Constipation treatments
For anyone who suffers from constipation, you know very well how uncomfortable and frustrating it can be. Constipation is a term used when the body fails to move the digested food waste through the intestine and out of the body. This can be mild or severe and in some cases cause serious pain, bloating and problems. Constipation can affect anyone at any age although it tends to affect more females than males and also tends to hit people over age 65 more frequently.
If you are a long time sufferer of constipation and have not been seen by a doctor for it then you need to schedule an appointment to rule out an underlying problem that could be causing your constipation. There are medical conditions that can cause constipation so they need to be treated by a doctor. For those that just suffer from the occasional bout of constipation or those that have already had a medical condition ruled out, there are a few things you can do to get your bowels back on the right track.
For starters, make sure you are consuming plenty of water. Water is extremely important in moving food through the bowels. Without adequate amounts of water, your intestines cannot do their job properly. Secondly, make sure you are eating a lot of fibrous foods. Eating foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, oats and popcorn all have a lot of fiber.
Fiber is essential for food to pass through the body in a timely fashion. If you are suffering from constipation, you should try eating a salad. Eating a big salad with lots of different vegetables can help get things moving in the right direction. Other foods that help are fresh bananas that are still a little green, if you eat a banana that has become too ripe you will have the opposite effect. Do not eat bananas that have started to turn brown and watch your milk and cheese consumption. Yogurt may help with constipation, however too much milk or cheese will cause the stool to harden.
Also eliminate meat from your diet until you have had a successful bowel movement. It takes your body longer to digest meat than anything else. Meat eaters tend to have constipation more often than vegetarians and there is probably good reason behind that. Vegetarians eat foods that are high in fiber and pass through the bowel at a much quicker rate. For someone who suffers from chronic constipation, switching to a vegetarian diet may be a very helpful remedy to solving constipation. For those that have a hard time getting enough fiber in their diet, using a fiber supplement may help. However, whenever you take a fiber supplement you must drink a lot of water with it or you can cause a bowel obstruction. This is very important.
There are other things you can try as well. Taking a couple spoonfuls of corn syrup can help draw water to the bowel and get the stool to pass. A cup of coffee may help trigger the bowels to pass stool as well. Also mild laxatives found at your local pharmacy can be of great use. Just be sure not to get dependent on them. If you need to use a form of laxative every once in a while it is perfectly fine, however if you need a laxative to go to the restroom every time then you need to find a better way to pass stool.
If you have tried all these forms of constipation treatment without any relief then it is time to see your doctor. Having at least one bowel movement a day is considered healthy and if you have gone an extended amount of time without passing any stool then it is time to seek medical help.
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