How to Combat Constipation

Erica Williams
All around the globe constipation effects people. No matter who you are or who you talk to, almost all have had a bout of constipation at some point of their life. Constipation is defined as having unsatisfactory defecation. While constipation is not life threatening, if you have regular bouts of constipation it may be beneficial to consult your doctor onto the reason why this is happening to you. Underlying reasons can cause constipation problems such as a thyroid condition or other diseases.

Drinking lots of fluids and taking in fiber are great concerstones of constipation prevention. People who are constipated are often encouraged to take in more water. Drinking at least 6 glasses a day will help prevent constipation, but for the person who is already constipation drinking water with the combination of fiber will help loosen stools. Your diet shoul contain at least 25 grams of fiber a day. This can be accomplished by eating or drinking 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit a day, along with whole grain foods.

If you are taking medications look up the side effects. You may be surprised that constipation is a side effect. If the constipation becomes worrisome or frequent, it may be best to check with your doctor to see if you can be switched to a different drug. Many times doctors do not warn their patients that their prescribed drug can interfere with bowel functions. Narcotic drugs especially are the most common offenders.

Over the counter remedies may also help. Laxatives are one of the most popular products that pharmacies have to offer. Each year hundres of millions of dollars are spent on these over the counter medications. There is a strong caution against using laxatives though. Over use of laxatives can cause dependency. You will go from being constipation to always having to use a laxative just to have a bowel movement. Strong laxative can deplete the body of potassium, so caution should definitly be used.

Try old-fashioned home remedies. Sip on some warm water with a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses. This type of sweetner contains a number of minerals that can help aide in the relief of constipation. Another old home remedy is drinking lemon juice in a cup of hot water as soon as you get up in the morning. Chewing sugar free gum and loading up on vitamin c may help aso. Find the right dosage for yourself with the vitamin c. Some people find that taking too many milligrams a day leads to diarrhea. You don't want to go to one problem to another. Taking in plenty of exercise too each day can also help get things moving again.

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Published by Erica Williams

A native of Detroit Michigan, is married and is goal oriented. I have extensive experience in writing web content articles for companies, and have various poetry published in anthology books.  View profile

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