I think all of us perpetually-hungry Jews can agree that, besides Yom Kippur, Passover is just about the worst holiday ever. Eight days without bagels and lox? No thank you.
If you’re looking for an excuse to jump on the gluten-, carb-, bread-, and everything else-free bandwagon, I guess Passover is your chance — but this bread-free diet comes with a price. The inescapable side effect of consuming too much Matzah…
Call it what you will —total lack-of bowel movement, a back up in the system, or just straight-up constipation — any way you put it, we can all agree: it sucks. Here are three very simple tips to help you keep kosher this Passover while avoiding discomfort and still honoring your unleavened-bread-loving ancestors.
1. Drink Water
Gratutious Gif of James Franco drinking water courtesy of Gifrific.com
Plain and simple. Get yourself a water bottle and carry it with you as if it were your child. Bowel issues are always linked to dehydration, and, as we all know, drinking water only does good things for your body. So grab a bottle and keep chugging — you’ll notice how great it feels to be hydrated.
2. Eat Fiber
Image courtesy of delicesdefleur.wordpress.com
Steer clear from non-Kosher fibrous foods like granola bars and cereal and rediscover foods with natural fiber supplements, like fresh fruits and veggies.
I suggest you do as my Jewish grandma does: make prunes tasty. Add dry prunes, sugar, and lemon juice to boiling water and let that pruney-goodness boil for 30 minutes. Trust my Bubbe on this one — she’s going on her 96th Passover.
3. Hit the Gym
Photo by Alison Weissbrot
Physical activity induces peristalsis, the bodily reaction that allows your bowels to contract so you can, ya know, go. Hit the gym after a healthy dose of fiber-filled food to keep your digestive system active and engaged. Activating your body’s own natural responses will allow you to stay on a normal routine and avoid any bathroom-related issues.
Recap:
All you really have to do to this Passover to avoid the dreaded back-up of your digestive system is to engage in a healthy, active, water and fiber-filled diet. I’d say that’s a little easier than being exiled to wander the desert for forty years. But everyone’s got different struggles, right?