March 28 every year is China Constipation Day.
With the continuous changes in people’s diet structure, the accelerated pace of life, and the sudden increase of various pressures, more and more people in our country have a chronic disease – constipation.
For this reason, the Chinese Medical Doctor Association decided to set March 28 every year as “China Constipation Day” to raise the public’s scientific understanding of constipation.
At present, there are 50 million people in our country who are troubled by not being able to poop!
According to the “Chinese Expert Consensus Opinions on Chronic Constipation (2019)” issued by the Gastrointestinal Dynamics Group of the Gastroenterology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, the current prevalence of chronic constipation among adults in my country is 4.0% to 10.0%.
This also means: about 50 million adults suffer from constipation, and the prevalence of constipation is increasing with age, and the prevalence of chronic constipation among people over 70 years old has reached 23%. %.
How often is constipation?
When food enters the human stomach, after being digested and absorbed by the stomach, the remaining residues will enter the intestinal tract and wait to be excreted, which is defecation.
It’s just that the time and frequency of defecation varies from person to person. Some people defecate 1-2 times a day, while others don’t defecate for a few days, and some people defecate once every two or three days.
But in fact, judging whether constipation depends not only on the time of defecation, but also on whether it is difficult to defecate.
Under normal circumstances, the process of defecation is relatively smooth. Healthy stools are not too hard or too thin, but moderately soft.
People who are often constipated, because the stool stays in the intestine for a long time, the excess water in the intestinal wall will be absorbed. When the stool is excreted from the body, they tend to be very dry and become lumpy, and the body is defecation. pain in the anus.
Therefore, if you have a bowel movement every two or three days, and the bowel movement is very smooth, the stool is moderately soft and hard, and the color is not abnormal.
This condition is not constipation, it may have a lot to do with the daily diet, such as low protein content in the body, lack of fiber, etc., which may lead to prolonged stool cycle.
Usually, how many bowel movements a day are good?
Usually it is better to defecate 1 to 2 times a day.
Although there are many folds in the human intestine, the intestine can hold a lot of food, but if the food residues in the body have not been excreted, the intestinal peristalsis will become slow.
Over time, our gastrointestinal function will be affected, and we are prone to flatulence and abdominal pain after meals.
Especially when you wake up in the morning, after a night of sleep, the stomach has already absorbed the nutrients in the food. At this time, if the feces accumulated in the intestines can be excreted in time, the stomach will be full of energy to start the day. Work.
Constipation has diagnostic criteria for doctors:
1. Decreased bowel movements (<3 times/week)
2. Dry stools ;
3. Defecation is time-consuming and laborious, cannot be excluded or needs to be assisted with defecation;
4. Symptoms persist for at least 6 months.
How can I relieve constipation symptoms?
First, ensure the daily intake of vegetables and whole grains
Eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as sweet potatoes, corn, oats, celery, lettuce, etc. These foods The cellulose contained in it can remove excess oil and garbage from the intestinal wall, thereby better protecting the health of the gastrointestinal tract.
Second, timely replenishment of water
For those who want to improve constipation and promote excretion of feces in the body, timely replenishment of water can increase the moisture of feces, promote human intestinal peristalsis, and maintain Feces are fluffy and more conducive to excretion.
But it is worth mentioning that drinking more water only promotes bowel movements. For patients with uncoordinated anorectal movements, it does not cure constipation, but only improves symptoms.
Third, exercise properly and develop regular bowel movements
Moderate exercise, regular sleep, ensure a good work and rest, and at the same time defecate at a fixed time as much as possible, do not use mobile phones while defecation , to develop good bowel habits.
Generally speaking, constipation is mainly based on changing lifestyle habits, such as eating more fruits, vegetables and grains in the diet, drinking more water, and having regular bowel movements.
However, for some patients, in addition to lifestyle changes, targeted medical interventions, such as stimulating colonic peristalsis and coordinating anorectal movements, are required.
Therefore, if you feel that your bowel movements are not smooth, or you are struggling to defecate, you need to seek medical attention in time and seek professional help.
Editor: Ma Rong