| |
Bowel movements should, under normal circumstances, occur at least daily.
Chronic constipation is usually due to diet, colon health problems, insufficient dietary fiber and roughage, a sedentary lifestyle, ignoring defecation urges, or frequent traveling.
General rules for treating constipation
Before using laxatives, try first to remove any underlying cause. Make sure you are:- Getting regular aerobic exercise
- Having or trying to have your movement at the same time each day
- Drinking enough water. Increase water consumption to 8 glasses per day
- Avoiding refined foods that have had fiber taken out of them (white flour, white rice, peeled vegetables, etc.)
- Increase fiber (both water-soluble and non-water-soluble types) in the diet with more fruits and vegetables. If too difficult for now, try supplementing natural fibers such as flax, psyllium, pectin or guar gum. These possess a mild laxative action due to their ability to attract water and form a gelatinous mass.
- Consider the possibility of food allergies, especially milk, when you see diarrhea, alternating constipation and diarrhea, anal fissures, or other general allergy signs. A recent study found that 10 of the 86 patients allergic to milk showed "very delayed reactions" to a cow's milk challenge averaging over 13 days (range 4-26 days). These "very delayed" reactions included constipation, wheezing, and dermatitis.
Fibre intake is generally lower in the northern countries than in the countries of southern Europe.
|
|
|
