Constipation : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies

Constipation means that a person has three or fewer bowel movements in a week. Stools may be hard and dry. Sometimes evacuation is painful. Everyone has constipation some time. Not everyone has bowel movements once a day. It's not true that you must have a daily bowel movement to be considered "regular." A normal range is anywhere between 3 times a day to 3 times a week. You may be getting constipated if you start having bowel movements much less often than you usually do.

There are many things you can do to prevent constipation:

* Eat more fruits, vegetables and grains that are rich in fiber
* Drink plenty of water and other liquids
* Get enough exercise
* Taking the time to evacuate when you need it
* Consume laxatives only if the doctor prescribes
* Ask your doctor if your medicine can cause constipation

Home remedies for constipation:

* Flax seed for easier bowel movements – Flax seed is a good laxative and anti-inflammatory. Drop the seeds in a cup of hot water and let them macerate for 12 hours. Add a little honey or lemon and drink before bedtime.

* Tomato jelly to relieve constipation – 1/2 kg of sugar and 1 kg of tomatoes – Wash tomatoes and peel them. Cut them in pieces and get rid of the seeds. Put tomatoes (with the juice that squeezed out while you were cutting them) in a pot and put it over low heat. Add sugar and leave it on low heat for 45 minutes stirring frequently. Let stand 15 minutes and store in a glass bottle. Eat with your breakfast.

* Beans, plums, pears, and figs – These foods have a fiber that becomes a gel in the intestine and softens waste. Make sure to add them to your daily diet. Do not forget to drink enough water.

* Position in the restroom to relieve constipation – While sitting on the toilet raise feet using a stool so that the knees are higher that the pelvis. home-remedies-site.com Another position that will help evacuation is while sitting, bend to the right side.

* Olive oil and lemon – Every morning before breakfast drink a cup of hot water mixed with the juice of one lemon and a tablespoon of olive oil. Not only will it keep things moving but you will lose some pounds!

* Spinach and olive oil cataplasm – Make a cataplasm using spinach leaves and olive oil and put it on your stomach.

* Honey for regularity – Take a glass of warm water with honey at bedtime and a glass of cold water with honey before breakfast.

* Papaya – Papaya is very effective in relieving constipation especially if eaten before breakfast.