Constipation affects nearly everyone at some point in their
life from a newly born child to a mature and aged adult. Read on to find out
what to do for constipation and how to relieve the causes that trigger this
uncomfortable condition. Below you will discover 4 remedies for relief.
What to do for Constipation – Hydration
Not everyone walks around everyday counting how many glasses
of water and other fluids they take in, but this can be an important part of
ridding yourself of constipation. Drink plenty of water and other replenishing
fluids regularly throughout the day to stay hydrated. Without water you will be
more prone to harder stools which can be difficult and painful to pass. Keeping
your body properly hydrated at all times though will allow your digestive
system to work properly which will in turn keep your stool soft enough to pass more
regularly and with less discomfort.
What to do for Constipation – Proper Diet
A proper diet high in fiber is an important part of
regularity and a step that is often neglected or easily overlooked. Maintaining
a diet full of fresh veggies, fruit, whole grains, bran, beans and other high
fiber foods in combination with proper water intake can help prevent you from
becoming constipated.
Fiber supplements such as Metamucil, Fiber Choice and Benefiber can also be
used for those who suffer from constipation and have difficulty eating enough
of the fiber-rich foods needed to keep them regular. These supplements often are
used by your system to break down and move along dry stubborn fecal matter that
would otherwise cause you to become constipated. Again this needs to be done
with plenty of water.
Quickly, because it is extremely important, we will touch on
some of the cons of taking a fiber supplement for constipation relief. 1) Failing
to drink enough water with a fiber supplement can lead to an obstruction of the
bowels 2) pills and powders are not going to be loaded with nutritional
vitamins that are important to your overall health and system function 3) they
don’t often taste very good 4) these “supplements” are not always prescription
friendly and may cause certain medications to not work as prescribed.
What to do for Constipation – Laxatives
Laxatives come in all different forms from edible chocolates
to suppositories. These can typically be found over the counter at your local
super market or drug store and can really assist in bringing about constipation
relief.
Be careful if you are a chronic sufferer and regularly use laxatives
however, because with prolonged use laxatives can cause serious health issues such
as lazy bowels, liver toxicity, dependency and much more.
What to do for Constipation – Exercise
Regular activity and exercise – especially when incorporated
an hour or so after eating - can aid in staving off that annoying constipated condition.
Take on walking, jogging, swimming, dance or any other activity that keeps you
moving. This will help your body to function as it is designed and start
processing and moving that recently digested food along – in turn keeping your
bowel movements softer and more regular thus reducing the chance of
constipation.
Always consult your regular physician or specialist before
taking on any treatment as sometimes conditions such as prolonged or painful constipation
can merely be a symptom of a more serious condition. Also be sure to ask your
doctor what their recommendation on what to do for constipation would be.
Photo courtesy of: sxc.hu/mmagallan