Driver Lifestyles

Internal Plumbing

Constipation

Diarrhea

Not two of our favorite topics, right?

Well, it's not usually a subject that is discussed over coffee, but improper digestive health effects millions of Americans every year. While anyone is at risk for digestive problems, this is an important topic for professional drivers because of the inconvenience and annoyance of driving a truck while suffering from digestive issues.

Even though it's an unpleasant condition, the good news is that the most common digestive issues - constipation and diarrhea - are preventable by knowing more about what happens during digestion. So even if you don't like talking about it, read on and learn how you can take better care of your lower regions and avoid unnecessary stops and discomfort on the job.

Constipation
Constipation is the most common digestive system problem typified by infrequent bowel movements, passing hard stools, or straining during bowel movements.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, there are at least 2.5 million doctor visits for constipation in the United States each year, and hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on laxatives yearly.

What's normal?
In terms of frequency, what constitutes constipation for one person may be normal for someone else. That's because the normal frequency of bowel movements varies widely - from three a day to three a week. What's normal for you may not be normal for someone else. The best way to identify constipation is by knowing what is regular for your own body.

In general, you're probably experiencing constipation if you pass hard and dry stools less than three times a week. In some cases, constipation also may make you feel bloated or sluggish or experience discomfort or pain. The colon absorbs water from food residue as it absorbs nutrients to form semi-solid stools. The food waste progressively loses water content. Eventually, the waste becomes dry and difficult to pass.

The causes of constipation can vary, but lack of fiber in your diet is often the culprit. A professional driver's diet of fast food, which is often stripped of its fiber, high in fat and low in nutrients results in a combination that can be unsettling for the digestive system. Other causes are dehydration, old age, sedentary lifestyle, frequent use of laxatives, stress and ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement. Constipation can be a side effect of medications for certain drugs.

What you can do
Fortunately, a few common-sense lifestyle changes, including getting more exercise, eating high-fiber foods and drinking plenty of water, can go a long way toward preventing or alleviating constipation.

The Food and Drug Administrationís food guide pyramid recommends 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories, which is at least 25 grams of fiber a day for the average recommended calorie intake level. Fiber gives stool bulk and also softens it, which helps prevent constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome. Foods that contain fiber, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, pass more easily and quickly through your digestive tract.

You should drink plenty of fluids to soften stool and dissolve nutrients, and reduce fat and oil intake, as they slow digestion. Avoid alcohol because it can wreak havoc on digestion by inflaming your stomach lining, causing heartburn or bleeding and leading to digestive disorders.

Eating moderate portions is wise because they are digested more comfortably while arge portions hinder proper digestion. Following a regular schedule of breakfast, lunch and dinner will help you to avoid overeating and give your digestive organs time to rest between meals.

Relaxing while you eat is important because you tend to chew your food more, your gastric and intestinal juices flow more freely, and digestive muscles contract and relax.

In addition to diet and good eating habits, your day-to-day activities have a significant impact on digestive health. Maintain a healthy weight to decrease pressure within your abdomen and stomach. Try to get regular exercise, even if it is only a 30-minute walk before you hit the road. This will increase circulation, stimulating the activity of your intestinal walls. Try walking after dinner, too.

Diarrhea

Acute diarrhea is something nearly everyone has experienced at one time or another. The loose, watery stools and abdominal cramps that characterize diarrhea usually last a couple of days. Diarrhea often means more-frequent trips to the toilet and a greater volume of stool.

By definition, chronic diarrhea lasts much longer than does acute diarrhea, generally longer than four weeks. It can be a sign of a serious disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease, or a less serious condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Diarrhea may cause a loss of significant amounts of water and salts. Most cases of diarrhea clear on their own without treatment. But see your doctor if diarrhea persists, if you become dehydrated or if you pass blood in your stool.

Signs and symptoms associated with diarrhea may include:

* Frequent, loose, watery stools
* Abdominal cramps
* Abdominal pain
* Fever
* Blood in the stool
* Bloating

In addition, other signs and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may precede diarrhea that's caused by, for example, an infection. Bacterial or parasitic infections sometimes cause bloody stools, and fever may accompany these infections as well.

Normally, the food you eat remains in liquid form during most of the digestive process. When the unabsorbed food residue passes through your colon, most of the fluids are absorbed and what remains is a semisolid stool.

In diarrhea, the food and fluids you ingest pass too quickly or in too large an amount - or both - through your colon. The fluids aren't sufficiently absorbed, and the result is a watery bowel movement. In addition, the lining of your colon may be inflamed or diseased, making it less able to absorb fluids.

The most common causes of diarrhea include:

* Viruses
Common viruses that cause diarrhea are Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, viral hepatitis and the herpes simplex virus. Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute childhood diarrhea. Viral diarrhea spreads easily.

* Bacteria and parasites
Contaminated food or water can transmit bacteria and parasites to your body. Parasites such as Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium can cause diarrhea. Common bacterial causes of diarrhea include campylobacter, salmonella, shigella and Escherichia coli.

* Medications
Many medications can cause diarrhea. The most common are antibiotics. Antibiotics destroy both good and bad bacteria, which can disturb the natural balance of bacteria in your intestines. This disturbance sometimes leads to an infection with bacteria called Clostridium difficile, which can also cause diarrhea.

Other causes of diarrhea can include:

* Lactose
A sugar found in milk and milk products, lactose is a common cause of diarrhea in some people.

* Fructose
Fructose, a sugar found in many fruits, is a common cause of diarrhea, especially in children.

* Artificial sweeteners.
Sorbitol and mannitol, artificial sweeteners found in chewing gum and other sugar-free products, can cause diarrhea in some otherwise healthy people.

* Surgery
Some people may experience diarrhea after undergoing abdominal surgery or gallbladder removal surgery.

* Other digestive disorders
Chronic diarrhea has a number of other causes, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome.


Fiber is your friend
Not only will fiber keep your digestion running smoothly, it can benefit many other areas of your health. Just one of the benefits listed is enough to inspire anyone to get in the FDAís recommended 25 grams of fiber a day.

* It reduces your risk of diabetes, heart disease, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease and colon cancer.
* It lowers blood cholesterol levels.
* It slows sugar absorption.
* It helps with weight control because most high fiber foods are lower in calories and promote a feeling of fullness, so you eat less.

Source: Mayo Clinic