Tips for good bowel habits

1. Eat fruits and vegetables in good quantity to add fibre to diet. This will also keep your body weight under control by providing less calorie.

2. Avoid reading in the toilet. Does you more harm than good, even when there is a bull run in the stock market.

3. Avoid postponing your defaecation till you “have to go”. Answer nature’s call.

4. Do not strain. If rectum is full of faeces it will let you know and you cannot retain it for long. If it is not full, straining will not do you any good - Empty rectum cannot defaecate.

5. If you have too much perianal itching and excoriation get it checked. Apart from high sugar content in diet, perianal disease can cause this. It is not embarrassing to get yourself checked.