Thursday 10 July 2014

Constipation: What Is It? How to Avoid It? And How to Manage It?

Constipation is a problem that happens with modern diets. The body is a temperamental organ, and it’s important to treat it well, and in a way with which it is accustomed. This means eating foods that our ancestors ate, rather than filling up on junk food.

Constipation: What Is It?

Constipation can be chronic, or acute. With chronic constipation, it means that it is long lasting, while acute constipation happens every now and again. Both types of constipation can be very painful; however, chronic constipation can be much more dangerous.

However, this doesn’t quite tell us what it is. Constipation is simply compacted faecal matter that the body is unable to pass properly. Waste becomes stuck in the colon and the rectum. There are several different causes of constipation, but generally, it is caused by the colon absorbing too much water from our food, leaving hard and compact stools.

What Causes Constipation?

There are many different causes of constipation. However, all of them pretty much have the effect of creating the conditions whereby too much water is removed from our food (although, at this stage in digestion it is no longer food) in the colon. There is another reason that people become constipated, and that’s because of a blockage somewhere in the digestive tract. This latter type of constipation can be serious, and may require surgery to remove the blockage.

Let’s take a look at some of the commonest causes of constipation: 

1.A diet low in soluble and insoluble fibre: When you think of fibre, think of it as nature’s natural broom, that literally sweeps waste through the digestive tract. Without adequate levels of fibre, your food stays in your small and large intestines longer than it should, and the whole time it’s there, the intestines are squeezing it dry.

2.Lack of exercise: exercise increases your metabolic rate. The metabolic rate is the speed at which the body carries out its various functions. If it’s too slow, food stays in the digestive system for too long, and again, the colon squeezes out too much water.

3.Holding it in: you should go to the toilet when you need to go. If you hold it in too long then again, you create the condition whereby the colon extracts too much water – your colon doesn’t know when to stop doing this, it’s an automatic process.

4.Medicines: there are several types of medication that can cause constipation. This is more common with certain types of painkiller, especially paracetamol.

How Do You Deal With Constipation?

By following a healthy diet and taking enough exercise, you can avoid constipation, but what happens if you are constipated? Well, you will need to take constipation remedies. There are a number of different options, and your choice depends of the cause and severity of the problem, as well as your personal preferences.



Constipation remedies: 

•Prune juice will work well for mild constipation, especially that caused by poor eating habits.

•For constipation that’s a little more severe, then an over-the-counter laxative should help.

•For more severe types of constipation, it is best to see a doctor.

No comments:

Post a Comment