• 2024-04-30 13:50:48
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What should I do if the elderly suffer from constipation?

The prevalence of constipation in the elderly is about 15%-30%, and the prevalence of long-term bedridden elderly is up to 80%. With the increase of age, various functions of the body of the elderly will decline, and the function of the gastrointestinal tract will also be affected. The digestive juice secreted by the gastrointestinal tract will gradually decrease, and the function of the sphincter will be weakened, which will lead to constipation.

In addition, aging and physical weakness, insufficient food intake or exercise reduction, long-term bed rest, etc., can lead to weakened gastrointestinal motility, slow passage of intestinal contents, and excessive absorption of water in the feces, which can easily lead to dry feces, resulting in senile constipation.

For some elderly constipation patients with bad teeth, indigestion, and inconvenience, the effective way to relieve constipation is to solve the disease caused by "eating" and then relying on "eating" to solve it.

Based on this, the dietary principles for the elderly to improve constipation should be: a balanced diet, adequate dietary fiber supplementation, and more water. 

Balanced diet, supplemented with dietary fiber

Choose foods rich in crude fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, etc. Crude fiber can increase food residues, stimulate the intestinal wall to promote intestinal peristalsis, and make feces easier to pass.

Eat more gas-producing foods, such as beans, potatoes, potatoes, radishes, onions, bean sprouts, leeks and other foods, which can stimulate peristalsis, shorten the time for food to pass through the intestines, and promote defecation.

Drink plenty of water and rehydrate in time

With age, many elderly people drink less water in order to reduce the frequency of urination, which is very unhealthy. We need to drink water constantly, not only because of thirst, but also to keep every organ in our body functioning properly. If you don’t drink water for a long time, the blood in the blood vessels will become viscous and flow slowly, which will not only reduce the metabolic level, but also easily cause blood vessel blockage.

Develop the habit of drinking water regularly and quantitatively, drink a small amount of water many times, drinking water can keep enough water in the intestines, and will not over-absorb the water in the stool, which is conducive to the discharge of the stool.

Adequate intake of B vitamins

Foods rich in B vitamins can promote the secretion of digestive juice, maintain and promote intestinal peristalsis, and facilitate defecation. Such as whole grains, yeast, soy products.

Appropriately increase the amount of cooking oil, such as soybean oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, etc., the total daily amount can reach 35-40g, which can lubricate the intestines and facilitate laxatives. However, for patients with hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, diabetes, etc., it is necessary to strictly control the intake of fat.

Finally, it should be noted that relying on changes in eating habits to improve constipation is a long-term process, and it is also a maintenance process that requires patience for the elderly. It must not be rushed for quick success, or blamed for occasional constipation and incontinence.