Constipation and digestive problems are common. Sedentary lifestyle and inappropriate food habits are the main reasons behind it. Haemorrhoids (piles) and fistula are the common problems that arise from this. Proper motions are hardly given due importance unless it yields into conditions such as painful defecation, bloated abdomen, and acidity. Regular, stable motions are necessary for apt metabolism. Constipation or irregular motions can worsen varicose, skin, and arthritic issues. Frequent loose stools causes malnourishment, dehydration, and mental instability. Certain simple changes, as given below, are all that is needed to fight these health issues.
1. Make your dinners light and early
Try not to make your dinners too nutritious and fat enriched. Keep it simple. There needs to be a minimum of an hour's gap between your dinner and sleep. If it's a protein-rich dinner, then its best had 2 hours before sleep.
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2. Move after a meal
Try not to sit over your meal. After every meal, take a light walk or else keep moving for about 20-30 minutes. This aids in fastening the digestive process and the movement of the stomach, thus fastening fat and protein digestion. Under this notion, do not take up intensive exercises since that would be an extra load on your stomach along with the digestion it needs to do.
3. Hydration
Drink at least 3 litres of water unless you have a renal functioning issue. But do not take water in large amounts and gulps soon after food and before food. It will dilute gastric juices and again lead to indigestion. Water needs to be taken in sips as in a tea.
4. Ghee
Ghee helps in giving bulk and providing lubrication to faeces, thus aiding the process of motion. Hence it kindles the digestive fire. Butter, on the contrary, is dehydrating and takes up water away from the faeces. Coconut oil also helps in providing bulk to faeces. If there is a burning sensation or bleeding post defecation, then applying butter mixed with mimosa pudica (thottavadi) or rose petals and henna leaves will help.
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5. Diet regulations and routine
Caffeine: caffeine, though a stimulant, dehydrates the body and makes the gastric juices more acidic. Hence, the motions become more harder in the long run. Frequent tea drinkers are more prone to bleeding haemorrhoids than others. Green tea, though without any caffeine, is again dehydrating and hence a little bit acidic for an Indian diet.
Buttermilk to curds
The butter in the curds causes drying up of the faeces while buttermilk hydrates the body and loosens the stool. Curry leaves crushed and added to the buttermilk helps heal gastric ulcers. It also regulates the consistency of motion.
Sugars
Jaggery causes bulk and hence provides easier motions while white sugar absorbs water from the body
Tamarinds
The Kokkum and Garcinia gummi gata (a variety of tamarind) help increase liver and pancreatic functioning, thus enhancing fat and protein digestion. Frequent use of lemonades can also dry up your system
Breads
Any bread needs to taken with a good amount of vegetable supplement. The vegetables should be beyond just potatoes. Green gram is the easiest variety of pulse to digest and also adds bulk which eases defecation.
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Spices
Pepper helps enhance the secretion of the gastric juices while chilli powder causes digestive irritations. Bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms too aid digestion. But any of these spices used above the limit increases acidity and dehydrates the body. Hence, it is most advisable to reduce the spice level.
Cereals
Rice (boiled rice) is the most simplest to digest and absorb. Wheat is a more complex carbohydrate while corns and barley are dehydrating. Those with conditions such as haemorrhoids it is always best, if they could take rice for dinner in comparison to any other cereal.
6. Sleep
A good night's sleep is essential for proper digestion, hunger and motions. Sleep helps in maintaining mental stability and thus affects motions.
7. Exercises
A routine exercise to aid the peristaltic movement of the stomach is essential. It could be brisk walks to yogic postures such as Pavanamuktasana, Bhujangasana, Suryanamaskara or any form of exercise that simulates the aforesaid.
These simple changes will help overcome the constipation, haemorrhoidal issues to a large extent.
