Looking For A Constipation Cure?
The best ways in which constipation can be treated is with a combination of changing your diet, taking up exercise, making adjustments to your lifestyle and on occasions using medication.
The most traditional way is to add fiber to your diet in order to get rid of constipation and prevent it from reoccurring. Adding fiber is one of the easiest and most effective ways of dealing with constipation.
You can if you wish eat bulk foods like bran, raw fruit and vegetables, high fiber cereals (on a daily basis) which will help to stimulate the bowels naturally and will not cause the painful symptoms sometimes associated with laxatives.
By taking exercise 2 to 3 times a week you will help to promote healthier intestinal contractions and this will help constipation at bay. Some times just by doing some exercise you will able too improve the movement of your bowels.
Also if you want try bulk forming fibers such as Psyllium which are a safe and effective alternative treatment to laxatives. Today you will find a wealth of products on the market which come in many different forms (liquid drink additives, crackers, fiber cookies or dissolving tablets). However if you decide to use these bulk forming fibers they must be included in your diet slowly and taken with at least 8 ounces of water.
Any one who suffers from constipation should drink more water and by consuming 8 glasses of water each day you will help your intestines to pass through the stools much easier.
Should you be on any medications it may be wise to check exactly what you are on? Many OTC and prescription medications can cause constipation. OTC antacids are a common cause of acute constipation and eliminating or reducing the dosage may help to solve constipation problems that you may be suffering from.
You may well want to use laxatives to treat constipation occasionally and there are various types on the market such as bulk forming agents (which are non-addictive), osmotic or wetting agents, chemical stimulants (these can become addictive) and softening agents (usually made from mineral oils).
But if you are looking for a way of treating constipation more naturally then look at some alternative treatments instead such as:-
Large doses of Vitamin C will stimulate the intestinal wall and will normally produce a bowel movement within 1-5 hours of being taken. Taking 1,000mg of chewable Vitamin C on an empty stomach is a great way of treating constipation. However those who suffer from ulcers should not use this method for dealing with constipation.
Drinking either hot water or tea can also help to stimulate bowel movements and why not try coffee when you wake up first thing in the morning instead of your usual cup of tea.
A home made enema made from 3T of olive oil and 1c of warm water will often help to soften up stools and make it easier for them to move. The advantage of olive oil is that it is much safer than mineral oil and can be used whenever necessary.
How about prunes? They are now flavoured and you can add them foods or desserts if you do not like the taste. They stimulate the bowel naturally and as well as being fat free they also contain ample amounts of fiber, iron and calcium.
Make sure that you use the bathroom regularly and the best and most natural way time to have a bowel movement is usually about an hour after you have had breakfast. Why not just go and sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at the same time each day and this regular repetition will soon work on training your bowels that it is time to move. But it is important that you do not hurry this process and just sit there for the 10 minutes even if nothing happens.
You could try drinking Aloe Vera juice many people are singing the praises of this drink which has been made from the Aloe Vera plant. The juice may cause some minor cramps and you may find that it produces a bowel movement overnight.
However, probably the easiest ways for improving bowel movements and thus alleviate the problem of constipation is to add more fiber to your diet by sprinkling 2 teaspoons of bran over your breakfast cereal or add it to a bowl of fresh fruit or in with some yoghurt.
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