The Role of Diet and Hydration in Preventing and Managing Constipation

Constipation is a common condition no one likes to talk about. If you are suffering from constipation, your gastroenterologist can help. Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD, provide a wide range of GI services, including diagnosis and treatment of constipation.

What You Need To Know About Constipation

Constipation causes infrequent or difficult bowel movements. It can also cause stool to become dry and hard, forming pellets that are difficult to pass. When you have constipation, you may experience abdominal bloating, cramps, and pain.

The foods you eat and the beverages you drink are excreted as waste products in stool, which should be easy to pass. However, when you eat the wrong foods or don’t drink enough fluids, stool can become dry and hard, causing constipation.

These are just a few of the ways diet and hydration can affect constipation. You may become constipated if you:

Don’t eat enough fiber, because fiber attracts water into the bowel. Women should consume 25 grams of fiber daily, and men should consume 38 grams daily.

Don’t drink enough fluids, because lack of enough fluid can dehydrate you, making stools hard and difficult to pass.

Make sudden changes to your diet, like eliminating all fat.

Your lifestyle can also affect whether or not you become constipated. You may become constipated if you:

  • Are too sedentary
  • Travel frequently
  • Change your sleeping habits
  • Experience too much stress
  • Ignore the need to have a bowel movement

If you suffer from constipation that doesn’t resolve, you can benefit from a visit with a gastroenterologist. Constipation can also be a sign of a more serious condition such as irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal condition.

Want To Know More About Constipation?

To learn more about the role of diet and hydration in the prevention and management of constipation, call Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD. You can reach them in the office by calling (301) 982-7900, so call today.

Constipation is a common condition no one likes to talk about. If you are suffering from constipation, your gastroenterologist can help. Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD, provide a wide range of GI services, including diagnosis and treatment of constipation.

What You Need To Know About Constipation

Constipation causes infrequent or difficult bowel movements. It can also cause stool to become dry and hard, forming pellets that are difficult to pass. When you have constipation, you may experience abdominal bloating, cramps, and pain.

The foods you eat and the beverages you drink are excreted as waste products in stool, which should be easy to pass. However, when you eat the wrong foods or don’t drink enough fluids, stool can become dry and hard, causing constipation.

These are just a few of the ways diet and hydration can affect constipation. You may become constipated if you:

Don’t eat enough fiber, because fiber attracts water into the bowel. Women should consume 25 grams of fiber daily, and men should consume 38 grams daily.

Don’t drink enough fluids, because lack of enough fluid can dehydrate you, making stools hard and difficult to pass.

Make sudden changes to your diet, like eliminating all fat.

Your lifestyle can also affect whether or not you become constipated. You may become constipated if you:

  • Are too sedentary
  • Travel frequently
  • Change your sleeping habits
  • Experience too much stress
  • Ignore the need to have a bowel movement

If you suffer from constipation that doesn’t resolve, you can benefit from a visit with a gastroenterologist. Constipation can also be a sign of a more serious condition such as irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal condition.

Want To Know More About Constipation?

To learn more about the role of diet and hydration in the prevention and management of constipation, call Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD. You can reach them in the office by calling (301) 982-7900, so call today.

Visit our Office