Certain change in lifestyle can result to constipation. To name two are aging and travel. Constipation is a concern to anybody and is prevalence affects both the very young and the elderly.

Infants and small children are prone to constipation due to the food they eat. The elderly are susceptible to constipation because of certain life changing events, such as loss of teeth, loss of appetite and lack of exercise.

The very early and late stages of life could hardly sustain lengthy time without a bowel movement. Constipation is not a disease, only a symptom.

An individual may be constipated if he is having fewer bowel movements compared to usual. He is also constipated when having excessive difficulty and straining while defecating.

There is no right number or frequency of daily bowel movements. Regularity of defecation varies from person to person. The normal range, however, for bowel movement starts from having at most three bowel movements a day to three bowel movements a week.

For older people, causes of constipation may be due to not drinking too much water and liquids, having a poor diet without sufficient fiber, lack of regular exercise, ignoring the call of nature, abuse of laxatives and use of medications that is associated with constipation.

The elderly are less able to tell if their body needs fluids. They are already dehydrated the moment they feel thirsty. It is recommended for them to drink at least eight glasses of liquids daily, unless contraindicated.

Most elderly drink large amounts of milk, to which predisposes them to having constipation. Older adults should be aware that they need to go to the bathroom when they feel the urge.

Holding a bowel movement can cause constipation if the delay takes too long. They should also have a regular exercise, minimal but gradual. Physical activity when possible is recommended.

They should also have at least 30 grams of fiber every day. It is best for them to start from a small amount and gradually increase it. They should also avoid taking laxatives too much, unless prescribed by the doctor.

Travelers are also prone to constipation. Healthy people cannot suppress the urge to move the bowels for too long no matter the circumstances be.

Traveling seems like a high stake hazard for the intestine. People who love to travel may either complain of wasting their vacation due to diarrhea or suffer in silence from constipation.

Constipation may be brought along with sudden change in the diet. Whatever you eat from home may be different with what you’re supposed to eat in the place you went to.

One reason why travel causes constipation is the disruption in our daily normal routine. With the body’s biorhythm, our body is conditioned to the clock.

When nature calls and the person is at the wrong place at a wrong time, the urge to suppress defecation until the time is right is common.

Jet lag can also cause one to feel constipated. Jet lag kicks when you cross one place to another at a longer time. When a traveler experiences jet lag, he tends to take some rest first with the tendency to ignore the urge to defecate.

One causative factor is the general discomfort with the use of bathroom outside your own home. Lack of hygiene and privacy are the common reasons why the traveler tends to suppress his urge to defecate.

If a person is already predisposed to constipation, travel can only worsen it. To enjoy a blissful vacation, it is recommended for the person to have a sufficient amount of fluid in the body and enough dietary fiber intake and refraining from eating in the fast-food restaurant.

It is better to heed than spend money on treatment options to prevent and cure constipation.

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Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: constipation remedies, constipation treatment, constipation medications