What causes dry, ball-shaped stools?

Dry and spherical stools are a common problem. This physical phenomenon can occur for many reasons, such as insufficient beneficial bacteria in the intestines, lack of crude fiber in the diet, insufficient water intake, sitting for long periods of time and lack of exercise, poor bowel habits, aging, diseases such as hemorrhoids or constipation, and mental stress caused by excessive fatigue. These can all cause this symptom. When patients are conditioning their bodies, they must also adjust according to the specific reasons.

1. Insufficient beneficial intestinal bacteria

After taking antibiotics or other drugs, the beneficial bacteria in the intestines are destroyed, causing indigestion and constipation.

2. Lack of crude fiber in the diet

Eating out, eating irregularly, and not having time to take in a balanced diet often result in insufficient intake of crude fiber foods, which can easily lead to constipation.

3. Not drinking enough water

If you drink less water on a daily basis, your intestines will be dry and the intestinal contents will not be easily discharged. For some patients, constipation problems are not improved even after drinking more water. This is because the way of drinking water is incorrect. If you drink water slowly, one sip at a time, almost all the water will be absorbed into the blood and excreted from the body through urine. It is recommended to drink plenty of water, especially after getting up in the morning.

4. Sitting for a long time and lack of exercise

If you sit for a long time and lack exercise, your intestinal muscles will become loose, their functions will degenerate, and their peristaltic function will weaken. In addition, women's abdominal muscles are naturally weaker, and the force used to push stool out is small, so they are more prone to constipation. It is particularly common in female patients who engage in sedentary work.

5. Poor bowel habits

When you are busy at work or you are pressed for time in the morning, you may not have a bowel movement in time when you feel the urge to do so, and often hold it in. This can cause the sensory nerves in your rectum to become dull, leading to habitual constipation.

6. Overwork and mental stress

Excessive fatigue and mental stress can inhibit intestinal motility and secretion of digestive juices, leading to indigestion and constipation.

7. Age

As the elderly age, their intestinal organs begin to degenerate, resulting in dry stools.

8. Disease

Hemorrhoids, constipation and other diseases are common among the elderly. These diseases can also cause dry stools, leading to the deposition of toxins in the body. Excessive contact between the intestines and toxins and carcinogens increases the risk of intestinal cancer.

9. Precautions for dry stool

(1) Develop the habit of regular bowel movements, preferably loose and mushy stools.

(2) Reduce postures that increase abdominal pressure and avoid sitting, standing, walking, and overwork for long periods of time.

(3) Avoid spicy, hot, greasy, rough, or residue-rich foods, as well as tobacco, alcohol, and coffee.

(4) Eat more foods that can clear intestinal heat and provide nourishment, such as raw pear juice, lotus root juice, water chestnut juice, reed root juice, celery juice, carrot, white radish (cooked), bitter melon, eggplant, cucumber, spinach, day lily, cabbage, egg yolk, apple, fig, banana, black sesame, walnut meat, white fungus, etc.