Basic nutrition and diet for constipation and irregular bowel movements

• Basic rules for a healthy diet for constipation
• Recommended products for constipation and irregular bowel movements
• Harmful foods for irregular bowel movements and constipation
• Diet for bowel dysfunction and constipation
• Help during constipation

Such unpleasant symptoms as discomfort, a feeling of heaviness, flatulence, irritation and a general deterioration in well-being are just the tip of the iceberg called “constipation”.
When a person has serious bowel retention, it becomes almost impossible to think about anything else, and only one desire arises - to solve the problem as soon as possible. Everyone knows what constipation is, but there is an official definition. Constipation is a condition in which the frequency of bowel movements is less than three times a week. The stool is hard and there is a feeling of fullness1. Some doctors may diagnose constipation if there is no bowel movement within 48 hours. If there is no stool for less than 48 hours, then we can only talk about its delay1. The main cause of constipation is the slow movement of contents inside the intestines2.

The main task of dietary nutrition for constipation is to establish the natural process of intestinal function and restore its motility. In this case, food should be rich in all the elements and vitamins necessary for the body. Be sure to maintain water balance3.

Basic rules for a healthy diet for constipation

If the problem of irregular bowel movements and constipation arises, changing your diet should be one of the ways to normalize intestinal function. Of course, a strict diet is not suitable for everyone, because with the modern rhythm of life it is quite problematic to follow it. However, any person can follow the general recommendations, which will already become a significant contribution to solving the problem of constipation. Such recommendations include4:

• Cooking methods. It is necessary to give preference to boiled food or the steam cooking method. Without overusing it, you can use baking, but frying should be avoided entirely.
• Diet. You need to get used to fractional meals - small portions 5-6 times a day.
• Quitting bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol).
• Maintaining water balance. Water is the most natural way to relieve constipation as it softens the contents of the intestines. The minimum amount of water consumed should be in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 liters per day.
• Fiber of plant origin. If you have constipation, you should pay special attention to raw vegetables and fruits. Fiber is found in legumes, bran, seeds and nuts. It is worth considering that relaxation is caused by insoluble types of fiber. However, it is not recommended to overuse fiber, as the opposite effect can also be observed.
• Temperature conditions. This is rarely observed, but it is worth knowing that food and drinks hotter than 60°C or colder than 15°C can affect intestinal motility.

Next, you need to figure out which foods you can eat and which ones you should completely avoid.

Why are egg whites so effective for weight loss?

· This product supplies the body with the most useful type of protein, which builds muscle mass.

· Muscles develop strongly, which helps burn a lot of calories during physical activity.

· Protein from eggs is easier to digest than meat or dairy. There is absolutely no fat or carbohydrates.

· Breakfast from such a product can charge the body with energy, which will lead to a significant increase in the speed of metabolic processes.

· The body not only gets rid of extra pounds, but is also cleansed of various slag debris.

· There are no side effects when used correctly.

· There is no constant feeling of hunger, which is inherent in many diets. Protein saturates the body perfectly and for a long time.

· Hair, skin and nails look better, which is a pleasant bonus of this diet.

· Improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines.

· Strengthens the nervous system

The effectiveness of this diet is recognized even by many nutritionists.

Read further on the topic:

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Important:

• Hypnosis for weight loss

Recommended products for constipation and irregular bowel movements

Most products recommended for problems with irregular bowel movements and constipation will contain fiber and have a laxative effect. Also, food should be varied, rich in vitamins and microelements. Various fermented milk products promote the growth of healthy intestinal microflora, which is also useful for stool retention. Vegetable or animal fat helps the contents move more easily through the intestines, but foods with excess fat should be excluded.

The following foods can be consumed for irregular bowel movements and constipation4,5:

• soups with low-fat broth, preferably vegetable;
• rye or bran bread, other wholemeal flour products;
• lean meat, poultry and fish;
• fresh vegetables, raw or boiled (beets, zucchini, beans, cucumbers, etc.);
• greens - lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, celery, green beans;
• vegetable oil and butter;
• eggs - boiled or in the form of an omelet;
• durum wheat pasta;
• kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt of low or medium fat content;
• porridge – buckwheat, bran, millet and oats;
• dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots) and drinks based on them.

Basic Rules

As the name suggests, the diet of this variety is based on the consumption of eggs. When using this technique, the result is achieved due to the fact that the body receives a large amount of protein with a lack of carbohydrates and fats.

It is believed that the egg diet is ideal for all kinds of athletes. The protein nutrition system is characterized, among other things, by the fact that due to a sufficient amount of proteins, when followed, muscle mass does not suffer in any way. This is an important point.

The effect of the egg white diet will become noticeable only if the person losing weight strictly follows certain rules:

• caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol should be replaced with green or herbal tea;

• You should drink at least 2 liters of water per day;
• the interval between meals should not be less than 4 hours;
• snacks are not allowed;
• You can eat your last meal at least 3 hours before bedtime;
• It is prohibited to change the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

You should strictly adhere to the developed menu while following the egg white diet. Breakdowns must not be allowed. In this case, it will not be possible to continue the diet. You will have to starve from the very beginning.

Harmful foods for irregular bowel movements and constipation

You should not eat foods that have a fixing effect and aggravate the situation. Also undesirable are foods that cause flatulence, bloating, fermentation and generally irritate the intestines.

Products to avoid4,5:

• viscous porridges (rice, semolina), puree soups and jelly;
• rich bakery products, including fresh white bread;
• spicy, salty and seasoned dishes;
• certain vegetables - onions, radishes, turnips, radishes and garlic;
• bananas, persimmons and sweet varieties of apples (“Lungwort”, “Golden Delicious”, “Saffron Pepin” and others);
• potato;
• mushrooms;
• canned foods;
• any confectionery products;
• cocoa, chocolate, strong tea and coffee;
• fatty broth soups;
• any sauces based on mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard;
• alcohol;
• fatty meat and fish.

Contraindications

The egg white diet is considered a gentle method. However, unfortunately, not all people can lose weight using this technology. Contraindications to this nutrition system are:

• gastrointestinal diseases;
• increased cholesterol levels;
• diabetes;
• professions associated with significant physical or mental stress;
• heart diseases;
• allergy to eggs.

The egg diet gives very good results. In addition, weight loss occurs without much harm to the body. But, of course, you shouldn’t eat eggs raw while following such a diet. Otherwise, you can become infected with salmonellosis. Ideally, it is recommended to buy country eggs. Store-bought ones may contain antibiotics and hormones that are harmful to the body.

Diet for bowel dysfunction and constipation

Previously, for constipation, dietary table No. 3 according to Pevzner was most often prescribed. This diet is specially designed to solve problems with stool. Key features of diet No. 3 are split meals 5-6 times a day, consumption of large amounts of water, vegetables and fruits, a minimum amount of salt, total calorie content per day is ~3000 calories5. Now Pevzner diets are becoming a thing of the past, and the main emphasis in nutrition for constipation is on dietary fiber, the main sources of which are dried fruits, legumes (soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, beans), as well as whole grain-based products (rice, bread, pasta , flour, oats, etc.). In addition, vegetables and fruits are natural sources of dietary fiber.

Sample diet menu for constipation for a week 5,8:

Monday

• Breakfast – weak tea and cottage cheese soufflé.
• Lunch – apple and cabbage salad with olive or sunflower oil.
• Lunch – classic cabbage soup in low-fat broth and boiled meat with stewed pumpkin on the side.
• Afternoon snack – boiled beets with butter.
• Dinner – vegetable cutlet, meatballs with low-fat sour cream and weak tea with sugar.
• Before bed - yogurt.

Tuesday

• Breakfast - oatmeal with water and weak tea.
• Lunch – apple and carrot salad with sour cream.
• Lunch – beetroot soup, vegetable stew with lean meat and dried fruit compote.
• Afternoon snack – boiled beets with butter.
• Dinner – cutlets with sour cream, stewed carrots, baked goods with cottage cheese and tea without sugar.
• Before bed - kefir.

Wednesday

• Breakfast - mashed potatoes with stewed fish and sweet tea.
• Lunch – low-fat cottage cheese.
• Lunch – chicken noodle soup, boiled chicken with cauliflower or broccoli, apple salad.
• Afternoon snack – prunes.
• Dinner – stewed beets and carrot cutlets.
• Before bed - kefir.

Thursday

• Breakfast - millet or oatmeal porridge, seasoned with apple, fresh vegetable salad and sweet tea.
• Lunch – various fruits (except bananas and persimmons).
• Lunch – meatloaf with stewed cabbage and apple puree.
• Afternoon snack – grated carrots with butter.
• Dinner – pancakes with meat and pastries with prunes.
• Before bed – fermented baked milk.

Friday

• Breakfast – steamed egg omelet with peas, vegetable salad and tea.
• Lunch – apple.
• Lunch – soup with vegetables and barley, cabbage rolls with sour cream and compote.
• Afternoon snack – low-fat cottage cheese.
• Dinner – fish stew with vegetable side dish and sweet tea.
• Before bed - kefir.

Saturday

• Breakfast – grated beets with butter, cottage cheese pudding and tea.
• Lunch – vegetable salad.
• Lunch – borscht in a light broth with boiled meat.
• Afternoon snack – dried fruits.
• Dinner – meat cutlets with stewed carrots.
• Before bed - kefir.

Sunday

• Breakfast – buckwheat porridge with butter.
• Lunch – vinaigrette.
• Lunch – stewed carrots, meat goulash, crackers and compote.
• Afternoon snack – prunes.
• Dinner – fish aspic and fish broth, vegetable casserole, sweet tea.
• Before bed - kefir.

Timing of the diet

You can fast using this method:

• 3 days - 1.5 kg of weight is lost;
• 7 days - 3-5 kg;
• 14 days - 8-10 kg;
• 28 days (4 weeks) - up to 20 kg.

Of course, the best option for losing weight may be a fairly long-term diet. Most often, people who want to lose weight limit their diet for at least 7 days.

Authorized Products

The egg diet includes chicken (quail) eggs prepared in any way (hard-boiled, soft-boiled, fried eggs, egg white omelet). Citrus fruits (grapefruit, orange) are an essential product in the diet. With an expanded version of the diet, the diet includes boiled (without skin) meat of chicken, turkey or rabbit, as well as low-fat varieties of river and sea fish.

If you are on a diet for a long time, the diet includes low-fat cottage cheese and fermented milk products, low-fat cheeses, fruits and non-starchy vegetables - cucumber, asparagus, all types of cabbage (except cauliflower), green peas, garlic, spinach, onions (leeks, shallots, onions, chives), lettuce, sweet peppers, both raw, in the form of salads, and boiled, stewed and baked. For drinking you can use still table water, rosehip decoction, herbal, fruit and green teas.

Table of permitted products

What side effects may occur?

Unfortunately, doctors do not consider the protein-egg diet to be balanced. Therefore, a person who decides to lose weight using this technique may, of course, experience various kinds of side effects. These include, for example:

• general poor health and increased fatigue;
• irritability;
• constipation;
• bad breath;
• headache.

Sometimes during a weight loss course using this technology, fasting people may also experience brittle nails and hair. If the side effects cause severe discomfort, it is, of course, best to stop the diet.

Omelette recipe

The main disadvantage of a protein diet on eggs, therefore, is considered to be some monotony of the diet. To make the process of losing weight using this technique more enjoyable, you can try cooking according to original recipes. This will help diversify the taste sensations. Next, consider, as an example, a recipe for preparing a tasty and low-calorie omelet.

Ingredients:

• some low-calorie cheese;
• 2 eggs;
• chopped greens.

Eggs need to be beaten into a clean bowl and beaten with a fork. Next, add chopped herbs and finely grated cheese to the resulting mixture. The egg mass prepared in this way should be placed in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Why eggs help you become slimmer

A chicken egg has a low calorie content: about 160 kcal per 100 g of product. Most of the egg calories come from proteins; the delicacy contains slightly less fat, and even then, the amount of healthy unsaturated fatty acids in it exceeds the percentage of harmful saturated ones. The egg is almost devoid of carbohydrates, but is rich in vitamins (A, D, H, E, group B) and minerals (phosphorus, calcium, chlorine, cobalt, iodine, zinc, selenium, chromium, iron, molybdenum).

Egg white is much better in quality than fish or meat. Therefore, it serves as an excellent source of energy for a person losing weight, and also strengthens muscles, protecting them from exhaustion and destruction during the diet. The yolk contains substances that are very important from the point of view of weight loss: choline, lecithin, Omega-3 acids, lutein and vitamin D. The first three normalize and accelerate metabolism, the third and fourth are directly involved in the fat burning process.

It is important to understand that the energy value of eggs is directly dependent on the method of cooking the product. The boiled delicacy has a calorie content almost identical to that of a raw egg (75-100 kcal), while the fried one contains 240, and the omelette contains about 154 calories. Cholesterol plays an important role here: it is believed that most of this component, dangerous for the figure, is found in scrambled eggs and hard-boiled eggs.

Important

When following a protein-egg diet, it is imperative to observe the drinking regime. The daily intake of water during this period should not be less than 2 liters.

The egg diet does not exhaust the body too much. But still, in a certain way, due to the lack of carbohydrates and fats, it affects him. Therefore, going through such a diet too often is highly not recommended. The interval between courses must be at least 3 months.

Getting out of such a diet will actually be quite difficult. Experts recommend having an “omnivorous” day once a week for about 14-20 days after it. During this time, you can allow yourself to eat whatever you want. On other days, you need to limit yourself, according to the above rules.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros of the egg diet:

• ease of cooking;
• an abundance of protein, which eliminates fat but preserves muscle;
• possibility of compliance by those involved in sports;
• good consolidation of results, especially with further consumption of eggs and replacement of sweets with dietary products;
• positive effect on the condition of skin, hair and nails.

Minuses:

• high load on the liver and kidneys due to the abundance of protein;
• possible constipation and other digestive problems (you need to consume plant fiber);
• increased cholesterol;
• possible lethargy due to lack of carbohydrates;
• fairly strict diet.

Comments from nutritionists

The main products of the egg diet (chicken egg and citrus fruits - grapefruit, orange) are highly allergenic foods. Therefore, those who have a tendency to allergic reactions need to abandon such a diet or be wary and stop the diet at the slightest allergic reaction. In order to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction, it is recommended:

• Wash citrus fruits thoroughly under hot water, since specific hypersensitivity often develops to chemicals used in the processing of citrus fruits to extend shelf life and preserve their presentation - waxes, biphenyl, paraffins, antiseptics, sulfur dioxide and fungicides used to protect against pests.
• Do not overuse citrus fruits and chicken eggs in your diet, since many people experience a “dose-dependent” pseudo-allergic type of food intolerance. That is, an allergic reaction occurs when a threshold that is significant for a particular organism is reached (the number of citrus fruits or eggs eaten).
• The egg diet must be accompanied by increased physical activity. Otherwise, weight loss results may be less than expected.

Reviews about the diet

Overweight people have a generally positive opinion about this technique. Many Internet users, for example, consider this diet to be a real savior. This technique helps to achieve the desired effect, including in cases where other technologies are powerless.

There are very good reviews on the Internet about the egg diet for 7 days. Losing weight in this case, as many Internet users note, is easy. The 28-day technology, according to those who decide to lose weight, is somewhat more complex. But as people who lost weight using this scheme note, they did not experience much hunger during even a 4-week diet. Moreover, at this time, many feel joy and happiness, watching how their figure becomes more and more sculpted, toned and slender.

Many people consider its effectiveness to be an advantage of a protein diet on eggs. By following this scheme, judging by the reviews, you can really easily achieve excellent results. The only thing is that you really need to strictly follow all the rules when losing weight using the egg-white method. Otherwise, as many users on the Internet note, no result will be achieved.

Reviews about the egg white diet, therefore, are mostly good. Many consider the only disadvantage of this technique to be the monotony of the menu. Internet users advise losing weight using this technology only to those who really love eggs. Otherwise, you may not be able to endure to the end. In addition, some people believe that in our time, if desired, it will not be difficult to find some easier and more enjoyable diet. However, there is, of course, no need to argue about tastes. For those who love eggs, a protein diet may also seem very easy.

Recipes for dietary egg dishes

Dietary egg dishes are extremely simple dishes that do not require special knowledge or cooking skills. There are not many of them and you can get acquainted with some of them below.

How to cook a diet omelet

In order for those who are on an egg diet not to have questions “is it possible to eat scrambled eggs or is it possible to eat an omelet while on a diet”, we answer, yes, it is possible if it is prepared correctly. To do this, prepare a dietary version of an omelet or fried egg.

Diet omelette in the oven

2 eggs, water. Beat the eggs with a fork, add water at a ratio of one teaspoon of water per egg. Beat again. Pour into a mold and place in the oven, preheated to a temperature of 180-2000 C. During the cooking process, the oven must not be opened, otherwise the omelette will not be fluffy. To ensure that the omelette has a crust and is well baked, cover the pan with parchment before putting it in the oven and remove it after the dish has cooled. If you need to add additional ingredients to the omelette (vegetables, garden herbs, spices), add them to the beaten egg mass.

An omelet can be prepared in the microwave in the same way. To do this, place the beaten egg mass in the microwave for 3-5 minutes at medium power.

Diet scrambled eggs

It's even easier to prepare. Pre-break the eggs without damaging the yolk and place each in a separate tea cup. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a heated frying pan with a thick bottom, and after it boils (at the stage of large bubbles), carefully move the eggs into the frying pan and immediately turn off the heat. Cover the frying pan with a lid (plate) and place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 3 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with herbs and spices to taste.

Sample menu for a 7-day diet

For breakfast, when using this weight loss technology, you should eat eggs almost every day. Next, we present to the reader a sample menu of an egg-white diet for 7 days.

1 day:

• breakfast - grapefruit, a cup of green tea, two boiled eggs;
• lunch - 1 egg, orange, boiled chicken (without skin) 150 g;
• dinner - chicken fillet 200 g, 250 g kefir.

2 days:

• breakfast - 2 eggs, 250 g of orange or tangerine juice;
• lunch - chicken fillet 150 g, mineral water, 2 oranges;
• dinner - 2 boiled eggs, 250 g of milk or kefir, grapefruit.

3 days:

• breakfast - 1 egg, mineral water with a small amount of lemon juice;
• lunch - grapefruit, 200 g of beef or veal;
• dinner - 2 eggs, a glass of mineral water.

4 days:

• breakfast - 2 egg omelet with green onions and dill, a glass of herbal tea;
• lunch - 200 g of chicken legs, stewed with lettuce leaves, mineral water;
• dinner - 1 egg, 2 grapefruits.

Day 5:

• breakfast - a salad of 2 eggs, boiled carrots and herbs (can be seasoned with a small amount of low-fat sour cream), green tea;
• lunch - 2 carrots, a glass of orange juice;
• dinner - 200 g of boiled sea fish with lemon juice, 1 egg, mineral water.

Day 6:

• breakfast - 150 g of cottage cheese, citrus juice;
• lunch - 2 eggs, 2 grapefruits;
• dinner - 1 tbsp. mineral water.

Day 7:

• breakfast - 2 eggs, ½ grapefruit;
• lunch - 200 g of boiled beef, a few slices of orange;
• dinner - mineral water.

Detailed menu of the egg diet for 28 days

Following this weight loss technology, it will not be difficult to lose up to 20 kg in 4 weeks.
In this case, for breakfast every day they eat two boiled eggs and half an orange or grapefruit. What foods can be eaten for lunch and dinner for 28 days can be found in the table. Protein diet menu for 28 days

From the 15th to the 21st, you can eat permitted foods in unlimited quantities. In the last week - from 22 to 28, the products indicated in the table should be divided throughout the day and eaten every 2-4 hours.

Fasting according to this scheme is analogous to the Maggi protein-egg diet. Like the latter, this method allows you to lose up to 15-20 kg of weight. But both of these technologies can only be effective if the rules are strictly followed.