7 Ways a Diet Doctor Can Help You Fight Constipation

Phentermine use comes with many side-effects, amongst them being constipation, the most common. Constipation isn’t just embarrassing and painful, but slows your efforts to lose weight. First, your diet doctor in Memphis should let you know more about phentermine constipation and the reason it takes place before taking you through the various ways in which you can fight it.

So, What’s Constipation?

Constipation is a common word you must have heard of or even used from time to time. Infrequent (than what you consider normal) or difficult bowel movements is what defines constipation. Stress, routine changes, an underlying medical issue and certain medications have been attributed to constipation. Generally, constipation is not serious and often resolves in a few days without treatment.

Normal bowel movements vary from one person to another. This simply means that what you consider normal might be abnormal to someone else. Whereas some people experience bowel movements three times a day, others may only experience them a couple times a week.

When you’re constipated, you experience less than three bowel movements in a time span of one week. And, if you go without at least a single bowel movement in a week, you can consider your level of constipation as serious.

Constipation can lead to a swollen abdomen, difficulty passing stools, nausea and vomiting or even stomach pains. Since constipation impedes the release of your body’s waste products, you might feel bloated and even add weight.

Why Phentermine Constipation?

Phentermine, just like amphetamine, is a nervous system stimulant that brings about dehydration. This explains why headaches, dry mouth and constipation are common side effects of using phentermine for weight loss. Due to insufficient water in your body system, dehydration leads to constipation to help eliminate your body’s waste products through stools (should be 75% water).

Studies have also linked stress and low mood to constipation. Therefore, anxiety and depression, other side effects of using phentermine, can also lead to constipation. Moreover, since phentermine is an appetite suppressant, it causes you to consume fewer calories than you previously did.

This difference in food consumption slows down the digestive system, leading to constipation. This is more so true if your diet isn’t well-balanced, or if you’re taking certain food groups in less amounts than required by your body.

7 Ways to Fight Phentermine Constipation

Before reaching out for laxatives to relieve you of constipation, consider natural methods as they have the ability to enhance phentermine weight loss. Constipated? Try out the following antics for improved bowel movement:

1. Don’t Drink Dehydrating Beverages

Soda, coffee and alcohol are dehydrating drinks that you should avoid to prevent constipation. Soda and alcohol are high in sugars that worsen constipation, and so is caffeine in coffee. Although constipation can sometimes be relieved by taking caffeinated drinks as a quick fix, it is diuretic in nature, meaning it draws moisture from stools. This makes passing human waste painful.

2.  Drink Lots of Water

As you embark on phentermine weight loss, drinking lots of water daily should be at the top of your to-do list. Make drinking water part of your new lifestyle change as it boosts weight loss. When you drink cold water, your body burns calories to produce the heat needed to warm it to normal body temperature.

Eight glasses (68oz or 2 liters) of water is recommended for daily consumption. Taking warm lemon water in the morning can also facilitate weight loss. Intestines are tightened by warm water, facilitating bowel movements.

The citric acid found in lemon stimulates the digestive system for faster digestion, leading to enhanced bowel movement.

3. Exercise Regularly

Healthy bowel movements can be facilitated through regular exercises as inactivity worsens constipation. Ranging from walks and jogs to running and skipping, almost any form of moderate to intense exercises will do. Moreover, you end up losing more weight and enjoying the many benefits of working out such as improved immunity and a better mood.

4. Eat Foods Rich in Fiber

A diet rich in proteins and carbohydrates can worsen phentermine constipation. Your diet doctor will recommend low intake of high-fat foods with little to no fiber. These range from cheese and meat to processed foods.

Instead, you need to consume foods rich in fiber (usually found in carbohydrates) for improved digestion. Note that fiber comes in two kinds: insoluble and soluble.

Whereas the latter kind boosts metabolism and slows down the process of digestion, the former facilitates bowel movements. Therefore, go for insoluble fiber; these are mainly found in fruits and vegetables (such as peppers, apples and cucumber), whole grains (rice, bread, cereal and pasta), whole bran, etc.

This simply means that healthy carbohydrates should be part of your balanced diet.

5. Use Natural Laxatives Such as Prunes

Dried plums or prunes contain an element called sorbitol. They’re also rich in fiber. You can treat your constipation with this natural laxative by eating about 6 to 12 prunes daily. Preferably, drinking 4 to 8 ounces of prune juice every morning can stimulate your bowel movements, relieving you of constipation.

6. Work on Your Stress

Since stress and depression have been linked to constipation, low mood resulting from the use of phentermine appetite suppressants can impair your bowel movements by dehydrating your body. Putting your weight loss plan on hold and worrying about the condition (constipation) can further worsen the situation.

Engage in meditation, yoga, soothing massages and stress management techniques to reduce your stress levels. Relax your intestine muscles by massaging your abdomen for regular bowel movements.

7. Buy a Mild Over-the-Counter Medication

If you try out these techniques in vain, you might need to buy a mild OTC medication such as Colace to soften your stool. You can buy and use your stool softener with or without a laxative. Magnesia Milk laxative can also facilitate bowel movement when having constipation.

Since it’s free from stimulants, it saves you from experiencing cramp-like pains and works in about 4 hours from the time it’s administered. Magnesium citrate, available in pill or liquid form, can also help relieve you of constipation. However, it’s fast-acting because it’s a strong medication.

Therefore, take your dosage as advised by your diet doctor. Use your laxatives and/or stool softeners for not more than a couple of weeks. If constipation persists, seek medical advice.

Contact us today for an appointment with a diet doctor in Memphis.

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