Common Causes Of Constipation

Constipation is a common disorder that every one of us has experienced at one time or another and it usually manifests by having difficulty with your bowel movement. The state of constipation is confirmed when you have three bowel movements a week or less as well as you experience bloating, dryness and pain when moving bowels. Here are some of the most common causes of constipation and some easy ways to treat them.

Lifestyle Effects On Your Metabolism

Some of the most common causes of constipation come from the lifestyle you have and that refers to the amount of exercise you do everyday, the intake of fiber, which helps the digestive tract and promotes regular bowel movement as well as the amount of water you drink.

Natural fiber can be found in most fruits and vegetables besides the vitamins and minerals and that is yet another reason why you doctor urges you to have your veggies. It is also recommended to drink two liters of water everyday in order to keep your body hydrated and help the digestive tract create regular bowel movements. Dehydration is yet another common cause of constipation especially in women, as many of us drink caffeine drinks and think or hope they will help when they actually cause more harm as caffeine dehydrates the body.

Other Common Causes Of Constipation

Other common causes of constipation are traveling, which implies different time zones, diet change and probably dehydration, stress, which also directly affects your appetite and therefore your bowel movement and/or an existing medical condition, which requires drugs that may alter your bowel movement.

Many people believe that a normal bowel movement must be once or more a day and if that is not achieved, you must be constipated; that is not entirely true, as different people have different habits and therefore different bowels movements, which should be directly related to how much you eat and exercise.

Treating Constipation

Once you determine the cause of constipation you can follow a treatment plan and here are some of the most common treatments for constipation. Laxatives, which can be bought over the counter without the need of a prescription are available in all leading drug stores however keep in mind that they are habit forming if taken for long periods of time. Changing your eating habits and adding more natural fiber would be what your doctor would recommend and what is also healthy, as your body will have its natural reflexes and metabolism working out to treat constipation and not induced with the help of drugs.

Exercise and drink plenty of water everyday to help regulate your bowel movements and/or treat constipation however, if the constipation persists for more then a week see your doctor for a detailed examination and treatment.