What helps against constipation?

The most important points in brief

• Constipation is an extremely unpleasant thing and often puts an enormous strain on us and our everyday life.
• But what are the causes of constipation?
• What characteristics can blockages have?
• How to prevent constipation - and what to do if constipation does occur.

Almost everyone has had the unpleasant experience of constipation - called constipation in technical terms. Not only does it interfere with everyday life, it can also be quite painful. Find out here what causes and characteristics constipation can have and what (home) remedies you can use to get rid of these diseases.

Constipation has many causes

Too little exercise, wrong and unbalanced diet, hormone fluctuations, taking medication, traveling or stress: anyone who suffers from constipation often has a hard time finding just one reason for it. But first of all, you should question the first two factors: Do I eat well and do I make sure that I get enough exercise?

Often, namely, frequent sitting and a lack of balance, for example through exercise, are the main causes of constipation. The intestine is compressed to a certain extent by its own body weight and cannot do its job. As far as nutrition is concerned, not only the tolerance and balance of the food should be examined, but also whether the food contains sufficient fiber and whether you consume enough fluids during the day (at least two liters are recommended, but more is always better).

Stress also often leads to constipation

We hear and read about gut instinct again and again - and shouldn't just dismiss this word. Because our stomach is so sensitive that stress and psychological pressure affect it too. The entire digestive tract of humans is closely tied to the brain, so the well-being of the stomach and intestines inevitably depends on the condition and decisions of the brain.

But constipation is not always expressed in the form in which there is little or no stool. Pain or the need to press hard are also signs that constipation may be present. Sometimes there is also the feeling that the bowel has not emptied completely. Last but not least, gas or abdominal pain, often a certain loss of appetite, can be symptoms of constipation.

How to get the bowel moving again if you are constipated

Get moving! Get up from the office chair during the day and do a few laps before or after work to relieve the compressed intestines. Exercise also helps. If constipation cannot be avoided, you need to help - for example with natural laxatives such as dried fruit or flaxseed. Avoid white flour products, but also spelled bread or pretzel sticks, avoid potatoes, boiled carrots, gruel, black tea and green tea and try not to consume white rice or chocolate with a high cocoa content (from 70 percent upwards) . The otherwise so healthy banana is also not beneficial in case of constipation.

Instead, concentrate on drinking a lot of water, eating muesli instead of cornflakes, pears instead of apples, whole-grain bread instead of toast or crisps, and when snacking, prefer nuts instead of chips or sweets. This helps both with acute constipation and prevents it at the same time. In some cases, however, articles from the drugstore also help against constipation.