Inability of Colon Constipation

Posted on October 18th, 2008 by

Constipation or the inability to effectively move our bowels to eliminate waste products is a growing problem in the USA. It is estimated that over 70% of the population in America regularly struggles with constipation, although some experts believe the figure to be as high as 80 to 90%.
Over the counter stool softeners or laxatives, is a one billion dollar per year industry in the USA. The ease of obtaining and purchasing laxatives means that constipation is often rarely discussed. It is becoming America’s dirty little secret.
Everyone experiences constipation from time to time, and most of us find the problem clears up on its own. When it doesn’t and we find ourselves repeatedly in pain and reaching for laxatives, its time to take action. The first step is understanding what exactly constipation is and how it is caused. Bluntly put, constipation occurs when waste is not eliminated properly from the colon to our bowel. When we can’t eliminate waste, our stomachs often become puffy and bloated, we become physically uncomfortable, and in severe cases may find trouble digesting more food. If we can’t eliminate our waste, we can’t properly take in new nutrients for our bodies.
There is no one factor that decides whether or not we will get constipation. Often we need to begin looking at our diets, are they rich in fruit, vegetables and protein? If not we need to take steps to correct what we eat first?
Stress plays a major part in constipation. When our bodies frequently go into fight or flight mode, one of the side effects may be difficulty in moving our bowels. Knowing what triggers our stress levels, and learning how to properly cope and deal with day to day stress is terribly important.
Having a healthy colon and regular bowel movements are terribly important to our overall health. When our colon is sick, the rest of our body tends to get sick too. Our colons are responsible for carrying water and nutrients to other areas of the body to help us function. When our colons are sick we may experience fatigue, pain, and dehydration.