
Constipation is a problem that affects many Americans every day. Constipation is mainly due to poor eating habits, insufficient exercise, not getting enough fiber and not drinking enough water. Constipation is quite uncomfortable and most everyone knows when they have it. Common symptoms include:
Straining to have a bowel movement
Hard stools ? pellet like stools
Not having a bowel movement every day
Not totally emptying your bowels each time you have a movement
If you eat right and adopt a healthy lifestyle, you need not every suffer from constipation, but what can you do in the meantime?
One way to help get things moving is to increase your intake of potassium through eating foods it naturally occurs in. You remember your grandmother telling you to eat prunes to relieve constipation, right? Well that is because prunes are high in potassium!
Potassium works wonders on the walls of the colon and helps to stimulate peristaltic action which makes your bowels move. It also helps to clean out layers of mucus and dried fecal matter that have built up along the colon walls.
Other foods that contain potassium include: tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, kale, sesame seeds, wheat germ, brewers yeast, pineapple and cauliflower.
Another natural remedy for constipation is Aloe. This herb that works so good on your outsides can also help your insides too! Aloe and its cousins buckthorn, frangula and senna have natural laxative chemicals and can be very powerful constipation cures It is recommended you take any of these herbs with caution and not for extended periods of time.
Psyllium has long been used to help relieve symptoms of constipation as it is loaded with soluble fiber. Make sure you take psyllium with lots of water.
Flax seed is used in may packaged products that treat constipation. You can buy the flaxseeds and crush them yourself. Take one or two tablespoons a day with lots of water. You will need to make sure you get at least 8 glasses of water a day when using flax.
Rhubarb has laxative properties and is high in fiber. Since the properties that give it it's laxative qualities are similar to those in senna, this can be very powerful so use with caution!
While using natural remedies for constipation is much better then taking laxatives, the best thing to do is to practice prevention by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, getting adequate exercise and drinking lots of water.
Lee Dobbins writes for Colon Articles where you can find a wealth of information on how to take care of your colon. Find more articles on constipation and colon care at Colon Care Articles.
AP - President-elect Barack Obama said Thursday the recession could "linger for years" unless Congress pumps unprecedented sums from Washington into the economy.
AP - Retailers reported dismal sales figures for December on Thursday as even Wal-Mart Stores Inc., one of the bright spots in the industry, finally buckled under the pressures of the deteriorating economy.
AP - Lebanese militants fired at least three rockets into Israel early Thursday, threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 700 people. Israel responded with mortar shells.
AP - Illinois Republicans are promising tough questions Thursday for Senate-appointee Roland Burris on why he accepted a position offered by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich and whether he promised the governor anything in return.
AP - New claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week while the number of people continuing to seek aid rose sharply, the government said Thursday.
AP - The House and Senate are coming together in a centuries-old tradition to count the electoral votes from the November election and formally declare that Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States.
AP - Wall Street headed for a sharply lower open Thursday, as bad news from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. signaled that even the stronger U.S. retailers struggled during the holiday shopping season.
AP - Microsoft Corp.'s next version of the Windows operating system is almost ready for prime time. That's one message Chief Executive Steve Ballmer delivered on the eve of the official opening of the International Consumer Electronics Show.
AP - "The Dark Knight" soared away with every trophy it was nominated for Wednesday at the 35th annual fan-favorite CBS ceremony. The caped crusader flick won five awards, including favorite cast, superhero, action movie and on-screen matchup for Christian Bale's Batman and the late Heath Ledger's Joker.
AP - The Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida Gators meet tonight for the BCS championship. It's a matchup that includes a pair of Heisman Trophy winners, an SEC vs. Big 12 debate and more than its share of trash talk.
Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama will seek Thursday to rally support for a massive fiscal stimulus package by warning that the United States could remain mired in recession for years without bold action.
Reuters - Israel pressed its offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip on Thursday amid sharp Red Cross criticism that it was delaying access to casualties.
Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc led U.S. retailers in posting disappointing December same-store sales on Thursday, and it cut its quarterly earnings forecast despite being the store of choice in a recession.
Reuters - Citigroup Inc is leading other lenders in advanced talks with key U.S. senators on legislation that would allow judges to set new repayment terms for millions of mortgage holders who wind up in bankruptcy court, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people involved in the talks.
Reuters - Bleak economic data in Europe and a wave of profit warnings and job cuts worldwide renewed investors' fears on Thursday, strengthening the case for more government stimulus efforts and encouraging rate cuts.
Reuters - India vowed to strengthen laws to prevent corporate fraud after Satyam Computer, the country's fourth-largest software company, shocked investors by revealing profits had been falsely inflated for years.
Reuters - Russia and Ukraine failed to resolve a gas row at a meeting in Moscow but will continue talks to end the dispute which has choked off supplies to Europe, a senior Ukrainian gas official said on Thursday.
AFP - Rockets fired into northern Israel from Lebanon on Thursday sparked a new military alert as Israeli jets carried out mass strikes on smuggling tunnels in Gaza.
AFP - Israeli warplanes bombed suspected arms-smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza early Thursday, as diplomats worked to secure a ceasefire in an offensive that has killed 700 Palestinians.
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