What is traveler's constipation?

In addition to common traveler issues such as jet lag and tropical diseases in European countries, travel can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including constipation. What is traveler's constipation and what can you do about it?

Traveler's Constipation Statistics

Constipation may not be as common a problem as jet lag, but depending on the source of the research, the press reports that around 10-15% of travelers suffer from this affliction. What's more, constipation can persist for many days, even after returning home.

However, constipation is not only associated with traveling to different continents, it can even occur during short-distance hikes. The most common causes of constipation are listed below.

Long journeys

In the case of long-distance travel, especially long-haul flights, constipation is usually the result of changes in circadian rhythms. Often the changes are better tolerated when moving from east to west than from west to east, and often constipation does not require medical intervention because the rhythm of defecation can occur spontaneously after 2-3 days.

Usually, a long journey is also accompanied by dehydration and prolonged bed rest - both of these factors contribute to constipation and pharmacological support may be necessary, therefore, travel portals usually recommend having in the first aid kit means to facilitate defecation.

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Too little liquid

Quite often, traveling is accompanied by a lack of liquid. Which a person drinks. Often there is a reluctance to drink enough liquid on the road, fearing too frequent urges to urinate - in fact, the reluctance to drink may be associated with some inconvenience for passengers.

Adequate water content in the stool is a prerequisite for proper conformation and defecation. Those who receive too little fluid can be almost certain that they will subsequently become constipated; other unpleasant consequences of insufficient fluid intake are not mentioned by doctors.

Lack of physical activity

Another factor that helps to form stool correctly is physical activity - walking or running. It is difficult to move during a trip - even if it is just a trip to some nearby foreign country - unfortunately, we are forced to spend several hours in a car or train, and this, of course, does not help the work of the intestines.

During long trips, especially for several days, an additional element that negatively affects the digestive system is low fiber content - to prevent constipation, you need to take a bag full of vegetables on the trip.

You need to step up your activity. This does not mean that you need to immediately run to the gym and sweat liters there. The easiest way to strengthen your abdominal muscles is through feasible abdominal strengthening exercises. And this is very important if you want to get rid of constipation. As for physical activity, you really need to learn how to ride a bike, practice running, or, in the end, go for a normal walk. It is important that we listen to our body and move in moderation.

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Diet change

Traveling often involves changes in diet, which can also cause constipation. Introducing new foods into the diet, perhaps those to which a person is allergic or simply accustomed, can also cause constipation. The gastrointestinal tract may then need a few days to adjust to the new situation.

We should focus on finding the causes of frequent constipation. As a rule, we owe it to ourselves. The more and more we eat, using fast food services, the more likely it is that we have earned these problems ourselves. Therefore, we should not eat too much fat and heavy dishes, meat and cabbage.

What can you do at home to reduce the risk of constipation or even completely eliminate it?

Well, first of all, let's change the diet. We must make our menu food that contains a lot of fiber. You can also take drinks in the form of juice, in addition, mineral water is also needed, which we should drink a lot. However, in no case should we take soft drinks. If we are able to add to each meal, say, tea, raw vegetables and fruits.

Using all types of slimming teas and laxatives

The problem is that they are only good for a few times. When your body gets used to them and you need them to drink more and more, it is not very good. Also, the intestinal tract is filled with laxative drinks and can no longer function normally without them. So it is better to take care of the body without such an additive.

Psychosomatic barriers

For many people who travel with constipation - this is a problem with psychosomatic diseases - defecation occurs depending on the rhythm of the day. And if you simply cannot go to the toilet that meets hygiene standards, it may happen that a few hours later we find a normal toilet, and the intestines refuse to cooperate. The digestive system in this regard is quite autonomous and usually has difficulty adapting to the rhythm of changes.

Often we really do deal with a patient whose psyche adapts very hard to other sanitary and hygienic conditions. Such people can sometimes endure for a week, and sometimes the pause in defecation can be even longer, just to avoid using another toilet. After such a defecation regime, returning to normal bowel movements can be very difficult to achieve.

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Traveling for several days

It helps a lot when a person disciplines himself to drink enough liquid, the absolute minimum is 1.5 liters per day. However, for people who have had these problems before, doctors recommend using drugs for easy emptying - laxatives.

If the disorder is functional and not long-term, the situation should be quickly normalized by using this product, as a rule, even a single dose is very effective. If, however, despite these recommendations, constipation persists after several days, if the person continues to eat improperly and does not go to the toilet when necessary.