Embarrassing as it can be, we have all suffered from constipation at one measure in our life or another. According to the National Health Interview Survey as many as 3 million Americans suffer from frequent if not chronic constipation. While constipation is not recognized as a degenerative disease or serious disorder, many people who are constipated fairly often feel bloated, uncomfortable and even sluggish. Constipation by itself is miserable enough, but sufferers generally experience painful bowel movements that might become compounded by hemorrhoids that form due to straining.

To understand constipation, it is important to understand how our digestive system works. When we eat, food is ground up in our stomachs so it could be digested. This liquid food passes into the small intestine where nutrients are extracted. It then moves on to the colon, where water is removed, allowing a stool to form. If too much water is extracted from the stool as it passes through the colon, it can become hard and difficult to pass leaving you constipated.

There are a number of reasons why all the people get constipated. These include not eating enough dietary fiber, not drinking enough liquids (water), lack of exercise, ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement and plain old stress. Other causes can add having a lazy colon that does not contract properly, causing waste materials to pass through the colon slowly, food allergies that can cause the colon to contract, or mechanical obstructions that inhibit the movement of waste materials. Many prescription drugs and certain neurological disorders may also slow down the movement of waste materials through the colon. Constipation can also be brought on by an abuse of laxatives that over measure might damage the nerve cells in the colon and interfere with its ability to contract properly.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you might do to relieve chronic constipation naturally.

Recommendations For Wellness

Consume a high fiber diet made up of lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If that is not possible, add a dietary fiber supplement such as psyllium hulls, Natures Sunshines Natures Three or their Irritable Bowel Fiber into your daily health routine. Dietary fiber holds water and help to keep the stool soft, while added bulk help to move the stool through the colon.

If other fiber supplements fail in your attempt to become regular, try getting Chitosan (a form of dietary fiber) along with vitamin C. The chitosan binds to fats from the foods we eat building the stool soft and smooth. The vitamin C helps to activate the chitosan in the stomach.

Drink plenty of water, especially if you are getting supplemental fiber.

Try eating a few dried prunes or drinking some prune juice. In addition to adding fiber, prunes have a mild laxative effect.

Avoid sugar and other processed foods.

Begin a regular exercise script to help promote normal bowel movements.

If you think allergies are the cause of your constipation, try an elimination diet to help you to identify what could be triggering your body and causing your colon to contract.

Meditate, do yoga, go for a stroll . Do things that will allow you to reduce your stress levels and help your body to relax. This may help relax your colon.

Get a colonic to flush out any old fecal matter that might be trapped within the colon or try a colon cleanse.

Take a dazzling probiotic such as acidopholis or bifidophilus to help promote a healthy environment within the colon.

Peppermint (3910-9) has a long history of helping relax the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract.

Supplementation with magnesium and large doses of vitamin C, have a mild laxative effect on the body.

If all else fails, herbs such as casgara segrada, turkey rhubarb or herbal combinations such as Natures Sunshines LBS II and LB-X might be used to evacuate the colon. While these should be used with caution, they are less aggressive than many commercial laxatives that are available at the supermarket.