Constipation, gas, or diarrhea? What helps with digestive problems? | Kanela

People do not like to talk about digestive problems, but many are affected by them. They show up in many ways. Sometimes the digestion gets out of control for a short time due to an unfamiliar diet during the holidays or it is an everyday problem. A change in eating habits or a little more exercise in everyday life often helps.

The most important points in brief:

• Constipation and diarrhea can often be balanced with a healthy mixed diet and sufficient fluids.
• The causes of indigestion are many. Eating habits and emotional fluctuations can be responsible for constipation. This also applies to diarrhea, although more diverse causes are known.
• Exercise keeps digestion going.

What is constipation and how can it be treated?

Defecation of up to three times a day up to three times a week is normal. What is “normal” is very individual and varies from person to person. Real constipation is characterized by hard and painful bowel movements with a reduced frequency of bowel movements.

The causes of a too slow intestinal passage with constipation as a result are often quite banal. A low-fiber diet together with a small amount of water and little exercise are enough for people with a sensitive digestive tract to cope with troublesome constipation. But stress or pregnancy can also lead to constipation.

The power of habit and our living conditions do not make change easy. So it's best to tackle the amount of water you drink first. If you don't drink a lot on your own, you have to be constantly reminded. This works well if you fill a large jug with water or your favorite tea in the morning, place it within sight and set yourself the goal of drinking the jug empty by noon, for example.

It continues with the eating habits. The food pulp should be voluminous and soft. This is exactly what is possible with dietary fiber, because it binds water to itself and stimulates the intestine to move the intestinal contents more forward. If you like to eat bread, you should switch to high-fiber whole grain bread if possible. The recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is also very helpful for constipation. A fruit in breakfast muesli and for mid-morning snack, a generous vegetable side dish or a salad for lunch, some fruit in the afternoon and vegetables again for dinner - this is how you create these five servings. Incidentally, one serving corresponds to a handful, which should make the different amounts clear for children and adults.

And last but not least, regular exercise in everyday life and during sport also supports digestion.

Causes of diarrhea

The causes are more diverse here. Food intolerance such as lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance (celiac disease), allergies (nuts, seafood etc.) or the consumption of spoiled foods can lead to diarrhea. Short-term diarrhea can be treated well with constipating foods like rice or potatoes. A grated apple that has turned brown is also helpful. The pectin contained in the apple peel binds water. Natural yoghurt is suitable for calming the intestinal mucosa and promoting the good intestinal bacteria. In addition, the fluid lost through the liquid stool must be replaced. Broth or isotonic drinks are ideal for this. Long-lasting diarrhea must be clarified and the cause treated accordingly.

Nausea during pregnancy, when driving a car or with stage fright

Nausea in itself is not a disease. It is a side effect of a wide variety of diseases, living conditions or situations. We are only going into a few specific circumstances here.

Almost every pregnant woman has a period of nausea during pregnancy. Often this occurs at the beginning of pregnancy, usually in the morning right after getting up. The cause of this is a short-term energy dip. In the non-pregnant state, the metabolism slows down at night, which means that energy consumption is significantly lower at night and we don't feel hungry for longer. During pregnancy, the unborn child is cared for around the clock, which leads to a harmless undersupply. It is helpful to have a bite to eat before or immediately after getting up. The meals should not be too generous, but should be regular, so that the calorie intake is always guaranteed.

Many people are familiar with motion sickness with nausea, dizziness or even vomiting. Long journeys by car, on the bus or reversing on the train make you uncomfortable. This is due to a confusion of the senses. The organ of equilibrium reports other movements than the body perceives. The brain cannot adjust itself correctly to the actual movement and reacts with dizziness, headaches and nausea. You can get relief by not reading anything in a tricky situation, but by looking straight ahead. Breaks with fresh air can also have a beneficial effect.

But emotional triggers for nausea with or without vomiting are also known. After all, stage fright can quickly lead to overreaction before exams, for example. Usually you react with nausea and possibly diarrhea.

Changes in behavior often help a lot. If not, ginger root is often helpful. To do this, finely chop the ginger root and briefly bring to the boil with water. You then drink the ginger water in sips. If that is not possible, pieces of the ginger root can also be chewed or it’s even easier with ginger lozenges.

These tips will help with mild, no longer lasting digestive problems. More severe symptoms or chronic courses must be clarified and treated by a doctor.