Fluid intake and constipation
To help prevent constipation the standard advice is, amongst other things, that you need to drink a minimum of 1.2 litres a day (6-8 glasses) to avoid becoming dehydrated and keep your stools soft. Remember to increase this if you are exercising or the weather is hot.
Although not drinking enough water can cause constipation, increasing your fluid intake by more than the recommended daily amount may not
always relieve your constipation. This is because when water reaches the bowel most of it is used to hydrate the body and is not retained by the stool. In essence, water hydrates the body before it can hydrate the bowel.- Cut down on caffeine: Experts say that no more than two drinks per day should be caffeinated (tea, coffee or cola) because they may have a diuretic effect (make you urinate more). So switch to water, herbal teas, soups and diluted juices instead.
- Fruit and vegetables also have a high water content so include more of these too.
- Cut back on alcohol and fizzy drinks as they can dehydrate you.
- Take care to increase your fluid intake if you start to eat more fibre. This is because fibre absorbs water so you need more fluids to compensate for this.
- Try drinking prune juice to encourage a regular bowel movement. It contains sorbitol and stimulates the bowel.
If after taking these steps you are still constipated it might be worth considering a treatment such as Dulcobalance®. Dulcobalance® is a new product with a body-friendly action that is a good first treatment for constipation.
