Delicately wondering

[shootingstar]

Article on constipation and how to reduce it:
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/healt..._webmd_sohcure

I'm abit surprised by what the article says that having a bowel movement only 3 times per week is still normal.

I just wouldn't feel physically well. I start to worry abit when nothing happens after 2 days.

And of course, certain regular forms of exercise helps. For some reason, yoga is highlighted in article.
I never cared about my lower "plumbing' processes until I got into cycling.

[Crankin]

I wouldn't feel well, either. But everyone is different.
I had a lot of problems with this when I was younger. Weirdly, after I had children, it disappeared.
Yes, cyclists do seem to talk a lot/have concern with about bodily functions....

[snapdragen]

This became an issue after being on vicodin, I wasn't aware that it was one of the side effects. I was miserable!

[OakLeaf]

EW, I read that a few days ago, must've been where they got the info for the Oprah show.

I think it's one of those things like BMI, where they define "normal" based on a median of a population that's overall pretty unhealthy. I know when I'm eating healthy (most of my calories from vegetables) I usually have a BM three times a day. And yeah. Exercise. Peristalsis only does so much (particularly if someone's eating a low fiber diet that takes a lot of muscular energy to propel). A lot of moving stuff through the bowels comes from external stimulation by body movement.

[shootingstar]

EW, I read that a few days ago, must've been where they got the info for the Oprah show.

I think it's one of those things like BMI, where they define "normal" based on a median of a population that's overall pretty unhealthy. I know when I'm eating healthy (most of my calories from vegetables) I usually have a BM three times a day. And yeah. Exercise. Peristalsis only does so much (particularly if someone's eating a low fiber diet that takes a lot of muscular energy to propel). A lot of moving stuff through the bowels comes from external stimulation by body movement.

Hmmm...it's one of those things most people don't talk much about unless it's monitoring their babies or when they get very old/very sick/ill. All the talk about body cleanses, etc., would not be necessary if people were regular in BM, ate food closest to produce, had right fibre in diet, etc.

Maybe it's more chic /easier to talk about body cleanses in conversations with others, but not address regular, natural ways how the body gets rid of toxins/waste by improving diet long-term & exercise.

[Jolt]

I think it's one of those things like BMI, where they define "normal" based on a median of a population that's overall pretty unhealthy. I know when I'm eating healthy (most of my calories from vegetables) I usually have a BM three times a day. And yeah. Exercise. Peristalsis only does so much (particularly if someone's eating a low fiber diet that takes a lot of muscular energy to propel). A lot of moving stuff through the bowels comes from external stimulation by body movement.

I agree--"normal" may not necessarily be "ideal". Given the lousy American diet (not enough fiber) and lack of exercise, the average frequency of BM is lower than is probably optimal. Inactivity is well known for contributing to constipation--that's largely why hospitalized patients are pretty much automatically given a daily stool softener while they're there--they're not moving much, so their bowels aren't either. For a couch potato, the same kind of thing would happen. We could say that the average American is full of cr@p!!

To the poster who had the issues with Vicodin, yes, opiate meds are NOTORIOUS for stopping people up. I was always taught that patients taking these should also take a stool softener to offset the problem--somebody apparently didn't give you that message!

[Crankin]

Well, for some reason, this was not an unusual topic of conversation in my house, growing up, nor now. My husband and I like to joke that cycling is the automatic "cleansing activity." No matter how short of a ride I am going on, I always "go" before a ride. Sometimes more than once. It doesn't matter the time of day, or if I have gone earlier. Most of it is nervous energy for me, but when my husband mentioned the same thing happened to him, I wonder if it is our body's way of getting rid of stuff before we are out in the middle of nowhere.
Jolt, I agree. Most Americans are full of cr@p. I am pretty sure the only reason I had issues with this as a kid and teen was because I ate hardly any fruits or veggies. In fact, when I was 5, I had to be put on a special diet and take some awful chocolate looking medicine (I remember my mom shoving it down my throat from a spoon) because I was living on bread and butter and milk, which wreaked havoc with my digestive system, to say the least.

[GLC1968]

Crankin - LOL, we've noticed the same thing! Whenever I go to get my cycling shorts, I always have to visit the bathroom. It's like "hmmm, feeling a little backed up? Let's go grab the shorts and see if that makes things move"!

I will say that while I'm regular in my normal life, I do notice that when I'm actively trying to cut back (ie - diet), that mine reduce to every 2 or three days. It doesn't really bother me physically, and I figure that since I'm eating less, my body has less to dispose of...so it makes sense.

[shootingstar]

Well, for some reason, this was not an unusual topic of conversation in my house, growing up, nor now. My husband and I like to joke that cycling is the automatic "cleansing activity." No matter how short of a ride I am going on, I always "go" before a ride. Sometimes more than once. It doesn't matter the time of day, or if I have gone earlier. Most of it is nervous energy for me, but when my husband mentioned the same thing happened to him, I wonder if it is our body's way of getting rid of stuff before we are out in the middle of nowhere.
Jolt, I agree. Most Americans are full of cr@p.

It used to amaze me to see commercials/advertisements for laxatives.. a laxative in the household where I grew up was very rare..that's in a household of 8 people.

'Course not a topic talked about unless it's a problem. But admittedly coming from a big family with 1 bathroom and though I'm childless, I did help mother with 2 youngest siblings for their toilet training...there's bound to be more open jokes, if no serious discussion. Or maybe my family is just more earthy in jokes/such functions. I dunno.

For cycling, over the years, I have now managed to get my body into a routine, where BM is done once in morning (which is it for rest of day), preferrably before ride start. Of course for winter sports, it's less of a headache when clearing is all done at the start of day. Rest of cycling, etc. day can be enjoyed witout prolonged stopping. 'Course this must be continuously married with proper diet/eating/hydration habits.

Now that I'm taking prescribed iron supplement, it has upset the routine slightly.

[Jolt]

Well, for some reason, this was not an unusual topic of conversation in my house, growing up, nor now

In my circle of friends, I am known as the one it's OK to talk about any and all bodily functions with and not have to worry about grossing me out--must have something to do with being a nurse!

[colby]

I feel much better... when I read the article I thought the same thing. 3 times a WEEK!!!! What about 3 times a DAY? Even my husband who doesn't eat fruits and veggies or exercise like I do isn't 3 times a WEEK. That sounds painful and uncomfortable.

Laxatives are heard of for pranks for me. The only time I have ever heard of needing one legitimately was after having a baby (at least, my mom/friends). I haven't been injured or in pain enough to need meds, though, and that makes a lot of sense.

I remember an episode of You Are What You Eat on the BBC where the woman absolutely hated poo - the smell, the act of, everything, because it was so painful for her. She was one of those "only goes once or twice a week" people at the start. OMG!! By the end of the episode, she didn't hate poo so much.

I try not to talk about bodily functions to people I'm not sure are comfortable with it, but more active people definitely seem to freely share this information even with strangers. At a certain point it just seems to become matter-of-fact rather than eeewww, grossss!!

[ny biker]

This thread is cracking me up.

Speaking of nervous energy, when I did my first century, I wound up going twice(!!) at each reststop. Having Mexican food for dinner the night before probably didn't help. Luckily all the reststops were in nice public parks that had clean bathrooms with running water instead of funky porta-potties.

A few years back I read an article about the Atkins diet that said constipation was a major side-effect of the diet. And yet there were people who thought it was a great diet anyway. Where I come from, that's a deal-breaker.

[Crankin]

Jolt, I can't tell you how many times I've been told I should have been a medical professional because of my lack of getting grossed out over this kind of stuff. I was also known as the teacher who would talk about anything.
On the other hand, my family is a slightly different version of a Woody Allen movie! When my 2 grown sons are home, they still tell me when they have to "go."

[Kano]

speaking of poop, my not-quite-three-year-old grandson has an appointment for his annual physical coming up.

He was telling me all about it, very excitedly saying he's going to the doctor to get some poop and pee!

He's been having some interesting stress-related bowel habits lately, and apparently someone has told him that if he doesn't poop, he'll have to go to the doctor.

Karen in Boise

[teigyr]

I don't recall where I heard about it but there are toilets with a shelf on them so you can inspect the, er, output.