Constipation Treatment & Cures - Tips on How to Stop Constipation
Things You Should Know about Constipation
Constipation has become a common aliment and is looked upon lightly. Regular bowel movements are one sign that a person’s body functions are normal. When you visit a physician for a regular check-up, among the most commonly asked questions about your health are your bowel movements. Regular bowel movements ensure that toxic products are excreted and gastro intestinal system functions optimally.
The consumed food leaves the stomach in about 30 minutes to 2.5 hours. Inside the gastrointestinal tract the food gets thoroughly mixed up with the digestive juices and moves forward for absorption of nutrients and excretion of waste products of digestion. Constipation is retention of feces in the colon, resulting in difficulty in defecation. The stools are dry and hard. Constipation occurs for several reasons. Bowel patterns may vary from person to person. If there are less than three bowel movements in a week, it is constipation. Sudden change in bowel habits must be discussed with your physician.
Tips to Get Relief from Constipation
Here are the simplest ways of relieving constipation. Popping laxatives every day to defecate is not a good idea and predispose to lot of health hazards.
Method 1 - Drink about 1 to 2 liters of warm water in a jug. Drink as much as possible. Involve yourself in doing some physical activity or walk briskly for 10 minutes. You may feel the urge to defecate.
Method 2 - Mix a spoonful of honey to lime juice. Drink this every morning.
Method 3 - Mix a spoonful of castor oil and honey. Chemicals in castor oil acts as a laxative. Relieve yourself at the first call.
How to Avoid Constipation
1. Never ignore the natural urge to defecate. When defecation is voluntarily postponed, the need to defecate tends to fade and the external anal sphincter becomes contracted (closed) when a person voluntarily controls the urge to defecate. If this condition persists for a while, the rectum no longer remains sensitive to the stretch and the urge to defecate disappears.
2. Relax and tune in with your biological clock. It is important to stick on to regular schedule of rest and sleep.
3. Take enough time to relieve yourself. Incomplete emptying of the bowel causes discomfort and frequent urge to defecate.
4. Take adequate fluids like water after eating. It is necessary to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Water regulates many of the body functions. Taking adequate fluids ensures fecal material is not hardened.
5. Include adequate green leafy vegetables and fruits which are rich in fibers. Fiber acts as dietary roughage and moves the food forwards for digestion and absorption. A word of caution: Never take dietary fibers beyond recommended daily allowances. Excess of dietary fibers can lead to dietary toxicity.
6. Do not over eat. Over eating puts a burden on your stomach and intestine and it takes longer to digest the food and food tends to remain longer in the intestine causing discomfort and constipation.
7. Eat dry fruits, like prunes, everyday after dinner. You may also want to consider eating bananas. These fruits help in regular bowel movements.
8. Lack of physical activity is also a cause of constipation. It’s no wonder that people who have sedentary work frequently complain of irregular bowel movements. Involve yourself in doing daily chores. Mobility affects the gastro intestinal movements.
What Happens with Excessive Use of Laxatives?
Laxatives should not be a long term solution for constipation. Laxatives temporarily relieve constipation but do not cure the underlying cause. Regular diet pattern, adequate intake of dietary fibers and water, and exercises can correct constipation. If you suffer from constipation for long or your bowel activities have drastically changed, you need to consult your doctor. Excessive use of laxatives causes relaxation of the gastro intestinal tract and causes an inability to move a large bulk for defection. With regular laxative use, valuable fluids and electrolytes are washed away from the body, leading to deficiency of ions that regulate the internal environment of the body. Never abuse laxatives.
Follow these simple tips to avoid constipation and enjoy every morning without straining!