Difficult chapters during fasting? this is the cause and how to fix it

Difficulty defecating during fasting is one of the health problems that is often experienced by some people. Constipation or the medical term constipation is a condition of disruption of the digestive system so that it is difficult to remove waste from the body due to hardened stool.

Well, not infrequently, this makes your bowel routine very painful. When you have difficulty passing stools, or don't feel like having a bowel movement for three days, you need to be vigilant.

What causes difficult defecation during fasting?

Constipation is a common symptom that many people experience while fasting. In most cases, difficulty defecating during fasting occurs because the large intestine absorbs too much water from the food in the large intestine.

The slower food moves through the digestive tract, the more water the large intestine will absorb from it. As a result, the stool becomes dry and hard so that the frequency of defecating is reduced.

Basically, everyone's bowel habits are different. However, it usually takes up to three days for the food eaten to be finally digested and absorbed by the body. So that not defecating for more than three days can be categorized as constipation.

Because after three days, the stool structure will become harder and difficult to remove. Here are some of the causes of difficult defecation during fasting.

1. Lack of fiber

Changes in diet during fasting make many people not pay attention to their food intake properly, especially fiber. Though foods rich in fiber can increase the ability of intestinal peristalsis, and make the intestinal wall expand more. So that the rest of the food can be digested easily, and there is no need to linger in the intestine.

2. Not drinking enough

In addition to lack of fiber, it is difficult to defecate during fasting because your body is not properly hydrated. Water plays a role in dissolving food substances and transporting food waste into the body's exhaust system.

Well, if your body is dehydrated due to insufficient water intake, it will be difficult for the leftovers to be carried into the body's exhaust system. That is why it is very important to meet the needs of water intake at breaking the fast and at dawn to reduce the risk of constipation.

3. Too much consumption of dairy products

Milk can slow down your digestive process because it contains very little fiber. Too much consumption of milk and processed products, such as cheese and ice cream, can cause constipation, especially if you are not balanced with eating fruits and vegetables during fasting.

4. Frequent defecation

If you often ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, then the urge will gradually fade away until you finally don't feel it anymore. That's why for those of you who often hold back bowel movements, you should immediately get rid of the habit.

This is because the longer you hold your bowel movements, the longer the stool will be in the intestine, making it hard and dry.

5. Intestinal disorders

Another disorder in the intestine that causes constipation is the disruption of intestinal muscle function. Such as the appearance of a tumor in the intestine, scar tissue (adhesions), inflammation or infection in the colon (large intestine), abnormal narrowing of the colon and rectum so that the digestive process is disturbed.

How to deal with difficult defecation during fasting

Making lifestyle changes is one way to overcome difficult defecation during fasting. These lifestyle changes include;

• Make sure you meet your fasting intake of at least 8 glasses of fluids per day. You can consume 2 glasses of water at breaking the fast, 2 glasses at dawn, and 4 glasses throughout the night.
• Expand foods that contain fiber, for example by eating vegetables, fruit, whole grains, cereals, nuts, wheat and brown rice.
• Avoid dairy products, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes
• Exercise regularly at least 30 minutes after breaking the fast with light to moderate intensity
• Don't delay the urge to defecate and start to regulate your bowel habits
• Do not take laxatives carelessly without a recommendation from a doctor

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