The Lazy Intestine: Everything You Need To Know
The lazy intestine, in addition to constipation, can cause abdominal distention and pain when defecating. It is an alteration in peristalsis that, usually, is not of serious cause.
The lazy intestine is the expression that refers to those people who tend to perform slow digestions and who tend to suffer from constipation. That is, it manifests itself with an alteration of intestinal transit, slower than normal, which means that the stool is harder and it is difficult to defecate.
Actually, lazy gut is a symptom that can have multiple causes. For example, it is related to a sedentary lifestyle and an inadequate diet low in fiber. It can even be due to some intestinal pathology. This makes it quite prevalent.
Failure to do your tummy properly can lead to health and wellness problems. Therefore, in this article we explain everything you need to know about lazy intestine and how to fix it.
What is lazy gut?
As we have already mentioned, the lazy intestine consists of the muscles of this organ moving slower and weaker than normal. This makes the stool transit very slow, making it more consistent and hard.
When this happens, it is logical that there is constipation . The person who suffers from it cannot go to the stomach and, in doing so, it is painful. They can even injure the anus or rectum. Also, lazy gut is accompanied by bloating and gas.
In some cases, hemorrhoids can occur, due to the effort made to try to defecate. In fact, these people often have a feeling of fullness and even bad morning breath from intestinal gas.
What Causes Lazy Gut?
Most of the time this situation is caused by causes that are not pathological, such as age. It is more common in older people than in young people. This, in turn, is influenced by sedentary lifestyle. It is one of the most important risk factors for developing lazy gut. Exercise makes our whole body activate and that, due to the movement itself, our intestines start up.
On the other hand, food is also a great determinant. Eating a diet low in fiber and fluids greatly increases your chances of suffering from this condition.
It is important to note that certain medications are associated with this problem, in the form of an adverse effect. Especially the use of laxatives for a certain time. Laxatives stimulate the intestine, so if they are consumed for a long time, peristalsis becomes accustomed, generating the opposite effect.
Although less common, lazy gut can also be a symptom of a metabolic disease or nerve injury. It occurs when any of the nerves responsible for stimulating the movement of this organ are affected, such as after a spinal cord injury.
What can be done to fix it?
The first thing to do when faced with a health problem such as lazy intestine is to consult your doctor. He will surely recommend certain changes in your diet or in your lifestyle that will help you to solve the disorder in a natural way.
First, it is important to introduce more fiber-rich foods in the diet, such as fruits and vegetables. In addition, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of dairy and processed foods. It is also important to drink enough water, between 1.5 and 2 liters a day.
Along with the diet , more physical exercise should be added to the daily routine. Just by walking for an hour a day you can notice an improvement. Some experts recommend changing your posture when going to the bathroom, to facilitate the evacuation of stool. For example, try squatting.
In the event that you still need laxatives, the ideal is to use natural laxatives. Green tea or certain fruits like kiwi can help. Enemas are also a point solution, but should be used under medical recommendation.
Although lazy intestine usually has a physiological cause and can be treated with small modifications such as the ones we suggest, if the effect is not achieved it is best to consult your doctor. The relevant tests will be carried out and it will be determined if the cause is more serious.
