Manage constipation with a healthy diet

Firstly, if you get constipation in pregnancy, do not worry. It's a pretty common problem! The good news is relieving constipation can be easily managed through a healthy diet - and the changes you might need to make aren't that big.

Firstly, hormones - yes, so much can be blamed on hormones! An increased level of progesterone in your system relaxes the smooth muscle in your intestines. Intestinal contractions are responsible for moving food waste through your bowels, so when the muscles relax everything slows down. See Understanding your pregnancy hormones, Common pregnancy symptoms for more information.

Secondly, you may be one of many pregnant women who have been prescribed iron supplements. These can cause some digestive discomfort. Finally, in the later months of your pregnancy, your uterus rests on your rectum and can make the colon and bowel work more slowly.

It is really important that you poo regularly (ideally once or twice a day). If you don't, the waste that your liver has worked hard to remove from your body will be reabsorbed into your blood stream leading to nausea, sluggishness and headaches etc. Plus, waiting too long can make you feel uncomfortable - and the next time you need to poo, the harder it is to do so.

The good news is that these pregnancy symptoms are easy to sort out! Just follow these simple steps, and you can expect relief within a few days without resorting to over-the-counter medications, unless you have been prescribed them by your GP.

Growing a baby is a water-intensive exercise! So in pregnancy, you need to drink more water than usual. If you aren't drinking enough fluids then your colon will desperately try to absorb all water from your digestive tract leaving hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass.

To prevent this try to increase your water intake by two glasses per day in the form of pure water or herbal tea. See foods to restrict in pregnancy.

Increase the amount of fiber in your diet, by eating plenty of fruits, raw vegetables, legumes and gel-forming fibers, such as:

• Brown rice
• Flaxseed
• Chia seeds
• Oat bran
• Oat porridge

These provide bulk in the digestive tract to help get rid of the toxins from your system.

Quick Tip:

Pulses and legumes (beans and lentils) are rich in fibre, minerals and proteins. Why not add them to casseroles and soups or eat them cold with cold-pressed oils (extra virgin olive oil, for example), herbs and spices as an alternative to salads.

Most people in the UK are not getting the recommended daily amount of fiber in their diet - 30g. If you currently don't eat many fiber-rich foods, start introducing them gradually. If you're not used to it, and in large quantities, fiber can cause bloating, which may make you more uncomfortable.

The government's five-a-day recommendation didn't come about because five portions are the ideal amount of fruit and vegetables for us to eat. It was chosen because it's a lot more than most people get, and it's not so high that people won't even try to achieve this goal.

However, new research indicates that rather than focusing on 5-a-day, it is better to eat 30 different plants a week. This can include: 

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans, lentils and peas
• Pulses
• Nuts and seeds
• Herbs
• Spices

Even dark chocolate counts, but only if it's 75% cacao content or higher. 

Does this number sound daunting? Once you start thinking about the amount of plants you eat, it soon becomes easy to hit this target - and you'll feel better for it! Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• 3 + plants: A green smoothie 
• 7 + plants: Eat fruit with your breakfast - a handful of mixed berries on oats, with nuts and seeds sprinkled on top. 
• 4+ plants: Eat fruit and vegetables for snacks - an apple and mixed nuts or humus and mixed veggie sticks. 
• 3+ plants: Have a side salad with your dinner.
• Add an extra portion of vegetables to your lunch and dinner.

Not literally! Cooking oils help to lubricate the intestines and relieve constipation. It's important to choose oils that don't oxidize quickly if you are cooking as heat can turn a healthy oil into a toxic one.

• Extra virgin olive oil is the best oil for eating and cooking with, as it is packed with polyphenols (anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which are great for our health).
• You can use coconut oil for cooking at high temperatures (like stir fries) as it is highly resistant to heat. It is a saturated fat so it shouldn't be your primary oil. There is limited research into its health benefits.
• For salad dressings, use flax seed and hemp seed oils with extra virgin olive oil.

Information provided by specialist nutritional therapist: Rosie Letts Nutrition.

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article are not intended to amount to advice, and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. New Life Classes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.