Constipation: Learn to Cultivate Bowel Urgency
For those with constipation, eating fruit to relieve it is common knowledge—but not all fruits help. Dr. Tao Lin, attending physician at Beijing TCM Hospital’s Digestive Department, says different fruits have varying effects. Some people find that pears, bananas, watermelons, and oranges increase intestinal motility, while apples and persimmons may worsen constipation.
Those who feel cold and have cold hands and feet should avoid pears, persimmons, and pineapples—they worsen constipation. Instead, eat bananas and oranges. People with yin deficiency—frequent dry mouth, irritability, hot palms and soles—should eat pears, oranges, and grapefruits to relieve constipation, but avoid tangerines.
Dr. Cai Yunqing, head of Nutrition and Food Hygiene at Nanjing Medical University, surveyed elderly residents in Nanjing and found dietary misconceptions easily cause constipation. Some elders believe fruit raises blood sugar, so they reduce intake, leading to constipation. Others eat monotonous vegetables, reducing dietary fiber, slowing intestinal movement and causing constipation. Thus, elderly diets should increase fiber-rich foods like whole grains (oats, corn), vegetables (spinach, leeks, cabbage), and laxative foods (honey, sesame, walnuts, yogurt). Cai Yunqing also found milk may contribute to constipation—suggesting adding honey when drinking milk to prevent it. He emphasizes constipation poses serious risks to the elderly, potentially causing anal fissures, hemorrhoids, and contributing to senile dementia, colon cancer, and rectal cancer. Thus, elderly people with chronic constipation must take this “small issue” seriously and strictly control their diet.
Moreover, the survey revealed elderly people often don’t drink enough water—some don’t drink during the day, only when thirsty. Due to delayed neural response, by the time they feel thirsty, the body is already dehydrated. Severe dehydration worsens constipation. Experts recommend drinking at least four times daily, ideally at 9–10 a.m., 3–4 p.m., and before bed (in small amounts).
Preventing constipation also involves cultivating bowel urgency. Cai Yunqing says some people suppress the urge to defecate when busy, intending to go later. Frequently suppressing urges can erase conditioned reflexes, leading to constipation. Thus, even without urge, constipated individuals should try sitting on the toilet regularly, forming a habit—like a routine—to see improvement. Also, avoid reading newspapers, novels, or listening to radios during defecation, as this can also extinguish the urge and trigger constipation.
Regarding the use of senna leaves for constipation, Dr. Tao Lin warns that long-term use leads to “increasing dryness,” worsening constipation. Especially for chronic constipation, it becomes ineffective over time and may cause dependency, damaging rectal sensory nerves and causing melanosis coli. Some believe aloe vera is safe like fruit, but its side effects are similar to senna leaves.