Let’s have Candid Constipation Conversations

If I ask you to list your priorities, I think it would be something like this

1. Job

2.Family

3.Friends

4.Looking cool on social media

.

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10000. Health

I am not exaggerating. We, the selfie taking, snapchat loving, fast food eating, staying up overnight generation, hardly have time to pause and think about our health.

A few years ago, after living off on a diet of takeaway pizza, tetra pack juices and India’s favourite instant noodles, something happened. Rather something stopped happening. Waking up in the mornings was painful; I did not feel like eating anything and I would just be restless. For the first few days, my friends assumed that I just had my periods and that was the reason for my crankiness but when it continued on to the next week, they were concerned. I confided in someone and told them all about it. Instead of getting some well-meaning advice I heard laughter. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

Since I was staying in a hostel at that point of time, I didn’t have my mom to talk to and I was not sure of which doctor to visit in a new city. The result? I was constipated for a month and I chose to bear the pain and try all the nonsensical home remedies instead of going to the doctor.

When I finally could no longer take it, I went to the nearest hospital and inaudibly mumbled “I have constipation” when the kind doctor asked me what was wrong.

My doctor nearly screamed at me when she heard what I had been doing. I had tried everything, from having a teaspoon of castor oil to eating bananas all day in a bid to facilitate my bowel movements. Nothing worked. She made me realize how irresponsible I had been with my health and when I look back to those painful days, I realize that I had been underperforming on all my important projects, and was generally quite short tempered for no reason. Constipation in India is a silent disease. It not only affects physical health but also wreaks havoc with your mind. When you are obsessed about getting better and at the same time wanting to hide your condition from others, nothing matters. I realize I was stupid. Constipation was just like any other disease yet for some reason I was convinced that it would make the butt of all jokes.

I want to highlight 7 quick facts about Constipation through my blog:

1. A“normal” bowel routine can range anywhere from 3 bowel movements a day, to 3 bowel movements a week. If you feel that your bowel movements have been irregular, then consult a doctor, it’s better to be safe than sorry, my friend.
2. Some important signs of constipation are hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass, the need to strain and the feeling of an incomplete bowel movement.
3. Constipation can occur because of a lack of healthy diet. Do you know that we need to take in at least 25 to 35 grams of fibre daily. Also, doctors go hoarse telling us to drink at least 2 liters of water daily, yet we rarely pay heed to their advice. Lack of enough fluids in the body can be a major contributor to constipation.
4. The Indian toilets are ideal especially when you have constipation. If you are not comfortable using it, do try Constipasana, where you use a footrest while sitting on a western toilet. It will help you ease your bowel movements.

1. Never ignore the nature’s call. No matter where you are. You will just increase your chances of getting constipation.
2. Physical exercise is important. You may be dead tired after a hard day at work, but take some time out for your health. Health is wealth, is not just a clever rhyme; it is the truth.
3. People who have suffered from constipation often complain of anxiety, physical discomfort, poor appetite, depression, poor sexual satisfaction, stress and reduced confidence, all of which lead to a poorer quality of life.

You can save yourself the trouble simply by visiting a doctor. I cannot stress enough on the fact that it is important to go to a doctor and not rely on home remedies.

I hope you found our open and candid Constipation Conversations useful and that our quick facts helped you learn something new.

Disclaimer: I attended a panel discussion on constipation awareness facilitated by Abbott India Limited. Any opinion expressed in this blog is my personal opinion and not the opinion of Abbott India Limited. Abbott India Limited does not assume any liability for the content of the blog. The blog post is not meant to be a replacement for a doctor consultation, nor is it a medical recommendation or prescription of treatment for people having constipation problems. Any reader of this blog suffering from constipation problems should specifically consult his/her doctor for the same and follow the suggested course of treatment