Eating to eliminate

[justwannabe]

when constipated, something is stuck. so if we eat more would we just get more stuck? a thought I had is when constipated it would make sense to have no solids but only liquids to flush out the constipation and then once it has come out then eat?
are there certain foods that are beneficial. such as eating only fruits and nuts? I am aware that postures, breathing exercises, etc... may be of assistance also. so when you are constipated what things food wise would be good to help with this?
thanks for your time
seeker

[justwannabe]

I appologize for not adding more insight into my original post.

I only eat eggs on fridays, my cheat day, no other meat products at all for a couple of months
I eat on average about 2 pieces of fruit a day, 3-4 servings of vegtables a day
I cook vegtables in oil usually, almond or olive oil, 3 tablespoons of oil
I eat oatmeal and a piece of fruit for breakfast, big meal at lunch, small meal at dinner
rarely eat 3 hours before bed

I have done my morning practice everyday for 7 weeks, it goes from an hour to 90 minutes, without missing a day and only a handful of times have I done the shortened version but I still did it. sun salute, twisting poses, forward bends, and leg lifts are in my poses

basically when I get stuck it is because I have eaten something a little off my regular eating habits or because of stress. I believe I may have gotten stuck the other day when I ate while being stressed, from what I have read food is not digested as well when this happens and it was an evening meal. I have been much better lately at not getting stuck and right now I am only stuck a little, a day and a half and not completely, but I have put in more then has come out. so assuming this is there a modified diet for a day that will help to balance out the stuck, should I take a little oil straight, etc..? I will look into flaxseed oil for morning oatmeal, I had been putting almond oil in there.

[yogaforbliss]

You have not mentioned how many glasses of water you drink a day. If you are not already, then you need to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. Lack of water itself can lead to constipation. Also to your yoga practice you should include Kapal Bhati, Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli (if you can do it).

Regards

[xela]

Have you been drinking enough water?

[Yogajen76]

Need I say more?? Actually, twisting postures are very helpful but if you are looking for better food choices to combat constipation, fruit is very helpful (apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, etc). Avoid foods that have no substantial fiber source, sweets etc. Look for your normal grocery store foods but seek out items with "Added Fiber" like Activa or soy products that actually add more fiber to help digestion and relieve constipation. Hope this helps!

[justwannabe]

thanks for the reply,
as far as fiber
I eat foods with fiber as my main staple. grains, vegtable, fruit, beens, so adding more fiber, I am not so sure it is my answer, but to many I would imagine it is. I drink 4 glasses or more of water a day and 2-3 cups of tea with no caffiene. Kind of frustrating I get stuck when I am eating healthier then ever, but it is just part of the journey

[amik_abeo]

Hehe, you know one cup of espresso won't kill you and it does the trick for me.

[Pandara]

Hi,

I did a search on the web and found these few interesting facts (or myths) about regular movement of the bowels:
1. Less that 50% of all people has a regular bowel movement once a day.
2. Three times a week of bowel movement is considered normal.
3. Less than 5-6 bowel movements a week is not considered abnormal or constipated.

So there it is. Must agree about the cup of coffee it really does it for me as well. But then again I never really had a problem with my disgestive system.

[justwannabe]

thank you for your time pandara
as humbly as I can say this, normal does not apply to me and what the rest of the world considers normal is not my gauge. I believe I should go everyday and sometimes for a couple weeks straight I have. Knowing my body lets me know when I am stuck. when I am stuck the breathing is affected, the mind, and the body, right now I am lightly stuck. I hope you understand what I mean.

[Yogajen76]

I understand what you mean about "knowing your body". I feel the same way...normal for some may not be normal for all. I know my body & I know when something is "off". Decaf coffee is a good idea...it works for me too. Every morning I do a 1/2 caf coffee (I have a 2 year old so I need a little kick) and I am very regular even if my diet slips from time to time.

[xela]

Originally Posted by Pandara

Hi,

I did a search on the web and found these few interesting facts (or myths) about regular movement of the bowels:
1. Less that 50% of all people has a regular bowel movement once a day.
2. Three times a week of bowel movement is considered normal.
3. Less than 5-6 bowel movements a week is not considered abnormal or constipated.

So there it is. Must agree about the cup of coffee it really does it for me as well. But then again I never really had a problem with my disgestive system.

Wow, I cannot believe those stats! I thought you were supposed to go once a day!

[Pandara]

Hi,

I understand. Myself, I go twice a day, once in the morning and once late afternoon, so perhaps that might be abnormal for some, but for me that is normal and I feel great about it.

[Alix]

The issue is not necessarily how often you go, it is (forgive me for being a bit earthy here) the consistency of the stool that would describe "constipated". If stool is hard, or it causes straining then one is considered constipated.

Tubeseeker, you are on the right track with the foods you eat. Fruit is likely going to be more helpful for you. Please be aware though that some fruits are binding. Bananas, apples and strawberries are in that category. Try adding oranges to your diet, or some prunes. Popcorn can also be very helpful. Most helpful of all is increasing your fluid intake.

And the coffee thing works everytime! Good luck.

[amik_abeo]

Excellent point, consistency is really important. I remember having horrible problems when I first tried to go vegan because I ate too many almonds and nearly pooped a rock. And fruit does the trick as well as coffee.

[xela]

Originally Posted by amik_abeo

Excellent point, consistency is really important. I remember having horrible problems when I first tried to go vegan because I ate too many almonds and nearly pooped a rock. And fruit does the trick as well as coffee.

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