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How to get rid of constipation

Being constipated is something that most people with encounter at some point in life. Constipation can also cause many colon diseases, like hemorrhoids, varicose veins, colitis, diverticulotis and even colon cancer.

It's important to eat the right foods, but it's also important to get rid of waste properly. Scientific studies have found that people with constipation problems are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer.

Symptoms of constipation:

  • Stomach aches, cramps
  • Feeling bloated
  • Feeling sick
  • Changes in your normal bowel movements
  • Loss of appetite

Causes of constipation:

The most common causes of constipation are the wrong kind of diet, and not getting enough hydration. There are also cases where constipation can be caused by medical problems as well. Certain painkillers can cause constipation, such as ones containing hydrocodone or oxycodone. If you're taking one of these and you have constipation, you should see your doctor and tell him about it. Some antidepressants can also cause constipation, such as Prozac.

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How to treat constipation:

To get rid of constipation forever, you may have to change your eating habits. You should avoid eating processed foods, dairy products and wheat. Eat lots of fruit and some fresh raw egg yolk. If you don't like the taste of this, put fruit and egg yolk together in a blender and drink the result. It's a bit like a smoothie. Eat less meat, or you can even become completely vegetarian if you want.

Natural/Home remedies for constipation:

  1. Exercise. Seriously - moving around will help move things inside you around which will help to get it out of your system... literally.
  2. You can try drinking a class of warm water with a bit of honey and lemon juice in the morning, before you eat or drink anything else.
  3. Drink lots of water every day. Lots. At least 8 glasses. This is what people normally recommend you do anyway, partly because lack of water can cause constipation. When your body doesn't have enough water in it, the body takes water away from the intestines, and your stools become hard and difficult to get rid of. So drink that water.
  4. A hot bath can help with constipation, and if you have cramps it can help to soothe them as well.
  5. Drink warm milk before bed.
  6. Add fiber to your diet. Dried fruit and nuts work really well. Prunes are especially great for getting rid of constipation fast. It may be tempting to eat as many prunes as you can, but they are so effective that if you have too many it can completely overturn your constipation and actually give you diarrhea!
  7. Eating celery, coconut, beans, parsley, soy and turnips also help.
  8. Foods rich in carbohydrates are also good for constipation.
  9. Taking some flax seeds can help too, by providing a bit of extra lubrication in your intestines. You can find this at a health food store. One teaspoon should be enough to ease the constipation a bit.
  10. Drinking coffee can actually help give you a bowel movement. The caffeine in it helps to stimulate the bowels. Green tea is also a good source of caffeine, but don't overdo it too much, because too much caffeine has other bad effects.
  11. The acai berry diet is good for constipation and can help with weight loss at the same time.
  12. Eat a whole box of sauerkraut, juice and all. It works well as a laxative and is generally good for you.
  13. Mulberry juice contains minerals and vitamins, and helps to stimulate digestion in the small intestine. If you drink this during the onset of constipation, it can avoid the problem altogether.
  14. Drinking lemon juice 2-3 times a day has been known to help as well.
  15. You can take 2 teaspoons of aloe gel twice a day, this can help too.
  16. Triphala is a herbal laxative with nutritional value as well. One teaspoon of this in powder form helps if you take it with a bit of warm water before bed.
  17. If you have really severe constipation, drink 2 teaspoons of castor oil with milk.

If the above suggestions don't work, you could probably use a normal laxative. But if none of the above ideas work - you're probably either doing it wrong, or you have a more severe problem and should really see a doctor. If you have severe pain, fever, vomiting, thin stools or blood in your stools, you should see a doctor ASAP. It might not be something you can fix by yourself.

Using laxatives might temporarily make the constipation go away, but they don't treat the underlying causes. So I can't really recommend you use them. Ever.

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Avoid foods that can cause constipation:

  • Protein-rich food
  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc)
  • Wheaty food (bread, pasta, etc)
  • Too much iron can cause constipation too
  • Even vegetables with lots of protein can cause constipation, but if the vegetable also has lots of fiber in it, it can offset the constipation a bit.

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About The Author:
I'm a student in Canada. I like learning new things on my own, but don't like to be told how to learn. I also like writing. Interests: fitness, martial arts, writing, photography, games, psychology, alternative education... and more.
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Posted in: Health by on September 29, 2010 @ 8:31 pm

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