7 Unusual Reasons You Often Get Constipated
Not being able to pass stool is an uncomfortable feeling for anyone. The consumption of starchy foods like bread and pastries is usually to blame. The use of laxatives is a temporary solution once you don’t know the underlying reason why you get constipated often. The answer all lies in your gut.
Your gut microbiota is the potential controller of wellness and disease-conquering ability of your body. An alteration in the composition of your gut microbiota is a major contributing factor to the onset of functional constipation. Apart from that, here are six unusual reasons why you get constipated often:
1. Hormonal Imbalance:
For women, hormonal imbalance commonly occurs during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. This is usually due to an imbalance of the hormones: estrogen and progesterone. You can think of these two hormones like the two sides of a seesaw, shifting up and down at various stages of a woman’s life. However, when progesterone gets extremely low (i.e., when that side of the seesaw hits the ground), that means estrogen levels are elevated. This gives rise to symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, constipation, etc.
2. Alcohol Intake:
This might be surprising to believe because alcohol is a watery drink, right? Actually, alcohol can cause intensified dehydration, which can initiate or worsen constipation in your body.
3. Slow intestinal motility:
You might have heard of some people who pass stool every 2 to 3 weeks or even as far as once a month. Some people develop this over time, which can be detrimental to their health as backed-up stool can be toxic to the body. Also, people with conditions like gastroparesis experience slow intestinal movement. The speed by which food moves through your intestine is largely determined by what you eat and your fiber intake.
4. Poor muscle coordination:
This can be due to a lack of exercise or movement. Your body is a complex system that can partly operate on its own but always needs help from you for the proper functioning of various systems, including your digestion. So, a sedentary lifestyle or limited movement can lead to poor muscle coordination, which can trigger constipation.
5. Emotional impact:
Stress, whether positive or negative, can create constipation in a flash! This is one of the reasons why some people experience vacation constipation when they travel to a new place. Loss of a job, traumatic incident, or chronic stress levels can lead to constipation. This is because your brain can send signals to your gut and trigger digestive distress connected to what you might be experiencing.
6. Hypothyroidism:
An underactive thyroid can cause the metabolic processes that go on in your body to slow down. This is because your thyroid hormones play a huge role in metabolism, maintenance of body temperature, growth, and development.
7. Excessive water intake:
This might seem contradictory, as you are usually encouraged to drink more water if you feel constipated. However, did you know too much water intake can dehydrate your stool? This is because plain water can flush our potassium and other electrolytes that you need to hydrate the colon. One of the most vital minerals that facilitate the pumping action of the colon (also called peristalsis) is potassium. This is one of the ingredients in NATURE’SFIELD PSYLLIUM HUSK.
We hope the reasons above answer the question of why you are constipated often.
Natural Ways to Relieve Constipation
You can relieve constipation naturally in the following ways:
- Consuming foods rich in fiber or fiber-rich supplements: Including more fruits and vegetables in your diet can help alleviate constipation. You can go further by including a fiber-rich supplement like NATURE’SFIELD PSYLLIUM HUSK in your daily routine. This serves a dual function of providing dietary fiber and supporting the growth and function of the beneficial microorganisms in your gut.
- Train yourself to have more regular bowel movements.
Invest in your digestive health, as it also has a direct relationship with the state of your immune system. Reduce the recurrence of digestive issues like constipation by taking steps that will make you feel more relieved and energetic for years ahead.
Â
Â