Treating Constipation

02/10/2011

Diet Recommendations for Constipation:

Increase fiber

Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Seek high fiber foods such as broccoli, beans, hummus or chick peas, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, prunes, figs, apples, berries, pears, and citrus. Choose fruit juice that contains fiber or pulp. Not only are they helpful for bowel health but also a good source of energy food and protective antioxidants.
Dried fruits such as prunes and apricots are especially helpful
Aim for 30 g of fiber daily. In addition to fruits (guava, blackberries, raspberries and pears are especially high in fiber) and vegetables (beans, corn, peas and lentils are high in fiber), add high fiber or bran cereals and breads, foods made from wheat, rye, oat or barley flours instead of refined or white flour breads and cereals.

Read the labels on all ingredients. Added whole grain does not mean high fiber. Search for bread with 5-6 grams fiber per slice.

Limit low fiber, high fat foods. Examples would be cheese, eggs, high fat meat, fried or fatty foods.

Choose complex carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains over simple sugars and processed foods.

Drink fluids

Drink plenty of water. This is especially important if you have low blood pressure or take fiber supplements
- Drink caffeinated warm beverages with meals especially early in the day to prevent sleep problems. Avoid carbonated beverages if bloating is a problem.

Probiotics

Yogurt adds beneficial bacteria for colon health and is a good source of protein and calcium. Bran, nuts, and oats can be added for fiber.

-See recipe page for fruit paste and other high fiber foods.

Lifestyle Changes

Exercise walk daily if possible. PT can help you get started.
Try to maintain good posture with exercise.
Take the time to use the bathroom. Do not rush or strain. Set a side time every day to establish a habit.

Medicine and Supplements for Constipation:

Fiber supplements. Not all fiber supplements are alike and it may take trial and error to find the one for you. Psyllium (Metamucil) and methylcellulose (Citrocel), and guar gum are natural plant fibers. Calcium polycarbophil(FiberCon) is a synthetic nonnatural fiber. All are soluble fibers that act like sponges to soak up water in your intestines. They add bulk to stool but must be taken with 1-2 cups of water to avoid obstructing your colon. They also slow absorption of sugars and fats which is helpful for blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
Stool softeners once or twice a day can help, i.e. dulcolax. Stool Softener with stimulant if moderate to severe constipation.
Glycolax powder (Miralax) can be purchased over the counter and is very effective with little side effects and can be used daily if needed.
Once daily supplements such as fish oil, flax seed oil, and magnesium (should not be taken if you have kidney disease).
Ground flax seed adds helpful fiber, antioxidants and a source of healthy omega 3 fats.
Senna tea can be helpful but may one must be careful with extra sodium
Dried ginger helps stimulate stomach and intestinal activity.

Other treatments:

Ask your doctor about medicines that can worsen constipation such as anticholinergics, amantadine, amitriptyline, and sedatives.

A gastroenterologist is a specialist that treats constipation.

Botulinum toxin injections can be helpful in specific cases of pelvic floor muscle dystonia, a condition that can cause difficulty in elimination.

Occupational therapy can help establish a bowel routine or regimen.

Ask your doctor for a nutritional consult to help with diet.

[See related article on Constipation.]

Medical Information Disclaimer and Legal Agreement

Please read this agreement entirely and carefully before using the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation website (nwpf.org).By using www.nwpf.org site, you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions below and in the www.nwpf.org Privacy Policy.

Disclaimer About Medical Information:
The information and reference materials contained here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient's own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of professional medical care. The information contained herein is neither intended to dictate what constitutes reasonable, appropriate or best care for any given health issue, nor is it intended to be used as a substitute for the independent judgment of a physician for any given health issue. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. The major limitation of informational resources like www.nwpf.org is the inability to take into account the unique circumstances that define the health issues of the patient. If you have persistent health problems or if you have further questions, please consult your health care provider. All visitors to this and other www.nwpf.org associated web sites agree to read and abide by the complete terms of this agreement.

Legal Disclaimers

Summary:
 * www.nwpf.org web site does not constitute an attempt to practice medicine.
 * The use of the site does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.
 * Individuals should consult a qualified health care provider for medical advice and answers to personal health questions.
 * While the site attempts to be as accurate as possible, it should not be relied upon as being comprehensive or error-free.
 * www.nwpf.org is under constant development and changes may be made in the articles and programs at any time.
 * The web site reserves the right to change its disclaimer or privacy policy, so users should review these periodically.

No Medical Advice.
The information posted here by www.nwpf.org is not to be considered medical advice and is not intended to replace consultation with a qualified medical professional. We may answer and post medical questions solely on our own discretion. We do not have the resources or the capability to answer all visitor questions. In general, the questions we choose to answer are (in our opinion) of value to other readers. The answers to these questions should in no way be considered specific medical advice or a plan for disease management. Our goal is to provide sufficient information so that www.nwpf.org visitors are able to become knowledgeable participants in their disease management plan. The primary responsibility of your disease management plan is with your treating physicians and you should only follow your treating physicians advice. DO NOT change/modify your disease management plan on your own without consulting your treating physicians.

No Warranties.
This web site is provided on an "as is," "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, those of TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE or NON-INFRINGEMENT or any warranty as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness or arising from a course of dealing, usage, or trade practice. No oral advice or written information provided by the www.nwpf.org shall create a warranty; nor shall members or visitors to the site rely on any such information or advice.

Disclaimer of Liability.
The user assumes all responsibility and risk for the use of this web site. Under no circumstances shall www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees or its affiliated organizations such as the University of Illinois at Chicago or its employees or anyone else involved in creating or maintaining this web site be liable for any DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL or CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, or LOST PROFITS that result directly or indirectly from the use or inability to use the web site and/or any other web sites which are linked to this site - or that result directly or indirectly from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files, viruses, errors, defects, or any failure of performance, communications failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access.

In states which do not allow some or all of the above limitations of liability, liability shall be limited to the greatest extent allowed by law.

Online Conduct.
Visitors agree to use the web site only for lawful purposes and are prohibited from posting on the web site any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory or obscene material of any kind, including, but not limited to, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law. This applies to any posting that could be termed as Sexual Harassment and or Discrimination. Although in the absence of a specific complaint the postings are not monitored for compliance with this provision, in an effort to discourage such conduct, please note that all postings in the Comments area will list the author's name--no anonymous postings are permitted!

Disclaimer of Endorsement.
Reference to any products, services, hypertext link to the third parties or other information by trade name, trademark, supplier or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees. They are for convenience only.

Link Disclaimer.
Links are provided only as an informational resource. Please note that many of the links provided are not on our servers and are not maintained by us or affiliated with any services provided by us. These links are provided simply as a service, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked site(s), nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy or content.

Have a nice day.