Constipation

Diarrhea and the stomach Flu

Every year, millions of Americans come down with the “stomach flu,” or viral gastroenteritis. It can cause diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, fever and headache. It’s also highly contagious. What treatments will make life with the stomach flu a little less awful? More importantly, how can you avoid getting it in the first place? Here are some answers.

Read the Diarrhea and the stomach Flu article

Lack of exercise not only causes weight gain and other health problems, it can also affect digestion.

What you can do :

“The best thing you can do to move your bowels is wake up, eat a real meal, and do some low-level activity.

A Low-Fiber Diet Slows Digestion

Fibre is the material in plant foods that your body can’t digest, and it’s important for good digestion. It goes through you and gives you something to form a stool around,”. When you don’t have enough fiber in your diet, stools can become small, dry and hard.

What you can do:

Eating  more fiber can add bulk to stools, making them softer and easier to pass. To get more fiber in your diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, and whole grains. A simple rule of thumb is to try to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day. Also, always choose whole grain breads and cereals and include one or two meals a week with beans or legumes. Gradually adding fiber to your diet will help prevent bloating and gas. Be sure to consider fiber supplements if the methods mentioned above don’t seem to help.

Not drinking Enough Fluids Causes Constipation

When you’re dehydrated, your body has less fluid available to keep stools soft. You can become dehydrated and not know it especially in hot weather.

“People don’t really understand the symptoms of dehydration,” It can be as simple as fatigue, not necessarily this dying thirst to have water. It can be very subtle.

What you can do :

You don’t necessarily have to drink 6 glasses of water a day to prevent constipation. The key is to drink enough so you don’t feel thirsty. You can also tell you’re getting enough fluids if your urine is clear or light yellow. And it doesn’t have to be water, juice is fine as long as you keep an eye on how many calories you take in, avoid alcohol and caffeine because they can cause you to lose fluid through urination.

Junk Food and Your Digestive Health

When you eat junk food, you spend your calorie capital on foods that are low in fiber and nutrients and high In fat and sugar. And all that fat and too little fiber can cause digestive woes. We know that fat tends to slow the gut down, because the gut is trying its best to get all the calories it can from fat.

What you can do:

You don’t have to give up favorite foods, the trick is to come up with healthy substitutes. Instead of ordering  pizza out, make your own with a store –bought whole –wheat crust topped by low fat cheese and plenty of veggies, Replace the fast-food burger and fries with roasted sweet potato fries and turkey burgers on a whole wheat bun.

OTC Supplements : A Surprising Cause of Constipation

Did you know that OTC supplements can affect your digestive health? Iron and calcium are the top two culprits.

What you can do:

Eating balanced, healthy meals can help you get all the vitamins and minerals you need from food. However, that may not be enough for people with anemia or for women looking to prevent bone loss. To counter the constipating effect of iron or calcium supplements. Try adding things to your diet thatn make you more prone to having bowel movements, such as prune juice and other high-fiber foods.

Overusing Laxatives can cause Hard-to Treat Constipation

Overusing stimulant laxatives can lead to dependence. Using these laxatives every day can cause the colon to lose its ability to move things through. Overusing enemas can have the same effect, so avoid using stimulant laxatives and enemas chronically. They will eventually cause complete dependency and the constipation can be very hard to treat.

What you can do:

First of all, consider whether you really need laxatives. A lot of people think that the daily bowel movement is the norm. We would consider anything from three bowel movements a week to three a day to be normal. If diet and exercise changes haven’t helped, talk with your doctor about using fiber supplements, such as Citrucel, FiberAll, or Metamucil. The problem with fiber for some people is that it may cause bloating and gas. But if their doctor prescribed it, they’re comfortable with the fiber, and it’s helping, then it’s safe to use fiber products.

Laxatives containing polyethylene glycol can also be used safely on a more regular basis.

 

“Holding It” Is Bad for your Digestion

Feel shy about using the office bathroom? Not a fan of public restrooms? You’re not alone. A lot of people would prefer to go at home. Holding or keeping things longer than you’re supposed to can have a negative effect. The natural signals that you hear to tell you when you have to go can be extinguished.

What you can do :

Find a place and time to have a bowel movement. For example, use the bathroom down the hall, rather than the one next to the boss’s office.

 

Thanks,

Health-Nov-2012