I'm Constipated. Why?

Pooping is fun, they said. Pooping is easy, they said.

12-minute read / average poop time

There’s nothing more unsatisfying and miserable than attempting a poo, only to realize your bowels aren’t cooperating and little to nothing comes out. It’s frustrating, incredibly uncomfortable and depressing to say the least.

ARE YOU CONSTIPATED?

- You poop less than 3 times a week
- You have to strain when you poop or are in pain 
- Your poo is often large and dry, hard or lumpy

If any of the above apply to you, then yes, you are very much constipated, friend.

WHY ME?? WHY???

It’s not just you. In fact, on average, 4 million Americans suffer frequent constipation according to a John Hopkins Medicine study in 2012. 

And did you know that the number of people admitted to the hospital primarily for constipation has more than doubled since 1997?

The pooping problem is very much real. It’s like a silent plague that happens behind closed doors…and clenched buttcheeks.

BUT WHY????!!

Here are five factors for why you are constipated. 

1. STRESS
Stress comes in all forms and affects everyone. It’s been proven that psychological stress causes bowel dysfunction and our mental health is connected to our gut health. Stress and not pooping go hand in hand.

Life is getting busier and harder. We have responsibilities. We are working. We have kids. Or we’re just trying to get through daily obstacles. Going through anxiety, depression, trauma and even the stress of changing your regular routine because of a drastic life change or traveling - will put your digestion in a funk.

3. GENDER
To be quite honest - constipation knows no gender. Everyone is affected. BUT did you know that women are twice as likely to suffer from constipation than men?

This is particularly so for pregnant women or those who have just given birth: about 2 in 5 women experience constipation during pregnancy particularly in the early stages. When you’re pregnant, the baby inside the womb pushes against the intestines which makes pooping a lot slower and more difficult. You’re also producing more of the female hormone progesterone which makes it harder for the bowel muscles to contract and therefore get your poop moving.

4. AGE
It’s a known fact that the older you get, the harder it is to poop. Our bodies slow down over time and the simple biological things that we took for granted when we are younger become much more hard-earned. Studies indicate that 33.5% of adults over 60 suffer chronic constipation.

5. NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, metabolic and endocrine disorders, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and bowel cancer often cause constipation. Many, many, many people have to deal with these disorders and poop anxieties constantly and silently. Let’s make sure we’re there for them even if it involves a little poop talk.

Listen, none of us are perfect. Constipation is a painful process and conversation but that doesn’t mean we should give up. Make sure to call your doctor or healthcare provider if your constipation has lasted more than three weeks or you have severe pain when you poop!

PS. Friends don’t let friends have constipation. Get a bundle and spread the poophoria.