In most cases, constipation is "only" a functional disorder - meaning that the bowel is essentially healthy, but simply not working in an optimal manner - and not the sign of a serious organic illness. At the same time, however, a sluggish intestine will still have a considerably negative effect on our sense of physical well-being. It's a good thing that help is available which is gentle but nevertheless effective.
What exactly is constipation?
Approximately one out of four adults in our society suffers from constipation. But what is constipation?
Different people have widely different ideas about this, because everybody’s judgement is based on his or her own bowel habits. Individual differences are great: some people have a bowel movement only once every three days while others think it is normal to make trips to the toilet twice a day; digestion is completely normal in both cases.
Constipation is only to be found among those who "need to use the facilities" less often than once every three days. These people have stools which are generally hard and low in volume. Often evacuation can only be achieved by hard pressing, which is then often painful. Those experiencing this frequently have a sensation of incomplete evacuation.
A person suffers when digestion doesn't function properly, because having a belly which feels heavy, full and bloated will lead to a general feeling of not being well. On top of that, constipation can also promote the development of haemorrhoids - enlarged blood vessels resembling varicose veins in the area of the anus - which can under certain circumstances result in considerable physical problems.
Temporary constipation can arise as a result of certain situations - e.g. travel or particularly hectic or stressful times - and last for hours, a few days or even weeks. Such cases are considered acute constipation. If the constipation lasts longer than three months, doctors refer to it as chronic obstipation.
Luckily, serious illnesses, such as intestinal diseases or thyroid malfunctions, are only rarely the causes of constipation. It is of course imperative that one seek examination and treatment from a physician in such cases. You should also consult your doctor if you think your digestive problems could be caused by taking a particular medication, because a number of drugs can lead to constipation, including:
amitriptyline
antacids (with aluminium or calcium)
anticholinergics
barium sulphate
bismuth
calcium antagonists
cholestyramine
clonidine
colestipol
disopyramide
diuretics
iron
nonsteroidal anti-inflammation agents
opioids
phenothiazines
phenytoin
propantheline
scopolamine
sucralfate
sympathomimetics
tricyclic antidepressants
vincristine
Nevertheless, in most cases it is our modern way of life itself which is the cause of constipation: the roughage which is so important for regular bowel movements is often missing from our diet, because we much prefer white bread, meat and puddings to whole-grain bread, raw vegetables and fruit. And we do not drink enough fluids - far less than the recommended two to three litres per day. Our bowels respond to these nutritional deficiencies with stools which are both too small in volume and too hard.
Another weak point of our modern lifestyles is insufficient physical activity: we spend practically the whole day sitting - at our desks, in our cars and in front of the television. Instead of climbing stairs, we take the lift. Only rarely do we actually act on resolutions to get more exercise. Given all this, it is no wonder that our bowels become increasingly sluggish.
An additional factor must also be taken into account: time pressure. In the morning we either rush through breakfast or skip it altogether; given the situation, it is no surprise that we allow ourselves no time to visit the toilet. Our body tells us that it's time to go, but we simply suppress the urge and put it off till later. The result: constipation.
Our body requires all kinds of nutrients which are obtained from food through the assistance of enzymes. Digestion begins in the mouth while we are chewing our food: an enzyme contained in saliva splits carbohydrates (starch, sugar) into their constituent elements. The resulting mixture then travels though the oesophagus to the stomach, where protein digestion begins. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are then ultimately broken down into their basic constituents in the small intestine and transported through the circulatory system to individual body organs.
The parts which are not used by the body find their way into the colon (large intestine). Here, individual undigested nutritional components can still be absorbed by the body after being broken down by the bacteria which normally inhabit the bowels and which can be described as natural intestinal flora. Salt and water are removed, and then the actual stool is formed out of what is left and eventually excreted.
Types of food play an important role in the digestive process. Those whose diets include lots of foods which are rich in fibre and roughage will have fewer problems with intestinal activity. Roughage comes from vegetable foodstuffs. They are indigestible to humans and increase the volume of the stools, retain water and stimulate intestinal activity. The stool remains soft and pliable, allowing problem-free evacuation.
We should ingest a minimum of 30 g of roughage every day. That means eating plenty of whole-grain products, fruit, vegetables and legumes (bean products). It is also important that we drink two litres or more of fluids each day so that the roughage can carry out its useful function in the intestine.
For more on risks and side effects read the package insert and consult your doctor or pharmacist.
