8 Tips For Better Bowel Movements

Want to start the day with a pleasant smile? Well, that depends a lot on how your early morning goes by. Many of us go with some good toilet hours without a struggle. While many of us leave the toilet with a grumpy face if we do not have a satisfactory bowel movement. So, this blog is all about some easy ways to cope up with the struggle of clearing the bowels so that the rest of your day goes pleasant. You have surely gone through many flooding suggestions over the internet and otherwise regarding how to easily clear your bowels to avoid all those discomforting instances throughout the day.

So, let’s go through these tips that will help you to have a better bowel movement:

1. More and more fibre in your diet: 
   
   Add more and more fibre in your diet. Insoluble fibres add bulk to your stool and prevent you from straining while you take a dump. This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of hard stool problems which are caused due to constipation. Constipated stomach not only makes you go through that painful straining but also might turn out to be a major cause of piles if you do not treat it on time. Fibre is basically a type of carbohydrate found in plants. All you have to do is to include more fibre in your diet. Some fibrous diets consist of brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, flax seeds, avocado etc. These can be added into your salads and soups. It’s tasty and serves great for your guts by aiding in easy digestion and stool clearance.

2. Drink plenty of water: 
   
   Water is life and water is health too. It almost answers all problems concerning your health and body. . The busy lifestyle makes us forget that we need to take that sip of water often. Staying hydrated is going out of trend (drinking water going out of trend sounds vague) these days because we can barely spare time to think for ourselves and for those little habits that revolve around healthy life.
   According to the National Institute of Health (NIH)- “Water helps in softening your stool, making it easier to pass out of your body. If you make a habit of drinking plenty of water daily (at least 8-10 glasses of water), that will help to keep your colon clean by nudging the waste out of the body easily.” 

3. Fix your time
   
   Try to fix your routine. By doing so, you can avoid sitting on the toilet seat for long hours. Spending more time on the toilet seat can make you strain more. Also, delaying the urge to go to the toilet to clear your bowel movement can make you constipate. So, go when you’re out and about.

4. Lemon juice
   
   You can drink half squeezed lemon in lukewarm water or normal room temperature before going to bed and after waking up in the morning. Lemon is considered to be one of the most easy-to-go home remedies to treat problems related to bowel movement. The citric acid in lemon is a natural laxative that fights the toxins in your digestive tract. It also acts as a stimulant and flushes out the toxins from the body which provides complete and quick relief. It also improves digestion. The acid in lime helps to break down food with saliva for better digestion. Hence, the acidity of limes can clear the excretory system and stimulate bowel activity.

5. Include prebiotics and probiotics in your diet: 
   
   Prebiotics are what gut bacteria feed on. And probiotics are actual living organisms that live inside our gut. These both help us feed our friendly gut bacteria which enhances the smooth bowel movement and gut cleansing. Hence, no constipation. Gut bacteria is directly connected with the movements of your large intestines. The bowel problems are also due to some unhealthy balance in your gut bacteria. Slow motility in guts leads to constipation whereas rapid motility leads to diarrhoea. Prebiotic foods can be fibre rich food which include fruits, vegetables, green bananas, whole grains etc. Probiotics can be yogurt and other fermented foods.

6. Exclude some food items 
   
   There are some food items that may be harmful for your health such as alcohol, caffeine, fatty and spicy food. All these may lead to constipation thereby disturbing your normal bowel movements.  

7. Try magnesium citrate: 
   
   Magnesium citrate works by pulling more water into the intestines, which is called osmosis. Due to this property, the stool in intestines becomes softer or even watery and is easy to pass. Magnesium citrate is a saline laxative that is easily available online and over the counter. It usually results in a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 3 hours of intake.

8. Keep a check on dairy products’ consumption:
   
   Some people are lactose intolerant and that is why they face the problem of constipation every now and then. You can quit dairy completely for some time to observe if that helps in proper bowel movement or not. You should make sure that you replace dairy with other calcium-rich foods to ensure your body’s calcium requirement is met. Dairy products can cause constipation due to their low fibre and high-fat property.

You must understand that the problem of persistent constipation or diarrhea may be an alarming sign for your health status. Among many underlying causes, health and lifestyle play vital roles. What we eat will always be reflected through our moods, fitness, shape and overall health. Intake of the right things will surely help you reap many benefits and above all, it will keep you healthy which is really pivotal for you and your family at the end of the day. We hope the listed tips help you out in the best possible ways. All you need to do is bring these little changes in your habits and lifestyle and then see the miraculous benefits you get. 

When to see a doctor?

Consult your doctor as you may need some laxatives if the condition does not improve with these daily lifestyle changes. Especially if you have other symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, cramping or spasm. The doctor may help you with proper medication or laxatives. Therefore, talk to a specialist and get going.