Constipation
generally means that you have three or fewer bowel movement a week. It can also
mean straining to have bowel movements or passing stools that are small, hard,
and dry. Constipation can either be acute or chronic. Acute constipation is
that which appears to be sudden and lasts for a short time, while chronic
constipation is long lasting and can cause complications.
Constipation
occurs when digested food spends too much time in your colon. Your colon
absorbs too much water, making your stool hard and dry and difficult for your
rectal muscles to push out of your body. It is considered a symptom of various
health issues rather than a disease in and of itself.
Some of the common
causes of constipation are poor diet and an inactive lifestyle. A lack of
exercise and eating too much junk food can wreak havoc on your digestive
health, medication and aging, pregnancy or other hormonal factors.
What actually
makes constipation so difficult to treat is the fact that many patients are not
honest with their physicians about their recent behaviour. Severe cases of
constipation have been known to lead to death should the bacteria population
grow dramatically. Unless a massive injection of antibiotics is given, the
infection can lead to death.
Six habits you
should avoid to improve your digestion are:
Inactivity/Exercise
Lack of exercise
not only causes weight gain and other health problems, it can also affect
digestion and cause constipation. The best thing you can do to move your bowels
is wake up, eat a real meal, and do some level of activity. It doesn't have to
be rigorous exercise, moving your body every day will improve your digestive
health, and getting enough exercise daily can help solve constipation problem.
A Low Fibre Diet
Slows Digestion
Fibre is the
material in plant foods that your body can't digest, it’s important for good
digestion. It goes through you and gives you something to form a stool around.
When you don’t have enough fibre in your diet, stools can become small, dry and
hard.
Ensure you eat
more fibre to add bulk to stools, making them softer and easier to pass. To get
more fibre in your diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans and
whole grains.
Not Drinking
Enough Fluids
Not drinking
enough fluids causes constipation, when you are dehydrated; your body has less
fluid available to keep stools soft. You can become dehydrated and not know it
especially in hot weather. Taking enough fluids and exercise is very important
to anyone looking to solve their constipation problems permanently.
Poor Bowel,
Missing or Withholding a Normal Bowel Movement
Failing to
evacuate waste in a timely manner is a big issue because it can cause toxins
and even bacteria to accumulate in the colon until they are reabsorbed into the
blood stream where they can cause big problems. Always go to the toilet
whenever you feel like poo; never withhold.
Certain
Medication
Avoid activities
and consumption of products that may lead to constipation. Any constipation
remedy, including colon cleansers, should be made from all natural products
because anything made with chemicals is more likely to cause side effects such
as killing beneficial bacteria, skin problem and constipation. Certain
medications such as pain killers and iron supplements should be avoided.
Aging
Your digestive
tract doesn't have to become a victim of age like the rest of your body, it can
often be protected with a healthy lifestyle. If you want to keep your digestive
tract in good shape and keep uncomfortable symptoms at bay, try these tips that
can make digestion a little easier.
• Stay
hydrated by drinking lot of water
• Limit fats
in your diet and maintain a healthy body weight.
• Load your
diet with fibre.
• Stick to
healthy portion sizes and avoid over-eating
• Get regular
exercise.
Healthy living
will not only keep your digestive tract healthy but also reduce your need
for some of those side effect causing medications. You will feel young, happy
and healthy both inside and out.
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