Popular knowledge about gastrointestinal health - Have you ever encountered this problem when traveling - difficulty in defecation?

The night before departure, I lay in bed and began to envision the beauty of traveling, thinking about where I would go after arriving at my destination and what local delicacies I would like to try.

But have you ever noticed that when you go to a new place, you have trouble defecating? Before leaving home in the morning, you might spend half an hour in the toilet without being able to poop, and you keep thinking about it. Sometimes you finally poop, but it doesn’t feel smooth.

Why can't I poop when I travel?

Changes in diet and lifestyle

Every time we go to a new place, we like to try the local food. But if we eat too much carbohydrates or meat and forget to eat more vegetables and fruits, the intestinal movement will slow down due to insufficient fiber intake. Food residues stay in the intestines for too long, and the digested food cannot be discharged. The stool will become dry and hard, and defecation will be difficult, which is easy to cause constipation.

Studies have found that the activity of the stomach and intestines is timed. In the morning, the stomach and intestines are more active, and going to the toilet is usually smoother. But when we travel, our daily routine changes, and the original toilet time is messed up. The stomach and intestines have to adapt again, so it is easy to get constipated in the first few days when you arrive in a new place.

Suppress the urge to defecate

Every time we go to a new place, we may reduce the amount of water we drink because we are not familiar with the environment. We may also ignore the urge to defecate, thinking that we can wait until we reach a stable place to deal with it. However, the stool that is held back will be reabsorbed in the intestines, reducing the water content, making the stool drier and harder, and making it more difficult to defecate.

Stress and anxiety

For many people, going to the toilet is something that requires privacy, security, and a quiet environment. When traveling in a new environment, you may feel uncomfortable and worry that your movements will affect others. This psychological anxiety may also affect your bowel movements.

In daily life, if you are in a bad mood or anxious state, your bowel movements will also be affected, and you will either suffer from constipation or diarrhea.

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How to have smooth bowel movements when you are out?

Shorten the time stool stays in the intestine

Constipation is caused by stool staying in the intestines for too long, and the water is absorbed by the intestinal wall and becomes dry and hard. Therefore, when you go out, remember to drink water in time and ensure that you drink 1200 to 1800 ml of water every day. In addition to looking for must-see attractions, you can also pay attention to whether there are public toilets around so that you can quickly solve the problem when you suddenly feel the need.

When traveling, you should also try to have bowel movements at regular times, such as during the "golden time" for bowel movements - when you wake up in the morning or after breakfast. Therefore, it is recommended to get up thirty minutes earlier to go to the toilet, which may help you have smooth bowel movements and a comfortable day.

Maintain a healthy diet

In addition to checking in local delicacies, you should also remember to eat appropriate fruits and vegetables to ensure that you have enough dietary fiber every day to help intestinal peristalsis, such as broccoli, asparagus, lentils, milk, watermelon, pears, barley, corn, soybeans, konjac, sweet potatoes, etc.

Probiotic regulation

Probiotics can regulate intestinal flora and promote intestinal motility. If you are a person who often suffers from constipation, you can prepare some probiotic supplements.

Adjust your sitting posture when defecating

You can choose to squat when defecating to relax the puborectalis muscles. The angle between the anus and rectum is close to 180 degrees, and the stool can flow more smoothly from the rectum to the anus.