by There are all sorts of euphemisms for constipation, from ‘supportive’ to ‘traffic jams’ to just not being able to I am going.” Likewise, there are many causes for constipation. You may have heard about the importance of fiber for smooth digestion and injury, but your pelvic floor is also an integral part of staying regular, according to Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, pelvic floor therapist and physiotherapist at Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy.
If you are unfamiliar, the pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles that sits in your pelvis and supports the bladder, intestines and reproductive organs.. They are responsible for controlling when you pee and are an integral part of pleasure during sex. Your pelvic floor can be both the cause and the solution to constipation. Below, Dr. Jeffcoat explains why this happens and what to do when you can not go.
“The pelvic floor muscles may not relax, which means that when they are meant to relax during constipation, they remain in a short position,” says Dr. Jeffcoat. The result is equivalent to a “tube twist”, where the rectum closes and nothing can pass. In addition to consuming the right amount of fiber for you and maintaining hydration, there are many ways to avoid getting involved.
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The following constipation tips can help you when you and your colon are in bites.
1. Try some yoga poses
“Great exercises to help it are diaphragmatic breathing in the child’s posture or the happy yoga postures of the baby,” says Dr. Jeffcoat. This is because they promote the elongation of the digestive organs and the relaxation of the pelvic floor.
2. Deep breathing
“Digestion occurs when our autonomic nervous system is in a parasympathetic state. “This is usually referred to as our state of calm and digestion,” says Dr. Jeffot. If we are under high stress, this will keep our autonomic nervous system in a state of sympathy or “battle or flight”, he adds. If we are in this state for long periods of time, digestion will be affected and may be a contributing factor to constipation. One way to release your nervous system and get into digestion is to take a deep breath. Trying to expand your stomach as you inhale for four measurements and out for four measurements is a great place to start.
3. Toilet squat stool
Dr. Jeffcoat also recommends using a toilet stool (such as a bulky potty) that will help improve the angle of the anus and allow you to have more ease during bowel movements.
4. Self-massage
“Start from your left cage and massage down in small circles alternately with large movements towards the inside of your hip (pelvic) bone. “It follows the path of the descending colon, the last part of your colon before it enters your sigmoid colon and then the rectum,” says Dr. Jeffcoat. “Do this movement for about 3 minutes.” This should be done slowly, with deep breathing, to encourage your digestive organs to move your stool out through a movement called “peristalsis”.
5. Light movement
Dr. Jeffcoat advises people to think about taking a walk or doing clockwise and counterclockwise hip circles on an exercise ball. This is especially true for people who spend a lot of time sitting all day. Moving can therefore help move things in and out of your body, he explains.
Constipation occurs in many people and can be really frustrating. In addition to these constipation tips, Dr. Jeffcoat recommends hydrating and ensuring that you do not strain when you are on the toilet. He adds that if you do not go within 5 minutes of being in the pot, you should stop and try again later.
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