Why You Feel the Urge to Poop After Eating: A Doctor Explains
Many people experience the need to use the restroom shortly after eating, and according to medical experts, this is a completely normal occurrence.
A healthcare professional on TikTok recently highlighted this common phenomenon, reassuring those who frequently rush to the bathroom after meals that they are not alone.
Understanding the Gastrocolic Reflex
Despite what it may seem, feeling the urge to have a bowel movement immediately after eating does not mean that your food is being digested unusually fast. Instead, this sensation is due to the “gastrocolic reflex.”
According to VeryWell Health, the gastrocolic reflex is a natural physiological response that stimulates movement in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract after consuming food. This reflex helps create space in your digestive system for incoming food by triggering contractions in the colon.
Dr. Salhab explains that as the stomach expands with food, it signals the brain, which then prompts the colon to contract. This reaction often leads to the urge to have a bowel movement. The waste that is expelled, however, is not from the most recent meal but consists of older digested food and fluids stored in the colon.
When the Reflex Is More Intense
For individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the gastrocolic reflex can be more pronounced. According to the Cleveland Clinic, IBS can cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas.
Dr. Salhab notes that some people experience intense abdominal cramps or even diarrhea following meals due to heightened colon contractions. Fortunately, there are ways to manage these symptoms effectively.
Managing Symptoms
To reduce the severity of post-meal bathroom urges, Dr. Salhab recommends avoiding certain trigger foods and beverages. These include:
- Carbonated drinks
- Alcoholic beverages
- Certain citrus fruits
- Dairy products (for some individuals)
- Fried and fatty foods
By making mindful dietary choices, you may be able to minimize discomfort and maintain better digestive health.
Share the Knowledge!
If you found this information helpful, share it with your friends and family so they, too, can better understand their digestive health!
Еvidеnсе оf Jеnnifеr Lореz аnd Веn Аfflесk sрlitting uр соmеs tо light
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck married in a whirlwind ceremony in 2022 in Las Vegas. Now, there are reports that the couple might be splitting up, which is incredibly worrying.
Keep reading to know more about what the evidence is.
It seems, according to reports Ben Affleck has been staying at a home without his wife, Jennifer Lopez. He was spotted by paparazzi leaving the home he is occupying solo as well.
The actor was seen in Brentwood, Los Angeles, leaving and going to a home he has been occupying without his wife, Lopez. According to the sources who have seen the actor, he has also been spending the night there.
Earlier this week, InTouch reported that Lopez and Affleck are done with one another. The story also suggested that Affleck had moved out of their marital home in Beverly Hills. And while it is not totally confirmed whether the actor has moved out of that home, it does seem that for the last week, Affleck has been staying in his Brentwood home.
However, both of them have been seen wearing their wedding rings throughout this time. While both of them have been seen solo in their engagements recently, Ben was noticeably absent on Lopez’s side at the Met Gala last week.
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