When you understand what causes constipation, you can begin the process of managing constipation.For most people, the number 1 cause of constipation is eating too many processed and fast foods, too little exercise and not drinking enough water — you can take steps to manage constipation or prevent it altogether.

The food you eat, how much you exercise and how much water you drink—everyday— is a major factor for most people.  But, there are other factors, too.

What can you do to manage constipation?

Check the food you eat.
Packaged, preserved and fast food contain chemicals that preserve it for “shelf life” at the supermarket and at home, flavor it, color it, may interfere with digestion, may be putting your digestive tract to sleep or poisoning your body straight away.  Cutting back on processed, package foods, fast food lunches is important when you are beginning to manage constipation.  Packing a lunch from home is not very glamorous but it is a very good alternative.

Check the medicines you take.
Medicines that you take for another problem might cause constipation—ask your doctor (or search the internet) if your prescriptions might be at fault. They include pain pills, pills with codeine in them, some antacids, iron pills, diuretics (water pills), and medicines for depression. Ask you Doctor if there is an alternative prescriptive medicine to help you manage your constipation.  Don’t forget the over the counter medicines either.  They can play a role, too.

Use OTC and prescriptive laxatives as a last resort and only under professional advice.
Laxatives (in any form) are medicines that will make you pass a stool. Your doctor may recommend laxatives for a limited time. Be advised: The FDA is warning consumers not to use oral sodium phosphate (OSP) bowel cleanser products because of the risk of acute kidney injury. These products are routinely used as bowel cleansers before colon examinations, other medical procedures and in OTC (over-the-counter) products for bowel cleansing.

Functional constipation means that the bowel is healthy but not working properly.  It is often the result of poor dietary habits and lifestyle.  Changing what you eat, what you drink and how much you exercise will help relieve and prevent constipation. Here are some positive steps you can take to manage your constipation:

Eat more fiber.
Fiber helps form soft, bulky stool. It is found in many fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. One good suggestion is “The Perfect Breakfast”. It is easy, tastes great, gives you a terrific start in the morning, helps with cholesterol, high blood pressure and constipation. NOTE: Be sure to add fiber a little at a time, so your body gets used to it slowly.

Limit white flour foods, dairy, sugar, starches and starchy vegetables.
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 have little or no fiber and can make the situation worse.  One of the first questions is:  What do I cook?  Here are 10 recipes that are great tasting and easy to prepare.  They are a terrific way to painlessly manage constipation and eat your way to regularity.

Drink plenty of water, eat lighter meals and soups.
Liquid helps keep the stool soft and easy to pass, so it’s important to drink enough fluids. The formula for water is: drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces (up to a maximum of 128 ounces) every day. NOTE: Try not to drink liquids that contain sugar, caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol tend to dry out your digestive system.

Get more 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.

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, and then allow enough time for it to happen.

Choose a natural nutraceutical supplement to promote bowel function or a natural, thorough whole body cleanse to sweep away the years of accumulation, restore balance and function.

These simple steps, along with a natural night cleanser, can help you manage constipation and, depending on your commitment to changing the things that are causing the problem in the first place, support regularity.

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