You’ve probably heard that loading up on veggies can help beat constipation. But here’s the scoop: that advice is only half right. Depending on what’s causing your constipation, those greens might make things worse.
Regarding constipation, it’s not always about piling your plate with vegetables. The key is to know your body and what type of constipation you’re dealing with.
If you’re feeling nauseous and your number two is rock-hard, you might have spastic constipation. This happens when your intestines go into overdrive, often triggered by stress messing with your intestines or throwing your nervous system out of whack.
You might feel bloated, have tummy aches, and feel queasy. Your colon works overtime, pushing waste to your rectum, but an overactive colon absorbs all the moisture in the stool, making it hard and preventing it from being appropriately excreted.
In this case, loading fiber-rich veggies could backfire, making your stools even harder to pass. Instead, try kickstarting your day with warm water or popping some probiotics. These tricks can be game-changers for getting things moving.
Also, if you’re already backed up, suddenly upping your fiber intake without enough good gut bacteria could leave you feeling even more bloated and uncomfortable.
On the other hand, if you’re dealing with slow transit constipation (the most common type), fiber is helpful. Most people with this type have fewer nerve cells telling their intestinal muscles to get moving. This means their colon is unable to push waste out.
With slow transit constipation, you might not even feel the urge to go for a week or two until your colon is packed full. If you lie down and press on your upper belly, it’ll feel hard from all the buildup. For this type, loading up on fruits and veggies is smart.
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