Health Care

Causes and Risk Factors of Constipation

The common causes of constipation are: Not enough fiber in the diet, Not enough liquid, Lack of exercise, Medications, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Laxative abuse, and Disease. Constipation means that a person has three bowel movements or fewer in a week. The stool is hard and dry. Sometimes it is painful to pass. You may feel "draggy" and full.

Some people think they should have a bowel movement every day. That is not really true. There is no "right" number of bowel movements. Each person's body finds its own normal number of bowel movements. It depends on the food you eat, how much you exercise, and other things.

At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts for a short time and is not serious. When you understand what causes constipation, you can take steps to prevent it. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - IBS is a common condition marked by chronic or occasional diarrhea, alternating with constipation and accompanied by straining and abdominal cramps.

What You Can Do About Constipation

Changing what you eat and drink and how much you exercise will help relieve and prevent constipation. Here are some steps you can take.

1. Eat more fiber. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day, but the average American eats about 5 to 20 grams a day. Fiber helps form soft, bulky stool. It is found in many vegetables, fruits, and grains.

Be sure to add fiber a little at a time, so your body gets used to it slowly. Limit foods that have little or no fiber such as ice cream, cheese, meat, snacks like chips and pizza, and processed foods such as instant mashed potatoes or already-prepared frozen dinners. Below lists some high-fiber foods.

FRUITS: Apples, Peaches, Raspberries, Tangerines VEGETABLES: Acorn squash, raw Broccoli, raw Brussels sprouts, raw Cabbage, raw Carrots, raw Cauliflower, raw Spinach, cooked Zucchini Breads, Cereals, and Beans: Black-eyed peas, cooked Kidney beans, cooked Lima beans, cooked Whole-grain cereal, cold (All-Bran, Total, Bran Flakes), Whole-grain cereal, hot (oatmeal, Wheatena), Whole-wheat or 7-grain bread

2. Drink plenty of water and other liquids such as fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups.

Liquids like water and juice add fluid to the colon and bulk to stools, making movements softer and easier to pass. Recommended daily consumption of liquid is eight, eight-ounce glasses (totaling 64 ounces) per day. Try not to drink liquids that contain caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol tend to dry out your digestive system.

3. Get enough exercise.

Regular exercise helps your digestive system stay active and healthy. You don't need to become a great athlete. A 20- to 30-minute walk every day may help.

4. Allow yourself enough time to have a bowel movement.

Sometimes we feel so hurried that we don't pay attention to our body's needs. Make sure you don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.

5. Use laxatives only if a doctor says you should.

A laxative is a food or chemical substance that acts to loosen the bowels by softening and increasing the bulk of bowel contents, increasing the amount of water in the colon and lubricating the intestinal walls. Over time, laxatives can damage nerve cells in the colon and interfere with the colon's natural ability to contract. The truly acceptable method for relieving long-standing constipation problems is a Natural Herbal Colon Cleanse.

Laxatives are medicines that will make you pass a stool. Most people who are mildly constipated do not need laxatives. However, if you are doing all the right things and you are still constipated, your doctor may recommend laxatives for a limited time.

Your doctor will tell you if you need a laxative and what type is best for you. Laxatives come in many forms: liquid, chewing gum, pills, and powder that you mix with water, for example. But most practitioners are now recommending a Natural Herbal Colon Cleanse.

6. Check with your doctor about any medicines you take.

Some medicines can cause constipation. They include calcium pills, pain pills with codeine in them, some antacids, iron pills, diuretics (water pills), and medicines for depression. If you take medicine for another problem, be sure to ask your doctor whether it could cause constipation. Some medications that can cause constipation are:

analgesics (Codeine, Demerol, Perocdan), antacids (Maalox, Mylanta), anticholingerics (Donnatal), anticonvulsants (Dilantin), anti-depressants (Tricyclics), Beta-blockers (Inderal, Tenormin) iron and calcium supplements, pain medications, antispasmodics and diuretics.

Points to Remember

• Constipation affects almost everyone at one time or another. • Many people think they're constipated when really they aren't. • In most cases, following these simple tips will help prevent constipation: o Eat a variety of foods, especially beans, bran, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. o Drink plenty of liquids. o Exercise regularly. o Don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. o Understand that normal bowel habits are different for everyone. o If your bowel habits change, check with your doctor. • Most people with mild constipation do not need laxatives.

However, doctors may recommend laxatives for a limited time for people with chronic constipation.

• Medicines that you take for another problem might cause constipation.

A major remedy for constipation, which should be used in conjunction with a lifestyle change and benefits of the above modifications, is a Natural Herbal Colon Cleanse.

An all Natural Herbal Colon Cleanse treatment has changed hundreds of thousands of people's lives through a gentle and effective whole body safe and effective internal cleansing, and proven to be the best solution to constipation.

About the Author

George L. Johnson, I have a background in health care and research of natural medicines. I researched colon health and remedies for poor health. I used these products to successfully cleanse my colon and restore my health.

For more information visit: Natural Herbal Colon Cleanse

by kristine

Most elderly people manifest this as they lose control of their certain muscles and as a result of certain diseases. This isn't an easy condition to bear with as it may put you in embarrassing situations. Incontinence is a lack of voluntary control of excretory function. It affects nearly 12% of the American population and the rate is still climbing at a steady rate yearly.

Fecal incontinence Fecal incontinence is one of two kinds of incontinence that people experience. This is also called bowel incontinence. It is the inability to control over bowel movement. This causes involuntary excretion and leaking of stool or feces from the rectum. This may range from occasional leakage of stool while passing gas to total loss of bowel control. People with fecal incontinence may also experience other bowel-related conditions such as diarrhea, constipation, gas and abdominal cramps.

People with bowel incontinence are often plagued with feelings of shame and humiliation. A lot of people affected by this condition are afraid to seek help in fear of being ridiculed, thereby trying to manage the problem on their own. This may lead to serious self-esteem issues that may result to social withdrawal and isolation which in turn may end into cases of severe anxiety, more specifically, agoraphobia.

Causes Here are the five most common causes of fecal incontinence: Muscle damage. Injury to the one of both of the ring-like muscles at the end of the rectum may cause fecal incontinence. The internal and external anal sphincter contract to help retain stool. When it is damaged, these muscles may have partial or total functionality, and leakage may occur. This may occur as a result of improperly performed episiotomy, or as a side effect of hemorrhoid surgery. Nerve damage. Incontinence may come as a result of damage to the nerves that control the anal sphincters or the nerves that detect stool in the rectum. When the nerves surrounding the sphincter is damaged, the muscles may not be able to function effectively. If the sensory nerves are damaged, a person will not feel the need to defecate until it is too late. This may come as a result of childbirth, of long-term constipation, stroke, and/or diseases that cause nerve degeneration. Loss of storage capacity. The rectum normally stretches to contain feces until a person voluntary releases it. However, when a person is subjected to certain surgeries or therapies, or has inflammatory bowel disease that causes scarring, the rectal walls may become stiff and less elastic. Once the rectum is unable to expand and accommodate as much stool, it may result to fecal incontinence. Diarrhea. Loose stool is more difficult to contain than solid stool and may sometimes leak on its own. Pelvic floor dysfunction. Abnormalities of the pelvic floor may cause decreased rectal sensation, decreased anal canal pressure, decreased squeeze pressure of the anal canal, and rectal prolapse. All of which may lead to incontinence.

Treatment As with any medical condition, treatment depends on the cause and the severity of the bowel incontinence. Treatment may include one or a combination of the following: Dietary change. Food affects the consistency of stool and how quick it passes through the digestive tract. Eating food that add bulk to stool and decrease the water content of feces may help make it firmer. Also, avoiding foods and/or drinks that may relax the sphincter muscles like coffee, tea, and chocolate. Medications. Certain medications like anti-diarrheal drugs, laxatives, and stool softeners may help with bowel incontinence in different ways. Anti-diarrheals help reduce leakage incidents. For people who've developed fecal incontinence due to constant constipation, laxatives and stool softeners are suggested to promote normal bowel movement and stop “accidents” from happening. Bowel training. This is advised to people who lack anal sphincter control or have decreased awareness of their need to defecate to restore muscle strength. This may include setting specific schedules for going to the toilet, or making a conscious effort to defecate after eating. Surgery. This is suggested to people who've had anal sphincter damage due to childbirth or rectal prolapse. Such surgeries as sphincteroplasty, where weakened anal sphincters are repaired; operations to treat rectal prolapse or hemorrhoids; sphincter replacement and/or repair; and colonostomy may be advised depending on the severity of the incontinence.

It is understandable to want to keep a condition such as fecal incontinence to yourself, people who don't care will ridicule you for having this condition. Treatments are available for us to take advantage of and use to put an end to bowel incontinence. Don't pay too much attention to what other people will say about you when they find out. Think more about what this will do to you in the long run.

About the Author

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About the Author:
Max Hill, a practitioner for 20 years, writer on colon cleansing (get 6 free health reports here), has helped develop quality herbal products for colon cleansing.

by Dr John anne

Constipation - we all know the feeling. Most people suffer from constipation at least once in their lifetime. Constipation is not a disease, rather, it's is a series of symptoms that can be caused by any number of things, from poor diet, lack of exercise, a side effect of medications, a side effect of a more serious illness or disease, and major changes in your life. People can suffer from constipation from infancy and throughout their lives.

The most important thing to know is if you are actually suffering from constipation or if it is actually your body's natural schedule. Each body works on it's own schedule. Being aware of your body's schedule will enable you to determine if you are suffering from the symptoms of constipation and if you should treat these symptoms.

Commercials for laxatives would have you believe that everyone needs to have a bowel movement at least once a day. This is not always the case. Some people need to have a bowel movement more often - they naturally defecate 2-3 times per day. Some people naturally defecate once per day - while still others may only need to defecate 2-3 times per week. There is no set precedence. Each individual body functions according to it's own timetable.

So, when should you worry about constipation? Most physicians diagnose constipation if the following criteria are present: Less than 3 bowel movements in a week (less that 1 for more serious cases), extreme difficulty passing feces, feces that is dry, hard, and small, and bloating or discomfort in the abdomen. Once you have been diagnosed with constipation, you should develop a plan to decrease the episodes of constipation as naturally as possible. While constipation is not in itself a serious ailment, the failure to treat it could lead to more serious illnesses.

Constipation Treatment

There are many constipation treatments available - from medications to natural treatments. In severe cases, your physician may recommend the use of laxatives for constipation relief. But in most cases, the physician will want you to relieve the constipation with natural treatments. While laxatives may sometimes be a necessary constipation treatment, you will only want to rely on laxatives for short-term

relief. Overuse of laxatives can cause your digestive system to become dependent on the laxatives and can disrupt the normal digestive cycle - this could lead to a more serious bout of constipation.

The best constipation treatment is one that consists of a healthy diet and sufficient exercise. A healthy diet and exercise are essential for your overall health - and in turn, a healthy digestive system is essential for your overall health. A healthy diet should consist of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, foods that are rich in fiber, and foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. You should limit your intake of foods that may trigger constipation - such as dairy products, foods that may cause gas, and foods that are high in protein. Some protein is necessary, of course, but foods like red meats, which have high protein content, can do more damage to your digestive system than good.

You should also try to avoid stress whenever possible. Stress and other life-changing events can contribute to the onset of constipation. Should you find that you are actually suffering from constipation, you should seek natural constipation relief whenever possible. There are many natural constipation treatments. Many of these can be used daily in order to prevent constipation - and many can be used to provide constipation relief after the symptoms begin. Infants often suffer from constipation, as their bodies need to adjust to changes more rapidly than adults. A great remedy for constipation relief in infants is adding corn syrup to the formula. Corn syrup can also be added to warm water or warm milk for older children and adults.

It is very important for your overall health to be aware of your body's natural digestive cycle and to do things that will help your body to perform this cycle naturally. Living a healthy lifestyle is the best thing that you can do for your body.

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Constipation Relief at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/constipation-treatment.htm. AyurvedicCure.com is the World's Largest Alternative Health Portal. Also participate in Health Questions Q&A where you can Ask, Answer and Earn Money! Also visit the exclusive Baby Care Guide section.

Dr Jenny Tylee

The most commonly reported digestive system problem is constipation. Constipation occurs when the faecal matter is condensed and compressed and evacuation becomes infrequent and difficult. A constipated system is one in which the time for toxic material to be removed from the body is slow and the consistency of the stool causes strain. The longer the removal time the longer toxic material sits in your colon and the longer your body is exposed to rotting food and the toxins that they produce and thus the greater the risk of developing disease. Even with one bowel movement a day you can still have at least three meals worth of waste sitting in your colon. During evacuation hard stools place a strain on the colonic muscles and the lining of the lower part of your colon, rectum and anus. Constipation and straining contributes to the development of haemorrhoids. The stagnant food in your bowel produce poisonous gasses and these gasses enter your bloodstream, irritating your organs and joints. The frequency of bowel actions varies but you should have between one and four actions a day. They should be a brownish color, soft and grainy and pass easily.

When the toxic matter builds up in your intestines and becomes impacted the shape and function of the intestines is affected. The intestines will:
• balloon in certain areas or
• develop diverticula (pouches on the intestinal wall) or
• fall in on itself (called a prolapse).

All of these situations will greatly influence your intestines ability to function - which will place a great strain on your digestive organs. Some of the symptoms that are associated with a blocked or slow moving bowel are:
• pains in the back, neck and shoulders, wrists and hands,
• fatigue and general sluggishness and lethargy,
• colds and flu,
• skin problems,
• mental fogginess,
• many headaches and
• difficulty with thinking and remembering.

There are five major factors that need to be considered when you have sluggish elimination from your bowel.

• Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? Fiber is the bulk that allows the fecal matter to readily pass along the intestines and be eliminated. When there is insufficient fiber in the diet the movement is slowed. Fiber also provides nutrition for your bowel flora (the micro-organisms that live in your bowel). If these ‘good’ bacteria are well fed with certain types of plant fibers they produce a substance called mammalian lignan which increases your resistance to infectious agents and cancer.

• Are you drinking enough pure water? It is difficult to overstate the importance of pure water. Water is essential to life and it is generally recommended that we drink 8 – 10 glasses of water each day to maintain our health and if you are detoxifying your body you may need more. About 70 – 75% of our body is water. Water is important for aiding the skin and kidneys in removing toxins and it stimulates and flushes the liver. It also softens the feces and helps waste pass quickly through our intestines.

• Does your diet include high quality essential fatty acids? Essential fatty acids are needed by every cell in the body to make the cell wall and to burn for energy. Without essential fatty acids cells do not work, organs die prematurely and brain function deteriorates. Our body cannot make them we have to get them from our diet or nutritional supplements. The essential fatty acids play a role in hormone and immune system function - both of which are important for bowel health. Our hormones (particularly or thyroid hormones) activate movement in your intestinal muscles to aid in digestion and elimination. Our immune system protects the rest of our body from toxic substances and pathogenic micro-organisms that can otherwise pass from the bowel to the rest of the body. There are two important types of essential fatty acids - Omega 3 and omega 6 and it is important that these are balanced.

• Do you listen to your body when nature calls? Paying attention when nature calls is important for the smooth function of our bowels. If you repeatedly ignore the urge to eliminate you interfere with the body’s ability to respond appropriately and sooner or later your body will not be able to function without artificial stimulation. When you chew your food you set off a series of chemical and electrical events which activate peristalsis. Peristalsis is the muscle contraction that propels food along your digestive tract and feces out of your body. To allow for the body’s natural rhythms and allow for easy elimination it is helpful to be near to a bathroom for about an hour after eating.

• Do you get enough exercise? All of the muscles in your body respond well to appropriate exercise - this includes the muscles that are a part of your digestive tract. One study of a group of people over 65 years showed that those that had regular exercise had more frequent and less difficult bowel movements than those who did not have regular exercise.

Laxatives are used to induce a bowel action and avoid constipation. They may over stimulate the bowel muscle and lining of the bowel leading to spasm and irritation. In the long term they cause dilation (enlargement) and permanent damage to the bowel - for this reason they should not be used on a regular basis. Strong laxative herbs should only be used for severe constipation (it is better to deal with the underlying problem than to use these herbs regularly). However if you are seriously constipated and you need a one-time good clean out you could try this herbal combination:
• Anise seed - 1 part
• Fennel seed - 1 part
• Milk thistle - 5 parts
• Dandelion root - 5 parts
• Psyllium hulls - 5 parts
• Rhubarb root (not the home grown variety) - 5 parts
• Senna- 3 parts

You can get these herbs as dried powder and make up the mixture. Take ½ teaspoon as a single dose. If this is insufficient then increase the dose (very slightly) until you get the desired result. You can also simmer the herbs in water for 15 minutes - allow 1 teaspoon of the mixture to a cup of water and start taking ½ a cup at a time. Remember this mixture contains senna - an intestinal irritant and should not be used long term. It is to be used as a one off clean out. You need to work on changing the underlying problems that caused the constipation and not rely on using purgatives.

Case Study: Constipation

Alice, 17 years old and was troubled by constipation and painful menstrual periods. She was able to move her bowels only every three or four days. Her diet was poor and included:
• a lot of white bread,
• sugary and fatty foods and
• dairy products.
Her treatment included:
• a change to her diet to remove all processed foods and she was to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and occasional fish.
• multivitamin and minerals supplement,
• increasing her fiber,
• taking probiotics to restore her beneficial bowel bacteria,
• digestive enzyme supplements and
• a program to cleanse her bowel and her liver.
After one month she was able to move her bowels every one or two days and there had been no problem with her period. After another month on the program she was able to move her bowels every day and the freedom from period problems continued.

One of the main reasons for toxicity building in our bodies and our digestion not being as effective as it might be is related to the foods that we regularly eat. We often eat foods which contain chemicals that are toxic to our systems, are low in nutritive value and are going to slow the movement of material through our digestive tract. All of these things will lead to a toxic colon and body. To discover how to be free from constipation for life Get your copy of Safe Colon Cleansing: Your Good Health Guide from www.safecoloncleansing.com.

Dr Jenny Tylee is an experienced health professional who is passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes that health is not just absence of disease and seeks to actively promote vitality and wellness through empowering others. She encourages smokers to quit and believes that www.Growerz.com quit smoking program will help smokers become smoke free for good. She also encourages people to improve their health by cleansing their body (using information from www.safecoloncleansing.com), taking essential, high quality vitamin and mineral supplements from www.healthproductssite.com, using appropriate herbal remedies and many other methods (including fiber, probiotic, pure water and filtered air).

ByShelley Ross

It’s not surprising for women to experience endometriosis with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Although each has its own notable characteristics, they are conditions that do have some common features.

So, it is important to identify the detailed symptoms both these conditions understand whether you have endometriosis, IBS or both.

The word irritable does not do justice to this digestive ailment. Infuriated or long-suffering seem like more appropriate adjectives for the bowel of someone with irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. Just reading a list of possible symptoms can start to make you feel a bit queasy.

You can have diarrhea or constipation, or the two can alternate and your stools can be hard and lumpy or soft and watery. For you, the call of nature can be abrupt — so abrupt that you just might not make it to the toilet in time. And even after you defecate, you may feel as though you haven’t eliminated fully. To top it all off, you may have abdominal pain, cramping and bloating. You can have one of these symptoms, a few of them or all of them. You may have them nonstop, frequently or every now and then.

Approximately 5 million Americans have IBS. The condition prompts approximately 3.5 million visits to a doctor’s office per year, with 20 to 50 % of all visits made to gastroenterologists. Interestingly, the condition is found in more women than men.

Taking the last factor into account, it is not surprising for women with endometriosis to experience IBS at the same time. In fact, studies reveal that women significantly show IBS symptoms during normal menstruation. With this, health experts say that reproductive hormones can definitely play a role in the development of endometriosis along with IBS.

Endometriosis and IBS may manifest with the same symptoms. There may even be the same level of pain. Endometriosis and IBS may have the following symptoms:

1. crampy abdominal pain

2. loss of appetite

3. severe piercing rectal pain

4. nausea (although this is not common)

5. increased gas

6. diarrhea

7. painful bowel movements

8. identifiable bloating

Most women also complain of constipation that seems to show a connection with the menstrual cycle. Rectal bleeding could also be a sign of both disorders.

Endometriosis is characterized by endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus. This tissue resembles that of the endometrium, a thin lining found in the uterus. Development of endometriosis implants outside the uterus can be found anywhere in the body, including the intestines. This can minic the signs of IBS.

However, statistical reports show that up to 30% of women with endometriosis in the United States are affected with IBS as well.

So, to diagnose whether endometriosis with IBS is the cause of your problems, it is important to undergo some laboratory procedures to identify definite signs of both conditions. One of the best ways is to have a laparoscopy. With this, proper diagnosis can be made and treatment recommendations given.

Sign up for Shelley Ross' free Endometriosis newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about Endometriosis characteristics. In the newsletter you'll receive regular information like this article on endometriosis with IBS along with additional natural treatments to help alleviate pain.

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