Pooping on Vacation Is Hard

Ever find yourself a little constipated on vacation? It’s not just you. The Atlantic points out that travel constipation is a pretty normal phenomenon, and solving the problem takes an understanding of why it happens in the first place.

There are all sorts of reasons why people suffer from travel constipation. The Atlantic breaks down some of the big reasons:

“Any time you leave your general habitat, it’s throwing your gut microflora off balance,” says Brooke Alpert, a New York-based registered dietician. Sometimes, that begins before you reach your new destination: In some people, the very act of traveling from point A to point B can cause constipation. Movement stimulates the gut, so sitting on a plane or in a car for long periods of time can cause the intestines to clog; ignoring the urge to go while in the air or on the road can also make it more difficult once you finally sit down on the toilet.

Of course, it’s a lot more than that. Time differences tend to pose a problem for anyone who sticks closely to a bowel movement routine, while stress and anxiety can cause your bowels to function a little awkwardly. There’s also the simple fact that most of us tend to eat greasy, bready foods on vacation, which causes all kinds of chaos when done in excess.

Since there’s not one specific cause, relief comes in a variety of ways. Eating fermented foods can help, as can drinking more water. As you’d expect, high fiber foods can also get things moving again.

It’s Hard to Poop on Vacation | The Atlantic

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