Constipation and Gas - Please Help

I had the same problem. On the advice of my doctor, I added a probiotic to my daily regimen. I take it in the morning and in the afternoon. My digestive system is finally on an even schedule. I hope this helps.

Here is what works for me.
Probiotics.
Keep sugar (refined or natural) to a minimum.
If eating fruit eat fruit that is high in fiber.
Drink PLENTY of water. Dehydration=constipation
Exersize. It really does help me go regular.
Eat bulky veggies raw (like broccoli) a couple times of day.

Generally when making a life change it takes a few days for my body to detox and those problems become almost non exsistant.

Hope that helps.

on the constipation part: try to incorporate nuts like pecans or almonds to your eating regimen. I notice they help me stay regular. on the working in an office use some room spray before someone walks in? helps me too! : ) Beano works for me too! hope that helps!

I have a friend who's worked in a hospital for 25 years, and she just puts her ear to the ground and keeps me apprised of findings. One of them was that eating a banana everyday seems to work better than fiber, and she said that if its too much sugar, the key is to eat food with magnesium.

Anyhow, if anyone has any more insight on that, much obliged. I've been following this idea and I've seen improvement, but I've only been at it a couple weeks.

Char

I used to have major bubble guts. But then I cut out dairy almost 4 weeks ago, and now all my tummy issues are gone. Maybe you can try that?

Hi Dawn, I have had chronic constipation sometimes accompanied by gas due to health issues. Exercise, drinking water, probiotics and eating fiber sometimes helps, but since my problem is chronic, I don't see much results from just doing these. The only thing that has really helped me was a vegetable broth that my mother, a nurse, introduced me to. It's a home remedy by Tateishi Kazu that has been around for decades and is fairly popular in Asia.

It's also touted to relieve other maladies but although I can't attest to the other benefits, it sure does keep me regular (and not the crazy laxative kind!) more effectively than any conventional pill or natural remedy. It does take a bit of work to prepare, but once you include it as part of your routine, you'll get used to it - and this is from a girl who never has time for anything .

Fill a stainless steel stock pot or large pot with water and put the following unpeeled (but washed) ingredients in:
- 1 raw carrot
- 5 pieces of dried s-h-i-take mushrooms (must be dried, not fresh, more concentrated that way)
- 8-10 in. piece of burdock root (also called gobo in Japanese markets, or oo-ung in Korean markets)
- 1 daikon radish with leaves (best to find ones with the leaves in Korean markets)

Let the whole thing come to boil, then simmer for 1.5-2 hours. Let cool then strain and immediately put liquid in container and keep in fridge. Do not let it stand in room temperature after it cools for too long or it will spoil.

Drink it like you would drink water. I find it has a nice earthy flavor and don't find the flavor unpleasant at all, especially cold - tastes like mild tea. One pot will usually last me 2-3 days. It can also be used as a vegetable soup base as well.

Believe me, when my mother suggested it, I had my doubts, but when I tried it, I was summarily humbled. It is also considered a detox drink so you may urinate more and experience a bit of dry mouth (side effect of burdock) but after about 3 days, I became completely regular for the first time in years.

You can google Tateishi Kazu and vegetable soup or broth or 5 veggie soup for more information. There's also a packaged version, but I haven't tried it and honestly, it couldn't be better than homemade, right?

http://www.tateishikazu.com/eng.htm

I hope this helps!

Regarding the bananas, my dad has consipation problems and his doctor said stay away from bananas as they are binding--not what you want if you have constipation!! Yes bananas are a good source of potassium, but they are a high glycemic fruit also, so they aren't always the best choice, depending on the individual.

If your new lifestyle includes an increased consumption of dairy products, I would eliminate them and see if your symptoms abate. My husband had problems similar to the ones described, and when I got him to stop drinking two glasses of milk with dinner and eating ice cream for dessert, his symptoms went away. We decided he was probably lactose intolerant and a dietary adjustment was all that was needed.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the info.

I often experience the same problem of constipation when I'm making a lifestyle change. Which is odd, because I tend to eat a ton of fiber!
2 things that seem to have helped in the past are kombucha tea (for the probiotics) and yoga... Hopefully we can all solve this!

So this was a great post and good timing for me. I've been off work for two days due to constipation. At this point, I feel it is chronic and I'm going to see a specialist about it soon. Ever since it's gotten warm outside, I've noticed it get worse because I don't eat the same things for breakfast in the summer as I do in the winter (oatmeal, primarily). Maybe I can force myself to eat the oatmeal.

Thanks for the posting and the tips about probiotics. I'm a faithful water drinker, walker, and fiber supplement taker, so any additional info is appreciated. Good luck!

I don't know if you have any other symtoms of hypothyroid, but constipation is a BIG symptom of it..............

Other than the fatigue, constipation was one of my worst symptoms that cleared right up once I got on the medication.