Constipation

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” Buddha

There's something about digestive difficulties that makes them hard to discuss in polite company - which leaves many of us suffering one problem or another in silence. What's more, digestive disorders are placing a "growing burden" on Americans, causing an unprecedented number of clinic visits and hospitalizations. Yet fixes can be as simple as making informed lifestyle changes.

Chronic constipation is a serious problem in this country. Except for a tiny percentage of specific cases, constipation is easily and completely correctable. While many people feel that constipation is not much more than a nuisance, this is not really the case.

The fact that Americans spend $725 million a year on laxatives suggests that trying to unclog the nation's plumbing, so to speak, is almost a national pastime. But overuse of stimulant laxatives, which cause the intestines to contract rhythmically, can make the gut dependent, requiring more of the drug and eventually rendering the aid ineffective.

Why so many people are chronically constipated? What causes this problem and what can be done about it? For the most part, constipation is brought on by poor dietary and exercise habits, and by other common and easily correctable causes.