What Causes Constipation?

What people eat is the most important factor among the causes of constipation. In the United States, what many people consider every day food is really the main cause of their constipation.

Fast food is a part of every day life in our country, but processed meats and dietary fats are just the things you want to avoid to prevent constipation. We will explore a few more factors below.

Dairy Products
Dairy products are plentiful in America, and this could be why we consume too much of them, especially cheese. The calcium and vitamin D that they provide are important dietary considerations, but eating too much cheese will likely cause you to become constipated. Even drinking too much milk can cause digestive problems.

Meat and Eggs
Over consumption of meat and eggs can also result in constipation. Americans are accustomed to eating meat with virtually every meal, and a lot of it. But this addiction to meat is not natural since the digestive system cannot handle so much meat at one time.

Most people don’t need that much protein anyway. But we can learn from other societies where fruits, vegetables and whole grains make up a larger proportion of the diet. It is not necessary to become completely vegetarian. Small adjustments to diet can have a large effect.

Not Enough Fiber
Few Americans get enough fiber in their diet. Modern approaches to food processing and consumption just don’t take into account the need for dietary fiber.

Fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grain baked goods are the best ways to add fiber and variety to your diet. You will also be adding vitamins and trace elements that you are missing out on when you buy over processed food products.

More Water Please
Water is the simplest and most important thing we consume. It contains no calories, vitamins, or minerals, yet without it we would die in five days. It is also usually a large part of most of the foods we consume.

But Americans too often choose to get their liquids in the form of soft drinks. They may not feel thirsty, but their bodies are screaming out for more water. A properly hydrated body is vital for all life processes, and is an important tool in the fight against constipation.

A Sedentary Lifestyle
Not only are Americans not eating right, they are also not getting enough exercise. We see images of healthy energetic people on TV but most of us only sit and watch rather than participate.

Regular exercise will improve the movement of matter through the digestive system and reduce the incidence of constipation. And it provides many other benefits as well.

What to Do
Anyone can take the first steps on their own to prevent or treat constipation, and that means changing your diet and lifestyle. First, cut down on meat at every meal and replace it with vegetables to add more fiber to your diet.

Reduce the consumption of cheese as much as possible. A hamburger without cheese is better than a cheeseburger, and a vegetarian pita wrap is even better than that.

Take steps in the right direction, rather than trying to do it all at once. You can have a little cheese on the pizza now and then, but try expanding your menu with a vegetarian pizza instead. There are many flavorful international cuisines that will add taste and variety to your diet, while fighting constipation.

Simply buying a bunch of bananas instead of a box of cookies on your next trip to the grocery store will make a difference in your health and energy level. And your colon will thank you for it.

If constipation has been an onging problem for you take a look at Master Cleanse Secrets, it may be just what you need to get back on track.

Related Entries