Constipation is so frustrating and unpleasant that it cannot be fully described in words.

 

Gas builds up and causes abdominal pain. Taking laxatives at this time can provide relief and resolve the issue quickly. As a result, some people habitually take laxatives whenever they experience constipation. This is not a good habit. A study has shown that people who regularly take laxatives have a higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who do not.

 

A joint research team from Harvard University in the United States, the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted a 10-year follow-up and analysis of 502,229 people to investigate the effects of laxative use on the development of dementia. As a result, individuals who consistently took laxatives for four weeks between 2006 and 2010 were about 50% more likely to experience cognitive decline than those who did not take them. The habit of regularly taking laxatives was associated with an increased risk of developing all types of dementia, including vascular dementia.

 

People who mixed different types of laxatives or took osmotic laxatives had a higher risk of dementia. Osmotic laxatives are medications that increase intestinal pressure to aid bowel movements. The research team speculated that "laxatives may increase the production of gut toxins that negatively affect the brain."

So, what should you do when you have constipation? Of course, constipation should not be left untreated.

Fecal buildup in the intestines can lead to severe conditions such as bowel obstruction, which blocks the colon, or intestinal perforation, where a hole forms in the colon.

 

First, you should try to improve your lifestyle habits rather than taking laxatives.

 

Constipation can be alleviated simply by correcting dietary habits. First, eat foods rich in dietary fiber and fluids.

Foods rich in dietary fiber and moisture include vegetables such as cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, burdock, carrot, potato, sweet potato, taro, and lotus root; seaweeds like sea mustard, kelp, laver, agar, and hijiki; grains such as barley, brown rice, and Job's tears; legumes including soybeans, red beans, peas, fermented soybean paste, and bean curd; and most fruits. Foods high in animal fats and sugary foods can worsen constipation and should be avoided.

 

Walking for about 15 to 30 minutes a day is an appropriate exercise that promotes bowel movements.

 

If constipation persists despite these efforts, try lying down and lifting your head and legs, or do sit-ups to stimulate the intestines, and improve blood circulation in the lower abdomen with half-body baths and Sitz baths. If constipation still does not resolve, you should visit a hospital.

 

However, it is not advisable to drink coffee, alcohol, or other substances known to promote bowel movements to solve constipation. In fact, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which stimulates bowel activity, and alcohol prevents the intestine from absorbing water, thereby promoting bowel movements. However, both substances reduce the body's water content and, in the long run, can actually cause constipation.

Meanwhile, if you have not had a bowel movement more than three times a week or experience a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement, constipation should be suspected.

 

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This is information I've never heard before.

Chime is a disease I really don't want to catch.

It's one.

 

Are you taking laxatives?

 

Long-term use should be avoided due to the risk of dementia.

It doesn't seem good.