What causes and what to do for constipation are questions that more and more people are starting to ask nowadays. Constipation occurs when the bowel movement is too slow and all people should know that it’s not a disease but a symptom for another medical condition.

Almost everyone gets constipated at least once in their life time and this can be caused by several reasons, but the most common one is a poor, unbalanced diet. Fortunately, in most of the cases is not a permanent condition and it can be treated and prevented in several ways.

Let’s see further what to do for constipation and how you can ease the discomfort created by it:

- Establish for yourself a high-fiber diet because right now the main cause for constipation is a diet either low on fiber or high on fats. You can find fibers in fruits, vegetables and cereals. Among the fruits the most recommended are pears, peaches, prunes and pineapples and from the vegetables you can pick spinach, kale, broccoli, green beans and carrots. Try to avoid fast foods and at least 35 grams of fiber daily, because this is the average quantity recommended by the American Dietetic Association

- Increase the amount of daily fibers by taking supplements. These supplements are also known as laxatives because they contain insoluble fibers which don’t dissolve in water but ads moisture to the stool. It make take a while until you’ll find the adequate supplement for you and when you choose one make sure you read carefully it’s side effects. Some useful products are: Metamucil, Citrucel and Fibercon.

- Drink more fluids, like water or teas. Avoid coffee or other beverages containing caffeine and also avoid alcohol because they dehydrate the body and cause a slower bowel movement. There are certain herbal teas you can try to solve the problem, also.

- Instead of fiber supplements your doctor can prescribe you other types of laxatives, based on your specific problem. First there are the stimulants like Dulcolax and Purge that cause contractions in the intestines. Then there are the osmotic, like Sorbitol who play a role in the fluid flow from the colon and are recommended in case of idiopathic constipation. Next are the stool softeners, like Colace that prevent dehydration but are not recommended for prolonged use. And last there are the lubricants, like Zymenol that grease the stool, making it easier to move through the bowel.