constipation

Some quick tips for maintaining good health…

There are a lot of things one can do to get to a good healthy body. You can have a whole book dedicated to tips for maintaining a good health, but in today’s fast paced life, everybody looks for a summary rather than a whole novel. What we will try to do in this post is to look at some of the most common issues that can affect health and provide suggestions on how to overcome these issues.

- One of the major problem that a person face now-a-days is falling hair. Protein is very essential for maintaining good hair. To reduce hair fall, including good quality protein like soyabean or egg whites in the daily diet is very important. Also, taking vitamin B12 and consuming Brewer yeast tablets can help in reducing hair fall.

- Diabetes is getting so common now-a-days. Every second person is suffering from this disease. There are some simple tips that one can do at home to treat diabetes. One teaspoon of jamun powder or fenugreek seeds(methi) in the morning helps to reduce diabetes. Maintaining a good and healthy lifestyle is the most important measure that needs to be taken if one wants to get rid of this disease. Consumption of excess fat from your diet will improve the body’s insulin resistance.

- Constipation is another problem that people are facing now-a-days. To a greater extent, today’s lifestyle is responsible for an irregular bowel functioning. Consumption of junk food is increasing and also the stress level of the human being. Some simple tips to control constipation is to drink plenty of water daily and reduce the caffeine intake. Daily exercise which included walking for at least 45 min to 60 min is important. Also, include fresh vegetable juice in your diet.

- Dull skin can be a fairly common issue now-a-days. Some simple ways to address this issue is by ensuring that you drink enough water and fluids during the day to keep your skin hydrated. Drinking fresh vegetable juice and eating multiple servings of green vegetables and fruits during the day is also required. This needs to be supplemented with adequate amount of proteins, vitamin E and omega 3 supplements.

- To improve cardio vascular health, daily exercise which may include walking for atleast 45 min to 60 min at least 4-5 times a week is very important. In addition to walking, yoga and some breathing exercises three times a week reduces any kind of stress. In your diet, include one or two tbsp of roasted flaxseeds as it helps to increase the good cholesterol levels in the body.

- To improve metabolism, the most important tip that can be followed is eating during the first hour of having woken up. Walking is also very important to improve metabolism. Protein digestion asks the body to burn more calories and hence increasing the metabolism. So, include protein in your diet.

- To increase energy and immunity, instead of taking three big meals like breakfast, lunch, dinner, eat small frequent meals. It improves the digestion and keeps your body energetic. Include vitamin B12 supplements and wheat grass juice at least three to four times in a week.

- Discomfort during menopause is very common. To reduce it, include soya supplement in your diet as it mimics the estrogen function in the body. Also, include vitamin B6 as it prevents bloating.

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Constipation during Pregnancy – Causes and Treatment

Constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. Nearly half of pregnant women suffer from constipation at some point.
One reason of constipation is an increase in the hormone progesterone, which relaxes smooth muscles throughout the body including the digestive tract. This means that food passes through the intestines more slowly. And the problem may be compounded later in pregnancy by the pressure of growing uterus on the rectum. Iron supplements, especially in high doses can worsen constipation.

Causes:
One of the most common reasons why you may feel constipated is because during pregnancy, the body retains too much water. Even water from the intestines is absorbed by the body. Therefore, there is enough water to soften the stool, causing constipation.
The second reason behind constipation is the loss of appetite, especially in the early months of pregnancy due to nausea and morning sickness.
In the first quarter it is caused by progesterone which decreases the intestinal activity. In late pregnancy the pressure of the uterus on the intestines and rectum makes the system slow.
- Iron supplement you need to treat anaemia has an astringent effect.
- Stress contributes to constipation.
- Being more susceptible to constipation is also a reason.

Treatment:
- Eat foods rich in fiber like whole grain cereals and breads, rice, beans and fruits and vegetables every day. The addition of a couple of tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran (available at health food stores) to the cereal in the morning and after that a glass of water may help. It may take a couple of days before you notice the difference. Fruits help in having smooth motions. Having papayas in small quantities and bananas also helps.
- Drink plenty of water – at least six to eight glasses a day. A glass of fruit juice every day, especially prune juice, may also be useful. Some people find that drinking a hot liquid right after waking up helps get things moving. Drink as much water as you want. A good supplement can be tea, some coffee or fruit juice.
To ensure that the bowel function as well as possible, it is necessary to keep the stool soft.
- Exercise gently which stimulates the bowel movement leading to better digestion.
During pregnancy, walking or swimming for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week will help digestion. But also improve overall wellness and fitness.
- The intestines are more likely to be active after a meal. Listen to the body. Be sure to go when you feel the need. Include dry powdered ginger in your diet. This helps to relieve constipation. You can also choose flax seeds or flax seed (SAN) in your diet to relieve constipation.
- If the prenatal multivitamin contains a large dose of iron (and who is not anemic), ask the doctor about switching to a supplement with less iron.
- If the above measures do not help, talk to the doctor about taking a fibre supplement or over the counter stool softener.
- Drugs that are safe and can be used to treat constipation in pregnancy can be used.

Be sure to consult your doctor before taking any counter remedies or herbal preparations. Laxative pills and mineral oils are not recommended for the treatment of constipation during pregnancy.

If chronic constipation is your problem..here is a solution.Some myths and facts about constipation.

Virtually everyone has dealt with an occasional bout of constipation. Sometimes, short term use of laxative such as milk of magnesia may be needed to get things moving. Some simple tips can be eating adequate fiber, avoiding dehydration and heeding the call of nature may be enough to help keep you on track after your constipation passes. But it is not always like this…For some people constipation is a complex and persistent problem requiring individualized treatment from a doctor.

- It is not correct to think that if you are not having a bowel movement every day, you are constipated. Constipation is a symptom that is generally defined as infrequent or difficult passage of stool. Normal frequency of bowel movements in healthy adults can range from three bowel movements a day to three a week. Signs and symptoms of constipation also include straining, passing lumpy or hard stools, a sensation of incomplete evacuation or a sensation of blockage.

- The myth that the body absorbs toxins from stool if someone is constipated for too long. Some people unnecessarily take laxatives and others try colon cleansing to remove supposed toxins. These habits are not actually helpful and may actually be harmful.

- It is not always that constipation occurs when you don not eat a healthy diet. Actually, a low fiber diet may contribute to constipation. Other causes may be:
=> constipation occurs as a complication of another disease or condition or as a side effect of a drug or supplement.
=> pelvic floor dysfunction in women which is lack of coordination of the complex muscular actions that allow you to have bowel movement.

- It is wrong to say that diagnosis of constipation does not require much more than a description of bowel habits. It can be a part of your diagnostic procedure. The doctor may also perform, a physical exam, discuss medication, x-rays, blood, urine and stool test.

- It is a wrong assumption that the doctor should not prescribe a laxative for long term use. Doctor can prescribe laxative for some form of chronic constipation. Side effects with long term use of laxative may occur so it should only be done under the supervision of doctor. If laxatives are important, doctor first prescribes osmotic laxatives like milk of magnesia, polyethylene glcol or sorbitol. Stimulant laxatives are used when osmotic laxatives are not effective.