Treatment of constipation
There are many lifestyle factors that are important in the management of constipation and these include:
Increasing fibre in the diet or taking a fibre supplement
The recommended daily intake of fibre is 25 to 35 grams daily.
Examples of fibre rich foods
You should aim to eat 25 to 35 grams of fibre a day and it should be a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibre.
Those sources of fibre in bold are soluble the others are insoluble fibre.
| Food | Fibre (gram) |
| Bread (1 slice) | |
| white | 1.0 |
| wholemeal | 2.0 |
| mixed grain | 2.5 |
| Breakfast cereals | |
| Muesli (1/2 cup) | 6.0 |
| Rolled oats (1/2 cup raw) | 3.5 |
| All Bran (1/2 cup) | 9.5 |
| Cornflakes (1 cup) | 1.0 |
| Sultana Bran (1 cup) | 7.0 |
| Special K (1 cup) | 1.0 |
| Weetbix (2 biscuits) | 3.0 |
| Bran/wheatgerm (1 tablespoon) | |
| oat | 2.0 |
| wheat | 2.0 |
| wheatgerm | 1.0 |
| Grains and Pastas (boiled – 1 cup) | |
| Barley | 7.0 |
| Wholemeal pasta | 10.0 |
| White rice | 1.5 |
| Brown rice | 3.0 |
| Fruit | |
| Apple (1) | 3.0 |
| Banana (1) | 3.0 |
| Dates (1 cup dried) | 10.0 |
| Figs (5 dried) | 11.0 |
| Kiwi fruit (2) | 5.0 |
| Orange (1) | 2.5 |
| Prunes (5) | 3.0 |
| Pear (1) | 4.0 |
| Sultanas (1 tablespoon) | 1.0 |
| Vegetables | |
| Beans, green (1/2 cup) | 4.5 |
| Carrots (1/2 cup) | 2.0 |
| Potato (1) | 1.0 |
| Sweet corn (1 small cob) | 4.0 |
| Tomato (1) | 1.5 |
| Legumes | |
| Baked beans | 6.5 |
| Kidney beans | 6.0 |
| Chickpea | 4.5 |
| Lentil | 3.5 |
| Split pea | 3.5 |
Ensuring that fluid intake is adequate
Fluid intake of 1.5 to 2 litres per day is recommended.
Keeping active by increasing exercise appropriate to your ability
Regular exercise encourages normal bowel activity. Thirty minutes of moderate intensity activity such as walking is recommended.
Not putting off having a bowel movement
The most effective time to empty the bowel is when you first get the urge to go. First thing in the morning or immediately following a meal when the muscles in the bowel are more active are common times to get this urge.
Occasionally you may need to take a laxative to help your body get back into a more regular routine.
