Changes to your diet may cause changes in the bathroom.
It makes sense that if you significantly change your eating you could see changes in your toileting habits. Before you get too concerned about this, distinguish between infrequency and true constipation.
- Infrequency means that you may not visit the toilet as often, but when you do your bowel movements are normal and comfortable. This is a normal consequence of eating less and needs no treatment.
- Constipation means that as well as being infrequent, movements are hard, difficult to pass and uncomfortable. This does need treatment. Help your body become more regular by increasing your water and fibre intake. The main role of fibre is to keep the digestive system healthy and water keeps it hydrated to keep things moving.
Foods with more than 3g fibre per serve are classed as ‘high fibre’ and should be consumed with lots of fluid which is imperative to the digestive process. In fact increasing fibre intake without increasing how much you drink may cause constipation.
Alternatively you could try plain psyllium husks. Put 2 teaspoons of psyllium husks in your VLED shake once per day if needed, OR use a commercial fibre supplement – just be careful to choose one that doesn’t contain sugar. Please check the labels for more information.
