In a world full of liars, cheaters and dreamers, there’s one type that’s not given enough consideration and that’s the ‘travel constipators’. If anyone tells you that they don’t get constipated after being holed up in the tiny space of an airplane for hours, don’t believe them – they’re liars. TRAVEL CONSTIPATION IS REAL people and almost everyone suffers from it at some point during their travels. Constipation can be a real pain in the ass. Vacations are always fun but a gut gridlock is definitely not. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back (ewww, not literally) because here are a few tips that will take away your dry spell and turn you into Ms PoopsALot as quickly as possible. Really, we aren’t shi**ing y’all!
What Is Travel Constipation?
Travel constipation is the ‘full stop’ your body puts on you when you go away for a long journey or even a weekend. Typically it’s characterized by the lack of frequency of your daily motions, the bloating you feel or simply the interruption of your daily pattern. Fortunate are the few who do not suffer from travel constipation. Below are a few reasons why you could possibly get constipated while travelling:
1. Jetlag – The change in your daily schedule can cause your body distress and in turn, affect your bowel movements
2. Dehydration – A lot of people like me don’t drink enough water especially during travelling because I hate using public loos. Not having enough water can cause dehydration and bloating
3. The change of your daily poop spot can actually make you shy. Well, not you, just your bowels. If you’re trying to get over your shyness of talking to strangers, you’re reading the wrong article. But if you get shy of foreign loos, we’re here to help
4. Change in your meal pattern. This one is fairly obvious. Most people go through a huge dietary change, especially when they travel abroad. An increase in red meat consumption or a huge change in your regular diet can cause constipation
5. An increase in your sitting time. Believe it or not, being smashed up in a tiny airplane can actually cause constipation.
6. Travel stress is a real thing and can cause your digestive system to revolt. The result? No Poop.
7. Lack of immediate bathroom access
Also read: Taiwan Has A Toilet-Themed Restaurant Where You Can Eat Poop Special Dishes
How To Prevent Travel Constipation?
- Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! When we don’t drink water, your body takes the water out of the fecal matter. A lot of fluid genuinely helps. You have to make a conscious effort to drink water, juices or even soups. Just stay away from milk which can also lead to constipation.
- Eat on time. When we’re travelling we tend to disrupt our regular body clock and fill our body up with junk when we do eat. Try and maintain some level of regularity with meal timings and meal portions.
- Drink warm liquids. Nothing moves your bowels faster than the gentle caress of warm liquids
- Eat a healthy breakfast. If you’re Indian you’ve probably been raised to learn the importance of pooping the morning and a good breakfast is a great way to aid the process
- Stretch. No, we don’t mean all out gymming just some light stretches to get your body going.
- Get your daily intake of fibre. What did you learn in school kids? Get your daily fibrous dose for your daily output.