1. Eat Lots of Dietary Fiber
As much as we avoid, or just don’t make an effort to eat these types of foods, it is very important that we do. Fibrous foods are what help stimulate a healthy bowel movement, they pass through the colon very easily and help keep your colon free of waste build up. Dietary Fiber or (bulk forming laxatives), is taken in from the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Breads, cereals, rice and leafy green vegetables, just to name a few, are foods that are high in fiber that you can add to your daily diet. Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat and cutting back on fatty foods, such as meats and dairy products or foods that are refined and processed, like sweets and fast foods, will help to relieve constipation and improve bowel movements.

2. Drink Lots of Fluids
It is important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to hydrate your body so that your colon has enough moisture in it to pass a stool. Since moisture is needed to pass a stool, if the body is dehydrated from a lack of water, when the feces reaches the rectum, any moisture that is left, is absorbed by the rectum. This is what makes it hard to have a bowel movement because it causes you to strain to eliminate the waste. Drinking eight, six ounce glasses of water a day will help keep you hydrated and create moisture for your colon to pass a stool without straining. Avoid drinking too many caffeinated drinks or drinks high in sugar. And if water just doesn’t cut it for you, dilute a sports drink or your favorite juice with water to add flavor, but make sure that it’s diluted with mostly water.

3. Get Plenty of Exercise
People who don’t take care of themselves physically, tend to easily develop constipation because of the fact they are not involved in any sort of exercise. In fact, one of the very first recommendations for people who are constipated is exercise. Simply getting up and walking around will help get your bowels moving and quickly help relieve constipation. Start off simple with a walk through your neighborhood or an easy jog. Remember, some exercise is better than none at all. Exercising more keeps you looking younger and feeling healthier. As a result, you can fight diseases easier because you have a vibrant, healthy immune system.

If constipation is something you suffer from, then it’s probably from a lack of one of these three things just mentioned. And that is because we live such a busy lifestyle. But making small improvements in all or just one of these areas of your lifestyle, will help improve the way your bowels function, improve your bowel movements and relieve you of constipation. You will look and feel healthier, notice a change in your attitude and start to enjoy life more.

fast constipation relief

We eat to much fast food. Excessive consumption of dairy products and heavily processed foods. And my personal favorite: not enough foods rich in healthy fiber. I see ads on television everyday for products rich in dietary fiber, but we still don’t supplement our diets accordingly.

We don’t exercise! American’s especially lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Work, lunch, work, home, dinner, sleep. Does this sound like you? If it does than you probably experienced constipation a time or two. If you have experienced constipation more frequently or very often there are many things naturally and safely that you can do to help get things moving!

First off we start with the diet. The most important thing we can do for our bodies is eat the kind of foods that help our bodies do what they were designed to do. Fruits and vegetables locally grown or organic if you can find will help tremendously to increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Pears and Mangos are delicious and also a great natural remedy. Some call it Carribean Dranoe! Eat a guava with the seeds. Eat a pear for an after- dinner snack instead of salty potato chips. If you cannot eat 3 helpings of fruit each day, than you can try a fiber supplement.

You can use laxatives but research has shown that while short term use can be effective, there can be sever adverse effects from long term use. Plus laxatives can drain your body of vital moisture. Which brings me to my next point! Drink Water! It sounds simple but that’s because it is! Also you should try to drink water at room temperature because it absorbs into the blood stream faster. Faster absorption means faster hydration. This will definitely give you energy and provide oxygen to every cell in your body.

You will need your new found energy for another natural remedy: Exercise! Whatever your body type the best thing you can do for your body next to eating healthy is exercise. Now you don’t have to go out and buy a weight set, but there are things that you can do to help improve your overall health and relieve your constipation. For most a couple of miles walking with a friend or dog, or even by themselves can show instant results. Sometimes a walk around the block is enough to send you back to the house!

family with their health issues

Eating Practices:

How you eat is just as important as the food you decide to consume when it comes to eliminating constipation issues. You will want to assess how you are eating your food. Are you wolfing down meals too quickly because you are hurried or rushed? Food that is incompletely chewed takes longer to digest: this can lend to hard stools since it will take the stomach and intestines longer to fully digest the partially chewed food you have swallowed. Make time for your meals, slow down, and chew all of your food properly every time you have a meal or snack.

Up Your Magnesium Intake:

Magnesium is a much needed mineral inside the body since it assists in nerve functioning, keeps the immunological system functioning properly, and helps to keep sugar levels at a normal level in the body. It also aids in terms of digestion and food assimilation since it helps with protein synthesis, and Magnesium helps to remedy issues with malabsorption. Magnesium can be gained by consuming a variety of whole grain food selections, vegetables, and nuts. You can also get a Magnesium supplement to ensure you are getting the right amount of the mineral every day: adults can safely consume a 350 milligram supplement of Magnesium daily to tend to constipation related conditions.

Abdominal Massage

Something as simple as massaging the abdomen can help in alleviating constipation issues. By gently rubbing the abdominal area for as little as fifteen minutes each day, you can help the abdomen to become more relaxed. Your relaxed abdominal muscles, will, in turn, promote the natural movement of your bowels. Gentle massage of the abdomen can also help you find some relief with the cramping that sometimes accompanies constipation too.

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* Consume Prunes
* Use Flaxseeds
* Use Probiotics

Step 1: Consume Prunes

An old folk remedy for hard stools is identified in the act of consuming prunes. Prunes can be eaten fresh, dried, or as a juice and can serve as a super fast method for getting rid of constipation issues. Prunes can also be stewed, and the prunes contain a colonic stimulant which is mild but amazingly effective. Prunes have a super high level of fiber which bulk up your stools and make them move through the intestines with ease.

Use Flaxseeds

Another great source for all natural fiber intake is identified in Flaxseeds. You can safely add just two tablespoons of Flaxseeds to your diet on a daily basis to eliminate constipation issues. Flaxseeds offer a natural, nut-like taste and this item can be added to foods like beverages, spaghetti sauce, meat dishes, baked goods, and yogurt. What’s nice about Flaxseed is that it addresses issues with bloating and gas as well. You will want to make this food a continued addition to your diet so that you can derive the long term benefits from its use as a constipation preventative measure.

Use Probiotics

The use of probiotics has proved effective in treating hard stool complications. Probiotics introduce good bacteria to the digestive tract so that digestive processes can be normalized and balanced. By using probiotics, you can help promote the creation of needed bacteria in the intestines as well as natural enzymes that make digestive processes simplified. Natural pH balances in the intestinal tract are readily restored to a healthy level, and probiotic use ensures the alleviation of gas, bloating, abdominal cramping, and flatulence too. To get your needed probiotics, start consuming yogurt in moderation: since yogurt contains milk, which can sometimes cause constipation, you will want to limit yourself to one serving a day to help alleviate constipation issues.

foods that cause constipation

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a wonderful herb loaded with Vitamin K. The latter vitamin promotes the production of healthy bacteria inside the intestinal tract that help in breaking foods down so that they can be more readily assimilated. This herb also has a high level of chlorophyll which helps boost the immune system and promotes faster healing. What is really nice about this herbal treatment is that it is loaded with all natural fiber: a common remedy for constipation. What’s more, this herb has anti-inflammatory agents which can help to sooth irritated intestinal tissues. Finally, Alfalfa is also an herb that is filled with a number of vitamins that offer antioxidants which help in destroying cancer-causing free radicals in the body too.

Calendula

Calendula, also identified under the common name Marigold, has been a long revered constipation treatment. A tincture made from this herb can be stirred into a cup of water and consumed three times daily for constipation relief. Calendula is also wonderful as a tea and works well in soothing issues related to stomach ailments. A single teaspoon of dried Calendula leaves can be steeped in hot water for a few minutes and consumed for hard stool relief. As a natural anti-inflammatory, this herb can be safely consumed in order to alleviate irritated tissues in the digestive tract too.

Lemon Balm

If you are having constipation and cramping, you can take Lemon Balm to alleviate the cramping; this herb is an all natural antispasmodic herbal treatment. Lemon Balm has been used for many years to treat issues with gas, flatulence, bloating, and abdominal cramping and it helps to naturally relax the digestive tract. This herb can be easily consumed as a tea by steeping some leaves in a hot cup of water.

foods that cause constipation

* Soluble Fiber
* Insoluble Fiber

Soluble Fiber

Foods that contain the soluble form of fiber can be more easily digested since they break down quickly in the stomach and intestinal tract. Vegetables and/or fruits that are not quite ripened or that are harvested early on have higher levels of soluble fiber and popular foods containing high amounts of this type of fiber include figs and prunes. Figs and prunes, either dried or fresh can be consumed as a natural remedy for hard stools. This type of fiber intake is recommended daily, until the constipation issue subsides.

Insoluble Fiber

Just as unripe vegetables and/or fruits have high levels of fiber that are soluble, ripe fruit has less soluble fiber and more insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is excellent for naturally providing the roughage needed to bulk up stools so that they can be passed with ease. Insoluble fiber does not really have many changes as it moves through the body, and by consuming ripe fruits, vegetables, and whole grains you can get all natural forms of this kind of fiber too.

Your Daily Requirements

Experts suggest that you consume at least twenty to thirty-five grams of fiber daily. This can be gained by eating anywhere from five to nine helpings of veggies and fruits, and 1 1/2 servings of whole grain products. Foods high in natural fiber include things like instant cereal, Bulgar, Barley, Oat Bran, foods made with wheat flour, beans, and foods made with Buckwheat flour. You can also consider fiber supplementation too that can be mixed with water or juice and consumed once per day to ensure regular bowel movements. There are different types of fiber supplementation available, all of which are affordable and easy to consume.

foods that cause constipation.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is offered in capsules or as a juice which can be consumed to help the digestive tract and to aid the intestinal tract in moving bowels through the large and small intestines. This herb is filled with minerals, enzymes, amino acids, fatty acids, and sugars: all that work toward alkalizing the juices within the digestive tract and further assist the colon in maintaining the appropriate mucus balance so that bodily impurities can be easily removed from the system.

Psyllium Husk

An all natural source of high fiber, Psyllium Husk can be consumed in order to help flush out the intestinal tract. The fiber in Psyllium Husk contains an insoluble form of fiber. The fiber causes the intestinal walls to contract and to move waste through the tract with greater efficiency.

Fenugreek

Consumption of Fenugreek seeds helps in bulking up the waste that lodges in the intestinal tract after it moves into the tract from the stomach. This herb has natural anti-inflammatory agents which also help in alleviating any irritating gastrointestinal conditions. Fenugreek is an herb that has a high fiber content so that bowel movements become regular when this herb is consumed.

Cayenne Pepper

The regular use of Cayenne Pepper diminishes the potential for hardened stools, and also promotes the creation of natural digestive juices. The use of Cayenne Pepper also allows for the natural onset of peristalsis: the small muscular contractions that occur in the intestinal tract that move bowel movements through the tract and out of the body. What’s more, this herb is revered for the augmentation of circulatory processes which allows for better nutrient dissolution and assimilation in the body. If you do not care for the flavor of Cayenne Pepper, you can take capsules containing this herb instead.

foods cause constipation

Natural relief can be derived by consuming fruits and nuts which promote healthy, regular bowel movements. What’s more, the foods used for constipation relief also have a number of superlative health benefits.

Red Apples

Consuming a single apple every day can help to alleviate problems with constipation. Apples contain natural phytochemicals which are cited as a natural remedy and preventive measure against certain types of cancers, including cancer of the colon too. The entire apple should be consumed, skin and all, since the rich red skin contains the most phytochemicals. Apples also naturally contain insoluble fiber so that you can have a well regulated digestive tract.

Blueberries

Blueberries are yet another fruit that is high in phytochemical content thereby making it a superb cancer defense. A single cup of fresh blueberries supplies you with 3.6 grams of constipation fighting fiber, and their low salt content ensures that you retain less fluid too. Finally, blueberries have immune system boosting properties too, so they are great for your overall health.

Prunes

Prunes are actually dried plums that can be consumed whole or as a juice. When you consume 100 grams of prunes, you get 7 grams of fiber. Prunes, like blueberries, are also super low in sodium content as well: a mere 2 grams of sodium are supplied in a 100 gram serving of prunes. Further, prunes are very high in Vitamin K content, which aids in the digestive process and reduces the potential for waste accumulation.

Almonds

Unsalted almonds contain 11 grams of fiber per every 100 gram serving. These nuts also have low sodium content, and once consumed, assist the body in moving bowels through the intestinal tract. Almonds also contain Manganese, which helps your body to naturally process amino acids, and to produce needed enzymes for adequate digestion. The Manganese in almonds also promotes the breakdown of fats.

The Foods That Cause Constipation

Five Constipation Treatment Techniques

* Avoid Problematic Foods
* Stress Reduction
* Regular Evacuation of Bowels
* Monitor Medication Intake
* Consuming Vitamins

Avoid Problematic Foods

Cheeses, dairy products, unripe bananas, meat, fatty foods, high protein foods, fast foods, foods containing preservatives and dyes, and processed foods are all common sources for the onset of hard stools. These foods tend to upset the natural rhythm of your digestive tract and make it difficult for your body to process and assimilate the foods you have eaten.

Stress Reduction

Being tense can lead to constipation. Stress affects the entire body; you can become fatigued, your immune system will be affected, and you can upset your gastrointestinal processes. When you are stressed, foods will ferment and stagnate in the intestines longer thereby paving the way for constipation to occur.

Regular Evacuation of Bowels

Use the bathroom when you have to and don’t wait until you cannot wait any longer to go. Holding off on going to the bathroom can upset your body’s natural processes. You will want to make it a point to attempt to have a bowel movement every day at the same time of day so your body is prepared to do its job.

Monitor Medication Intake

Pay attention to the medications you consume. Some pain relief medicine is responsible for stool hardening. If you are on an iron supplement, this may constipate you as well. Keep track of what you are taking and read up on the side effects of medications that you use to avoid bowel movement irregularities.

Consuming Vitamins

Adequate vitamin intake makes the entire body work as it should. When you get the vitamins you need, your body can digest foods better, can break foods down and can convert them into energy with greater efficiency. Take a vitamin supplement daily to ensure that you get the dosage of vitamins you require.

foods cause constipation

The primary steps to take to keeping your bowel movements regular include:

* Regular hydration
* Fiber intake increases
* Increase in movement and exercise

Regular Hydration

If you do not regularly hydrate your body, you can anticipate having problems with constipation. When you do not have enough fluids in your body, your bowels will quickly harden and become rather difficult to pass. Drinking fresh water seems simple enough, and getting eight glasses of water every day lowers your risk of getting constipation. You will also want to avoid things that tend to dehydrate your system: stay away from beverages high in sodium content and/or caffeine since these things can actually dehydrate you and increase your chances for developing hardened stools.

Fiber Intake Increases

Upping the amount of dark green vegetables, whole grains, and fruits that you consume every day can keep constipation at bay. Eating foods like nuts, prunes, berries, apples, whole wheat spaghetti, whole wheat bread, artichokes, turnip greens, and brussel sprouts, can supply you with natural fiber intakes that promote regular bowel movements. You can also choose a fiber supplement to consume every day to ensure you get the daily fiber you need in order to remain regular. The supplement can be mixed with a glass of water or juice and consumed just before breakfast each day; you can thereby make your supplement an easy part of your daily routine.

Increases in Movement and Exercise

Regular exercise helps to naturally increase your metabolic rate, and a higher metabolic rate is linked to slower digestive processes and a diminishment in overall intestinal wall strength. Exercising more, walking, and avoiding prolonged periods of sedentary behavior will help to lower constipation issues dramatically. You don’t have to engage in strenuous exercise in order to reduce bowel movement issues either; a simple walk for a half hour once a day is all that is needed to promote bowel movement regularity.

foods that cause constipation