really useful fruit to try is kiwi fruit. This has a similar effect to prunes in that it helps to keep fluid in the bowel and helps keep stools soft but it is a fruit that is better tolerated by people with digestive problems than prunes. Another really useful fact about kiwi is that you can eat the skin! Yes, this is true
- but give it a wash first of course and the skin will increase the fibre content of the fruit by a third. The only consideration is, if you have never tried them and have a latex allergy, it's probably best not to try them because they can result in allergy occasionally in this situation. Sometimes people do have problems with prunes giving symptoms because of the sorbitol content - but if you don't have any issues you could try prunes instead, if you wish.
If you are increasing your fibre consumption then you should increase your intake slowly so that your bowel can adjust to a new level.
Activity can also help bowel function and you can see what the NHS says about exercise here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/ and I would agree with Dr Jamal that if simple measures are not effective this should be investigated by your GP. I hope that helps.
Guts UK have information about constipation here https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-i ... stipation/
Kind regards
Julie
Some more detail about diet and lifestyle - you can try linseeds/flaxseeds or chia seeds - a tablespoon can be added to breakfast cereal, soup or salads but please do ensure that you drink a cup of fluid when you have it to help the fibre move through the bowel.
A really useful fruit to try is kiwi fruit. This has a similar effect to prunes in that it helps to keep fluid in the bowel and helps keep stools soft but it is a fruit that is better tolerated by people with digestive problems than prunes. Another really useful fact about kiwi is that you can eat the skin! Yes, this is true
- but give it a wash first of course and the skin will increase the fibre content of the fruit by a third. The only consideration is, if you have never tried them and have a latex allergy, it's probably best not to try them because they can result in allergy occasionally in this situation. Sometimes people do have problems with prunes giving symptoms because of the sorbitol content - but if you don't have any issues you could try prunes instead, if you wish. If you are increasing your fibre consumption then you should increase your intake slowly so that your bowel can adjust to a new level.
Activity can also help bowel function and you can see what the NHS says about exercise here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/ and I would agree with Dr Jamal that if simple measures are not effective this should be investigated by your GP. I hope that helps.
Guts UK have information about constipation here https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-i ... stipation/
Kind regards
Julie
Julie Thompson
Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian - BSc (Hons) Dietetics
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ompson.php
Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian - BSc (Hons) Dietetics
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ompson.php
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