How to Treat Constipation

Constipation is so common in our lifestyle that many of us take it for granted. Mild constipation is especially considered to be a part and parcel of our daily life. We are constantly juggling between hectic work schedule and managing our personal lives. This leaves us with little or no time for focusing on our health aspects.

Since it doesn't have immediate serious health risks, we have the tendency to live with it for years. Most of us have a tendency to neglect initial problems of erratic bowel movements or flatulence. We are more accustomed to treat stomach problems by traditional or herbal medicines.

Only when severe digestive problems interfere with our daily lives, we rush to medical experts to discover that we have grossly neglected the health and well-being of our digestive system.

Constipation is a common stomach problem characterized by irregularities in the digestive system. The person suffering from it may experience difficulty in expelling feces, and even if feces is discharged, it may be quite hard to expel it. Due to the slow movement of food in gastrointestinal tract, the colon absorbs the water leaving the feces hard and dry.

The process of defecation (discharging the feces) is quite painful and at times leads to bowel obstruction, accompanied by frequent indigestion, and gas discharge. The presence of bowel that hasn't been discharged from the body for a long time releases toxins in the blood that can be a source of diseases, like appendicitis, rheumatism, cataract, and cancer.

It is to be remembered that constipation is a symptom and not a disease, and if cured in the initial stages, the root causes of some severe diseases can be avoided. When in the chronic stages, it can cause severe loss of appetite compounding many health concerns.

It is not difficult to diagnose causes as majority of them are a result of sedentary lifestyle and lack of healthy diet. Lack of physical exercises, less intake of fluid, and a diet lacking in fibrous food are some common causes of constipation in a large section of the population. Holding back stool, erratic eating habits, and improper chewing of the food are the other causes for this lifestyle disorder.

If you are really serious on treating this medical condition, then the following tips would be helpful.

Some people have a poor habit of consuming less water. It is expected that 2 to 3 liters of water must be consumed daily by a healthy individual. As a rough estimate you can intake at least 6 to 7 medium glasses of water daily. If you are a physically active person, then you may require more water to be consumed daily.

Water is very necessary for the body, as it regulates the body temperature, removes body wastes and facilitates biological reactions in the body. So, make a vow to drink at least 6 glasses of water daily and that will also help you to get reduce the risk of constipation.

You can make it a habit to drink water early morning when you wake up. It will have a miraculous effect on your health within a certain period. It will better movement of bowl and timely discharge of feces, giving you a lifestyle in sync with the natural functioning of our body. You should also include fruit juices in your diet.

If you are a lazy person, then you are increasing the risk of constipation. A physically active person has a better circulatory and digestive system that helps the body to perform the functions of excretion more efficiently.

You will be surprised to see the positive effects that physical exercises can have in treating constipation. One of the very effective methods to treat constipation is Yoga exercises backed by some breathing exercises.

Avoid eating junk food. Include healthy food items in your diet that are good for the digestive system. Try including fiber rich fruits and green vegetables in your diet. Apples, oranges, and salads must be a part of the dietary programs. Eating too much of the refined and processed foods, that is free of natural fiber, is a major reason behind constipation in the adult American population.

Constipation can also be treated by following some natural cures. If you need to get treated for a severe case, you must follow the above mentioned tips religiously. It can surely be cured by the doctor's help and with some self determination of making changes in your lifestyle.