Constipation is when you have trouble having bowel movements.  Stools may be very hard, making them so difficult to pass that you have to strain, or you may feel like you still need to have a bowel movement even after you have had one.

The frequency of bowel movements among healthy people varies.  Individuals must determine what is normal.  Don’t believe ads that say you must have a daily bowel movement to be “regular”.  A normal range is generally three times a day to three times per week.  You may be getting constipated if you begin to have bowel movements much less often than you usually do.

As the food passes through your digestive tract, your body takes nutrients and water from the food.  This process creates a stool, which is moved through your intestines with muscle contraction (squeezing motions).  A number of things can affect this process.  These include:

• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not being active enough
• Not eating enough fiber
• Taking certain drugs
• Not going to the bathroom when you have the urge to have a bowel movement
• Regular use of laxatives

Any of these things can cause the stools to move more slowly through your intestines, leading to constipation.  The main thing in treating constipation is to be sure that you are eating enough fiber and drinking enough fluid.  This helps your stool move through your intestines by increasing the bulk of your stools and making your stools softer.  Increasing how much you exercise will also help.

Fiber

Two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables a day is ideal.  Add extra fiber to your diet by eating cereals that contain bran or by adding bran as a topping on your fruit or cereal.  If you are adding fiber to your diet, start slowly and gradually increase the amount.  This will help reduce gas and bloating.  Make sure that you are drinking plenty of water too.

Foods rich in fiber:

• Unprocessed wheat bran
• Unrefined breakfast cereal
• Whole wheat and rye flour
• Grainy breads such as whole wheat, rye or pumpernickel
• Fresh fruits
• Dried fruits, such as prunes, apricots, figs
• Vegetables
• Legumes such as chick peas, baked beans, and lima beans

Laxatives should generally be avoided.  They are not meant for long-term use.  Habitual laxative use can cause dependence upon laxatives.  A person may require increasing dosages until finally, the intestine becomes insensitive and fails to work properly.

Bulk-forming laxatives work naturally to add bulk and water to your stools, so that they can pass more easily through your intestines.  They include oat bran, psyllium (Metamucil), and Poly Carbophil (Fibercon), and Methylcellulose (Citrucel).
 

Tips on preventing constipation:

• Don’t resist the urge to have a bowel movement
• Set aside a time to have a bowel movement
• Eat more fiber
• Drink plenty of fluids – at least 8 glasses a day.  This can be water, juices or soup.  Coffee, tea and diet sodas act as diuretics and tend to dehydrate the body
• Don’t take laxatives too often
• Exercise and move around often

See a health care provider if:

• You notice any blood in your stools
• Constipation is new and unusual for you
• You are constipated for three weeks or more

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