Have you ever had trouble or pain when passing your stools? Having dry, lumpy, and hard stools, or a feeling that the stools are not fully passed? Unable to pass stools for more than three days? These conditions are known as constipation.
您在排便时遇到过麻烦或疼痛吗？粪便干燥、块状、坚硬，或感觉粪便未完全排出？三天以上不能大便？这些情况被称为便秘。
Constipation can either be caused by lifestyle or medical issues. The lifestyle causes include low fibre diet, daily routine changes, inadequate fluid intake, physical inactivity, and putting off going to toilet when the urge comes. On the other hand, medical causes of constipation include certain diseases such as colorectal cancer and obstructed bowel, medication such as strong pain relief, anti-emetic drugs, anti-depressants, and chemotherapy drugs. Certain conditions, such as pregnancy and old age can also induce constipation.
便秘可能是由生活方式或医学问题引起的。生活方式所引起的便秘包括低纤维饮食、日常生活改变、液体摄入量不足、缺乏身体活动以及临时推迟上厕所。另一方面，医学问题所引起的便秘包括某些疾病，如结肠直肠癌和肠梗阻，药物如强止痛药、止吐药、抗抑郁药和化疗药物。某些情况，例如怀孕和年老，也会引发便秘。
Note that every person has different patterns of bowel movement, and only you know if there is a change or abnormality. If your constipation is due to medical causes, get advice from the doctors for the management.
每个人的排便方式不同，只有您自己知道是否有变化或异常。如果您的便秘是由医学原因引起的，请向医生寻求治疗。
Then, how can lifestyle-induced constipation be managed? Here, we are going to discuss on the nutrition aspects to relieve constipation.
那么，如何管理生活方式所引起的便秘呢？在这里，我们将从营养方面讨论缓解便秘的方法。
1. Increase Dietary Fibre Intake / 增加膳食纤维的摄入量
Dietary fibre intake can be grouped into two which are soluble and insoluble fibres. Soluble fibre absorbs water to form gel, enabling the stools to pass through the intestines smoothly. The sources of soluble fibre are oat bran, barley, legumes, and some fruits such as banana, berries, apple, pear, and citrus fruits (oranges et cetera). Meanwhile, insoluble fibre aids in bulking up the stools and for rapid stool transit through the gut. Insoluble fibre sources include (but not limited to) wholegrain, fruit and vegetable skins, leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and potato. Be mindful not to add too much fibre in a short period of time as this can cause bloating and gas.
膳食纤维可分为可溶性和不溶性纤维两大类。可溶性纤维吸收水分形成凝胶，使粪便顺利通过肠道。可溶性纤维的来源是燕麦麸、大麦、豆类和一些水果，如香蕉、浆果、苹果、梨和柑橘类水果（橙子等）。同时，不溶性纤维可以使粪便变大，并有助于粪便快速通过肠道。不溶性纤维来源包括（但不限于）全麦、水果和蔬菜皮、多叶蔬菜、坚果、种子和马铃薯。请注意不要在短时间内添加过多的纤维，因为这会导致腹胀和胀气。
2. Adequate Fluid / 充足的液体
When too little fluid is consumed, the large intestines will absorb water from the food waste, resulting in dry, hard stools. Therefore, consuming adequate fluid can prevent this and ensures that the stools are soft and easy to pass. One generally should consume at least 8 glasses of water per day (Around 2 litres per day).
当摄入太少液体时，大肠会从食物垃圾中吸收水分，导致粪便干燥、坚硬。因此，摄入足够的液体可以防止这种情况发生，并确保粪便柔软且易于通过。一个人通常应该每天至少喝8杯水（每天大约2公升）。
3. Regular Physical Activity / 规律的体育活动
Physical activity can promote bowel movement and possibly reduce the transit time. These prevent excessive water reabsorption of the food waste in the large intestine; thus, the stools remain soft and easy to pass. The WHO recommends physical activity of at least 150 minutes of moderate or 70 minutes of high intensity exercise per week. Even walking at least 15 to 30 minutes daily may help in preventing constipation.
体育活动可以促进排便，并可能减少上厕所的时间。这些可以防止大肠中的食物垃圾过度吸收水分；因此，粪便保持柔软且易于通过。世界卫生组织建议每周至少进行150分钟的中等强度或70分钟的高强度运动。即使每天步行至少15到30分钟也可能有助于预防便秘。
4. Regular Meals / 正餐
Regular meals can stimulate the gastrointestinal system, allowing movement of waste along the gut. Skipping meals reduces this reflex and may cause constipation. Therefore, one should aim for a regular 3 times a day meal with optional healthy snacks in between.
正餐可以刺激肠胃系统，使废物沿着肠道移动。不吃饭会降低这种反射，并可能导致便秘。因此，一个人应该以每天3次有规律的膳食为目标，中间可选择健康的零食。
5. Prebiotics and Probiotics / 益生元和益生菌
The inclusion of prebiotics and probiotics is supplementary. Prebiotics stimulates the growth of the good bacteria in our gut. They can be obtained from consumption of insoluble fibres. The probiotics, on the other hand, is good bacteria that may be beneficial in helping to promote gut health. The sources of prebiotics include fermented food such as yogurt, tempeh, and miso.
益生元和益生菌的加入是补充性的。益生元刺激肠道中有益细菌的生长。它们可以通过食用不溶性纤维获得。另一方面，益生菌是有益于促进肠道健康的有益细菌。益生元的来源包括发酵食品，如酸奶、豆豉和味噌。
All in all, lifestyle-induced constipation can be managed by proper healthy eating habits. Do not let it worsen as it can lead to more severe conditions such as haemorrhoid, anal fissure, and impacted stools.
总而言之，生活方式所引起的便秘可以通过健康饮食习惯来控制。不要让它恶化，因为它会导致更严重的情况，如痔疮、肛裂和大便阻塞。
