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Constipation: A National Problem?

Test Your Constipation Knowledge!

#1: True or False? In North America, more than 4 million Americans and half-million Canadians have frequent constipation that accounts for 3 million visits to a healthcare provider.

#2: True or False? If you have a bowel movement once every 3 days, you are constipated.

If you answered True to #1 and False to #2 you are correct!

If you have bowel movements less frequently than 3 X a week and experience pain or difficulty passing stool (due to hard stool), you may actually be constipated. For some, 3 bowel movements a day is normal and yet for other, 3 times a week is normal.

So just how do our intestines work?

The short answer is that as food moves through the colon, the colon absorbs water from that food as it forms waste products or stool.

Constipation can occur when the colon's muscle contractions that move the stool along the color are sluggish or slow.

You can become constipated when the color absorbs too much water from the stool and the stool gets hard.

What causes these problems?

Not enough fiber in the diet
Lack of physical activity
Medications, including some pain relievers, antacids and some iron supplements
Irritable bowel syndrome
Changes in your life such as travel, pregnancy, aging and stress
Abuse of laxatives
Ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement (too busy, don't want to use public bathroom, wait til later and then urge is gone...)
Not enough water or other fluid intake (also too much caffeine, which is a diuretic that depletes your body of water)

So, we've seen that constipation is a national problem impacting the lives of about FOUR million Americans and HALF a million Canadians!

It results from a sluggish, slow colon and/or not enough fluids and fiber.

The U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse have some recommendations to help relieve the symptoms of constipation and to help keep the problem from returning.

Eat a well-balanced, high-fiber diet that includes beans, bran, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Did you know that most Americans eat less than half of the 20-35 grams of fiber that is recommended? It is true! You may even be one of them. I know I am sometimes. (Trying healthful smoothies has been one way I've improved on this!)
Drink plenty of liquids. Water and other liquids add fluid to the colon and bulk to stools. This makes the stool softer and easier to pass.
Exercise regularly. Remember one cause of constipation is a sluggish colon. If you move your body, your colon will work better.
Set aside time for yourself for undisturbed visits to the toilet.
When you feel like you have to go, by all means don't put it off. If you ignore your body, pretty soon it will stop sending you the messages at all!
It is normal to have temporary irregularity. There are many causes. Don't stress over it, but do take a look at what may be throwing your system off.
Is the problem signficant or lasting for a prolonged time? Be sure and check with your healthcare provider.

The U. S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse off some great advice. I have a few others of my own:

1. Try to stay in balance in your life in general. This is easier said than done. Remember, if one part of your life (body, mind or spirit) is out of balance, the others will also be.

2. Try Goji (about 4 ounces) every day. My husband and I drink this, and I recommend it because I like it. I like the taste, the benefits and I like that the claims are scientifically supported. You owe it to yourself to look into this powerful antioxidant that has also been shown to keep you moving regularly! Learn more about antioxidants or go right to the Gogi juice webpage.

Constipation doesn't have to be a problem!
Learn how what you eat can make all the difference.

Top 10 Healing Foods
How many are in your pantry?

Disclaimer: Material provided on Naturally-Holistic.net website is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. Always take the advice of your health care provider before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program. We will not be liable for any complications, or other medical accidents arising from the use of any information on this web site.

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