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I'm slow to arrive and hard to release. I make you uncomfortable, to say the least. Doctors and dieticians both know my name. What am I? That's part of this common complaint. The answer Constipation.

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This podcast, beyond Bath an Blues, is our way to document the lessons we've learned on growing our business men's IBS mastery, towards helping one million men. Our hope is you use the lessons and wisdom for your own journey and maybe someday soon, partner with us to achieve IBS mastery and dominate in your personal and professional life. We hope you share and enjoy. Hi and welcome back to Beyond Butter and Blues. So, yep, today we're going to be talking about conservation, because it's Conservation Awareness Month.

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And let's be real, everyone deals with it at some point, but not everyone likes to talk about it, understandably. So we're going to be diving into this and seven possible reasons why you might be constipated and, of course, what you can do about it. But before that, let's quickly talk about what it actually is, because lots of people have slightly different idea of what constipation means, and what you think of as constipation could be very different from how I, as a dietitian or a doctor, might see it. So, in simple terms, constipation is having less than three poos a week. But it's not just about how often you go, because it's also about how it feels. So if you're straining, if you're passing hard or lumpy poos or feeling like you're not completely emptied your bum, like it feels like there's still some more in there, then that's constipation as well. So even if you're going regularly but it's uncomfortable or it feels incomplete, like, as I said, there's more in there, then that can count as constipation. So the key is to understand what's normal and what's not, knowing your body and knowing what's normal for you, so then you can recognize when something's off, so you can actually do something about it. Because here's the thing if you don't know what constipation really is, or you don't realize that you're suffering with it, then you're not going to be able to do anything about it, or you're not going to be doing anything about it, are you? So, even if you do, you might not take the right steps to sort it out because, for example, I've come across guys who thought their bowels were you know, they thought they were totally normal, but actually they were constipated and then, unbeknownst to them, the things that they were doing were actually making their situation worse. So if you're struggling with constipation, then this is, for you, all right.

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So now we're clear on what constipation is, let's jump into some reasons why this can happen. So reason number one not enough fiber in your diet. So okay, let's start with the most common culprit fiber. If your diet is lacking in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes like beans and pulses, you're probably not getting enough fiber to keep things moving through your system. And in the UK it's recommended that we get 30 grams of fiber a day, but the average adult falls short of this and they only get maybe about 19 grams a day.

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I think the studies say and you could be sat there saying I, you know, I can't have fiber, it makes my symptoms worse, so I don't. I don't need 30 grams a day and you might be avoiding that. Maybe you're even having a meat only diet. Well, yes, fiber could be making your symptoms worse, but the the thing is there's lots of types of fiber. So it's the type of fiber that again. Plus, are you getting enough fluids? And I'll come on to that in a second.

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So just blanket avoidant fiber is not a wise choice, especially as fiber is beneficial for your gut health and all the tiny bugs that naturally live in your gut and then all the benefits that they provide to us. So you've got to look after them, so then they can look after us, and they love fiber, by the way. So if you deprive yourself of fiber, then you're depriving them, and then you're going to be missing out on all the health benefits. Plus, research shows fiber can reduce the risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, heart disease, stroke, constipation, and also certain types of fiber can be helpful with diarrhea. Plus, it can help with managing your weight because it can help us to feel fuller for longer. So there's loads and loads of benefits of having fiber in your diet.

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So if you're now thinking okay, charjean, what does 30 grams of fiber even look like? Well, you can easily achieve this by getting your five portions of fruit and veg a day, eating some nuts and seeds, adding in some beans and pulses to your meals, and then using whole grain bread, rice, pasta, that kind of thing as well. And research has shown that people who have a high fibre diet from a wide range of different foods have a greater diversity of gut bugs, and then a higher level of diversity is associated with better overall health, and I recommend that, if you're not currently eating 30 grams a day of fibre. To do it gradually, nice and slowly, because then you can cause yourself gut issues if you go, you know, just head first and dive in straight away and start tanning loads of fibre because your body's not used to it. So do it nice and gradual.

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So, moving on to reason number two, dehydration. If you're not drinking enough fluids, your poo can become dry and hard and then making it really difficult for you to have a poo. So think of it like this so fibre is the broom, but the water is the lubricant, because without it things can't move through too easily. So how much fluids do you need? Well, it depends on your personal situation. So, for example, do you think someone living in the UK needs the same amount of fluids as what they would need when they're on holiday in a hot country? So like when I went to Egypt and I was scuba diving, the average temperature not in the water, mind was 45 degrees C. Or how about someone who sweats like 10 men on a night time and they wake up and their pillow is soaked? Or someone who's got a heavy, arduous job, or they have to wear like a lot of kit, or both. So then they'll be sweating buckets. Do they need the same amount of water? Who hasn't been sweating as much? Or what about someone who's got diarrhea or vomiting? So exactly.

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So your personal fluid requirements are different from the next man's, but also your own requirements can vary depending on internal and external factors, like if you're ill, if you've got a certain medical condition, your exercise and activity levels, the weather, the climate, how acclimatized you are. So the general recommendation is about one and a half to two liters a day, but this needs to be adjusted to you and your needs, like I've just mentioned. So I was in a mastermind group well, I still am and there was this chiropractor and he was like you all need to have four liters a day, really. So, bearing in mind mind, this mastermind is full of entrepreneurs aged from about early 30s upwards and the oldest well, she must have been easily early 70s she doesn't need four liters a day. So this chiropractor was giving out bad advice, blanket advice. So be wary of where you get your information from. And here's a pro tip for you If you are going to up your fibre intake, then you'll want to increase your fluid intake as well.

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So an extra glass or two of water so the fibre can then do its job. Otherwise, you can get constipated, and if you're already constipated, then you're just going to be making things worse for yourself, which obviously you don't want. Also, did you know that foods can add about 20% or more towards your overall fluid intake? So think about things like oranges, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, lettuce, melon, these kinds of foods. These have got a high water content. So this is another good reason to eat off root and veg, but obviously be mindful of any tolerance issues that you might have. So you tailor the choices to what works best for you.

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So how can you tell if you've drunk enough? You can easily and quickly check how hydrated you are by checking your pee. So if it's dark, then you need to have more fluids, and if it's nice and pale, then you're all good. And research shows thirst isn't a good indicator of hydration, because you can be already about 2% dehydrated by the time you realize that you're thirsty or by the time you feel thirsty. So what can you do? Well, there's lots of things you could do so you could sip drinks throughout the day. You could have a water bottle with you and carry it around with you wherever you go and make sure that you drink all of it by the end of the day, obviously depending on the size of the bottle, and you could track your fluids intake and your fiber foods using a diary, like you could use mine, which covers everything that you would need to record, and you can grab a copy from amazon, or you could just simply use a notepad, just so, whatever works for you.

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So reason number three not enough physical activity. So are you sitting around loads? Maybe you sit at a desk all day and then you cruise on the couch all evening to relax and unwind after work. But leading a sedentary lifestyle puts your health at risk, whereas being active benefits your health and helps assimilate your digestive system. So if you're spending most of your day sitting, then your intestines are going to be sluggish as well. Even small amounts of movement can help. So like going for a brisk daily walk can be helpful, especially after meals, to help to get things moving along. Or doing sports or yoga, running, whatever you like, maybe even dancing it's just something that you like that gets your body moving, because you're more likely to do it and to do it regularly, rather than you know quit because you don't really like it. You're just doing it for the sake of it. So find something you enjoy so you can stick with it. So then not only will you be helping your bowels, but also your overall health as well as your mood.

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And then, speaking of that reason, number four, stress. So here's one that you might not think about stress. So when you're stressed, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. So things like digestion isn't prioritized because your body needs to get ready for actions and your brain is basically saying we don't have time to digest and have a poo, we've got bigger problems. So gut function is reduced because right now that's not the priority. So let's quickly talk about the autonomic nervous system and its role in the body. To help you understand what I'm on about when you feel stressed or anxious, I'm going to quickly tell you a little story, and you'll find out why in a second.

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So it was a warm, beautiful Sunday morning and there weren't a cloud in the sky, and Emily and her boyfriend Mike. They decided they were going to go for a walk and have a nice picnic. They packed everything they needed and they went walking in the woods, enjoying each other's company and the sounds of nature the birds singing, the gentle breeze and the crunching of the dry leaves under their feet. They found a nice sunny spot for their picnic, spent a good while there, eating and enjoying each other's company and it was nice and calm and beautiful, and the sun was shining through the trees before they then set off through the woods again. And then, after a while, mike decided that he needed a toilet and he went to find a tree or somewhere private, just in case anyone else was out walking, and so obviously this left Emily on her own.

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So while she was waiting, she decided to sit down on a tree that had fallen down, and she was waiting and waiting and she kept checking her watch like where is he, blimey? And then as time went on, she was getting more and more concerned and thinking where where's Mike? He's been gone ages. And then suddenly she heard some rustling noises and they were getting louder. Mike, is that you? Is that you Nothing? Hurry up, I'm waiting. And she called again. No answer. Then she heard crunching and cracking noise like footsteps, getting louder and quicker, as if someone was running. Her heart was pounding and she was starting to sweat and she looked around intensely trying to see what was. You know where that noise was coming from and see if she could see anything. She couldn't see anything, but it sounded like it was getting closer and closer and she couldn't catch her breath and she was panicking and thinking oh my goodness, where is Mike? What should I do? What should I do? What's that noise? Who is that? Mike is that you? And her mind was racing. And then suddenly, boom, and she looked out of her skin and I'm gonna stop it there.

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So what was happening to Emily? Well, lots of things were going on in her body at once, so her body had quickly adapted to the change in situation without her even thinking about it. And this was her autonomic nervous system in action, which is why it's called the autonomic nervous system, which literally means self-governed. And so the autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions, meaning that, for example, we don't have to constantly and consciously tell our body to do things, thank goodness, like tell our heart to beat. So the autonomic nervous system has two parts the sympathetic nervous system, known as the fight or flight system, which you've probably heard of, and then the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest system, and these typically work in opposition to each other.

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So when Emily was calm and chilling with Mike and they were enjoying their picnic. Picnic, her parasympathetic nervous system was in full swing, resting and digestion. So the clues in the title, basically. And then when she got scared and panicky you know she was on her own and she was hearing noises her sympathetic nervous system kicked in, getting her body ready for action by increasing her heart rate, her blood pressure and her breathing and pumping that blood rich with oxygen and glucose sugar to fuel her working muscles and getting rid of the carbon dioxide with every out breath. And she was sweating and she had a dry mouth and you know that picnic food that she was digesting. Well, her body would have switched priorities because it needed to rapidly respond to the danger that it felt that she was in. So if you're going to run from danger, digesting your lunch can wait.

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So does that make sense? So you can think of the autonomic nervous system like a car engine running. So when you're stressed or you're anxious, it's like pressing hard on the accelerator. So you're activating the sympathetic nervous system and revving up your body for action. And then when you relax and you ease off the accelerator, the engine slows down your body cells into calm and steady pace. And this is a parasympathetic nervous system and it functions like business as usual, promoting rest, digestion see digestion and recovery. So essentially, this is your body's built-in relaxation system, so tapping into this is really helpful.

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So stress can affect your bowels and it can make you struggle to have a poo, but for some people it can make them go the other way and then they can have diarrhea. But chronic stress can also negatively impact gut bacteria as well as increase your risk of various health conditions. So what can you do to manage stress? So there's various things you can do, but even simple things like doing some belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, because this can activate the parasympathetic nervous system to calm your mind and your body. But even just a quick walk outside can make the difference with your stress levels and your mood.

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So number five ignoring the urge to go. So let's talk about timing. Have you ever felt the urge to go and thought I'm just gonna, I need a poo, but I'm just going to finish this email off, or I'm just going to do this first, or maybe you know there's no toilets around, so then you've got no choice but to hold it, or maybe you don't feel like using, or you don't like using public toilets or you don't want to have a poo at a friend's house. So you know there might be loads of different reasons why you choose not to have a poo. And then there might be times when you know you've got no choice because there is no toilets. So and so many people put off going for a poo because you know they want to finish writing that email or they want to finish doing this or it's just not convenient. But whatever the reason, it's not helpful for your bowels and it can lead to constipation. And if you regularly ignore the urge to have a poo, you can confuse the system and then making it harder for your body to send the signals in the future, so you can end up with chronic constipation. Send the signals in the future, so you can end up with chronic constipation. So next time when nature calls, try to listen to it, even if it's inconvenient.

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Reason number six medications. Another sneaky culprit. So medications and supplements. So certain ones can cause constipation as a side effect. For example, opiate based painkillers like codeine and morphine can cause constipation. Antipressants like amitriptyline and this might surprise you that actually low dose can be prescribed for people with IBS pain. Other things like iron and calcium supplements can cause constipation as well. So if you think this might be an issue for you, don't stop taking your medications or prescribed supplements like the iron or the calcium. Speak with your doctor first and then also, if you're taking any natural remedies or sports supplements, whatever you could mention this to your doctor as well, as they might be causing some constipation as well, depending on what's in them, and they could look into this for you.

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Reason number seven underlying medical conditions. So constipation can sometimes be a sign of an underlying condition, like it could be IBS, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease or something else. So it's always wise to speak with your doctor, especially if it's been a few weeks and if it's accompanied by other symptoms like pain, blood in your poo, loss of sensation around your bum or any swelling or anything around your bum. Because these signal, or anything around your bum, because these signal a time to go and see your doctor. Even though it might seem embarrassing talking about this and the thought of getting your bum out and being checked out, but don't ignore it. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

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So right there we are. There's seven reasons why you might be constipated. So number one not enough fiber dehydration. Three lack of physical activity. Four stress. Five ignoring the urge to go. Six medications and supplements. And seven underlying medical conditions. And actually I'm going to add a number. Eight a change in eating patterns or change in routine, like having a lay-in on a weekend compared to the work and and week, maybe a new job or going on holiday. So the gut can be sensitive to change, but knowing your triggers can help you to manage the symptoms.

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So that's it for today's episode seven. Now eight possible reasons why you might be constipated. So I hope you found this helpful and gave you some insight into what might be causing your constipation, so then you can then tackle it. But remember this is for information only, so don't use this as an excuse to skip going to your doctor for personalized advice, because especially if you've got, you know the other signs and symptoms as well as constipation. So thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed it. Please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who might also benefit and find this helpful, and if you've got any questions or topics that you'd like to be covered in the future, feel free to reach out, because we'd love to hear from you. So thanks again and I'll catch you next time.