Constipation!!

Constipation isn’t something only adults deal with it. Your baby may experience it as well. There are many signs to tell if your baby is having trouble moving his bowels. Luckily, there are also some natural, safe ways to treat and help prevent constipation for your infant. Of course, you should always notify your child’s pediatrician when your child is in any sort of distress.

Signs Of Constipation:
Bowel Movements Have Slowed Down- A baby will have less bowel movements the older he gets, but if it starts suddenly and is accompanied by discomfort and fussiness, it may be due to constipation. Breastfed babies are less likely to be constipated but if he has just started solids, it may have caused it.
Baby Pulls up Knees and Grunts or Moans- This could be due to gas as well as constipation.
Irritability- Constipation is one of many things that could be causing this.
Baby Seems Relieved after Bowel Movement If baby is having a particularly hard time passing a stool and then seems relieved when it finally comes out, it may be due to constipation.
Hard Stools- Little rocks or pellets in a baby’s diaper definitely suggest he is constipated.
Blood-Streaks In Diaper- Anal fissures or hemorrhoids could be caused by the hard stools. (Definitely contact pediatrician about this to rule out anything worse.)
Hard Stomach- A tight abdomen could be caused by gas or constipation.

Treatments For Constipation:
Exercise- A little exercise can sometimes work out the excrement. Try bicycling baby’s legs or if he has one, try the Jumperoo or Exersaucer.
Massage- Infant massage can be a natural cure for many ailments and there are plenty of techniques for tummy upset.
Water- Ask your pediatrician if a little water would be okay to grease up the works.
Fruit- If baby is eating solids; try some pears or other strained fruit. (Not bananas or apples, though. They could make the problem worse.)
Cut Back on Certain Solids- Rice cereal, bananas, and apples are common culprits of constipation when solids begin.
Prunes- Ask the doc before trying, but pureed prunes or a little prune juice can help get things going again.

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Constipation and fecal impaction is not the same thing. Many people think that they are the same. While they both involve the intestines, bowels and fecal matter, they are two different problems that have to be treated differently.
Constipation is the term used to describe slow moving feces or stool through the intestines. The longer it takes for fecal matter to be eliminated from the body, the drier and harder it will become. Symptoms of constipation include passing small, dry hard stools, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, straining, fatigue, bad breath, skin eruptions, abdominal pain, hemorrhoids and irregular bowel movements.
Fecal impaction is the term used to describe a large mass of hard stool or fecal matter that is “stuck” in the rectum. Symptoms of fecal impaction may be similar to constipation symptoms. However, in addition to those symptoms the individual may have bladder problems, back pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, a distended abdomen, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, fever, dizziness and even high or low blood pressure. Individuals who have a fecal impaction may also experience very explosive diarrhea. This diarrhea does not remove the impaction, it moves around the impaction.
Constipation can be very uncomfortable and annoying. Fecal impaction is far more dangerous than constipation. Fecal impaction can be life threatening. Fecal impaction that is not treated can worsen and the individual could possibly die from it. Constipation can be caused by numerous things including not eating enough fiber, not drinking enough liquids, a lack of exercise, certain medications, changes in lifestyle or routine, ignoring the urge to move your bowels, abusing laxatives, irritable bowel syndrome, pregnancy, traveling and other various reasons.
Fecal impaction can be caused by ignoring constipation, pain medications, illness and long term use of laxatives. Many people are surprised to learn that prolonged use of stimulant laxatives can lead to fecal impaction, but it is true. With prolonged use the colon can become dependent upon the laxative to aid it in evacuation. When the colon has been exposed to laxatives and stool softeners for a period of time and then it does not get the expected dose, constipation and fecal impaction can occur. To put it simply, prolonged laxative use can make your body forget how to move and evacuate fecal matter on its own.
If constipation is not addressed and an individual develops fecal impaction it cannot be treated as easily. Fecal impactions in the rectum must be removed manually by a medical professional.
Constipation should be addressed at its onset to prevent a fecal impaction. Steps to alleviate constipation can include making changes in the diet, drinking an adequate amount of water, exercising and doing a colon cleanse. Tips to aid in stool evacuation include the following:
* When you are sitting on the toilet, it is important that you do not hold your breath when you are trying to eliminate a stool. A good constipation tip is to breathe in your nose and out through your mouth. Holding your breath while you are trying to pass a stool can actually hamper the elimination process because it closes up the bottom.
* Learn how to push without straining. When you have placed your feet on the stool, simply lean forward and breathe normally. This will enable your stomach muscles to push the stool out without straining. Essentially, you are pushing from your waist.
* You should always respond to any sign that your bowels want to move. Delaying or putting off a bowel movement can aggravate constipation. No matter where you are, if you feel like your bowels want to move, find a bathroom.

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Have you ever been constipated to the point that you were sure you were going to have a heart attack? All the straining and forcing can definitely put a strain on your entire body, but does constipation itself have any adverse effects on the heart?
First off, it’s important to know the signs of constipation and understand what it is. Constipation is not so much a condition as it is a symptom of a much larger issue. The larger issue could be something as simple as a side effect of a prescription medicine or as complex as a health risk, such as diabetes. Constipation can have nearly infinite causes, so it pays to know your body and how it works.

Constipation can be diagnosed when the following occurs:
* No bowel movements for 3 consecutive days
* Hard stools 25% of the time
* Straining and/or incomplete bowel movements 25% of the time
* Two or fewer bowel movements within a week’s time

As you can see, being diagnosed as constipated doesn’t always mean that you cannot have a bowel movement. Many people have bowel movements and are still considered constipated. It’s a matter of the quality, and not just the quantity, of the bowel movements that count.

The Heart of the Matter
Many of the same things that cause constipation can also be detrimental to your heart’s health. For example, high blood sugar causes constipation and can also cause heart problems. Just as a high fiber diet can dramatically help constipation; it can also reduce your chances of a heart attack.
In a study of French adults, it was proven that the higher the fiber intake, the lower the chances of high cholesterol and blood pressure or of being over-weight. All of which affect both the heart and constipation. High fiber diets also show to lower abdominal obesity as well as blood sugar levels. The recommended amount of daily fiber is between 25 and 35 grams. The average American eats about 15 grams per day.
The proper amount of daily water soluble dietary fiber can help control diabetes, hemorrhoids, constipation, intestinal polyps, diverticulosis and even reduce the risk of colon cancer. It can even significantly reduce cholesterol within 4 weeks. Fiber has scientifically been shown to be a valuable ally in the war against many cancers, stroke, hypertension and coronary heart disease.
Virtually every one of the most notorious health killers can be impacted by eating a diet that’s high in fiber. So, it’s plain to see how constipation can affect the heart. When you’re constipated, it can be a warning sign that something is wrong with your body internally. While low fiber intake can certainly be a reason for constipation, it’s important to remember that there is always a possibility of an underlying reason for your constipation and many of these reasons can also affect your heart.

Give Your Heart a Break!
Many health experts agree that the best thing you can do for your body is a periodical colon cleanse. It rids your body of years of built-up sludge and mucous that sticks to the inside of your intestines. When your intestines get clogged with all that matter and debris, it makes it extremely difficult for your body to absorb nutrients that are needed for it to function properly.
Everything starts with the colon. If your colon is clogged and dirty, your immune system will suffer, your risk of cancer is higher, your heart works harder and you are actually self-poisoning yourself since toxins are being re-absorbed into the body instead of being expelled. A clean colon will increase your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight easier and give you a sense of overall well-being.

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There are two basic types of constipation - organic and functional. Organic constipation is a result of some physical change, obstruction, or distortion in your colon. This type of constipation needs immediate attention from a doctor.
This article only covers Functional Constipation. This type of constipation is a result of not following a proper diet, drinking enough fluids, having good emotional health and not having a good lifestyle - a lifestyle that promotes good movement of digested foods through the intestines and colon.
Even though there are many definitions for constipation, constipation is simply a condition where the fecal matter traveling through your colon remains too long in your colon before traveling out the rectum.
Constipation is a symptom and not a disease. It is a condition that tells you your colon is not working properly or that you have some underlying gastrointestinal disease you are not aware of.
Constipation may be a warning that your diet and lifestyle are causing an imbalance in your body. It is a symptom that many people ignore or that many people try to eliminate by using unnatural and oftentimes dangerous drugstore laxatives.
Drugstore laxatives should be avoided when you have constipation. They can become habit-forming, damage your colon, and have nasty side effects if used too long. They sometimes have the tendency of creating the problem you are trying relieve - constipation.
To keep your body in chemical balance, it is important to use only natural remedies for constipation. Natural remedies such as herbs and foods bring into the colon those nutrients that can build up your colon and reactivate your natural peristaltic action.
As you use natural remedies, keep in mind that one particular remedy may not work for you. You may have to try a different remedy or increase dosage of the one you are using. If you supply what your body needs by using a specific remedy, then you will get results from using that remedy.
Experimenting is part of finding out what remedy is best for you. There are many different natural remedies you can choose from. Look on the internet for “natural remedies for constipation” and you will find many listings.
Keep in mind that most remedies should be used only for a short time, two to four days and not longer than 2 weeks. They should only be used for the time needed to clear your constipation. This might be just 4 or 5 times or sometimes it may take several weeks.
There are some herbal combinations that can be used for longer duration. These combinations can improve your colon’s health and get your bowels moving again.
If you have constipation, the natural balance and function of your colon has been affected. But, natural remedies can bring you colon back into balance.

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Even though it is not something people like to talk about, we all have to deal with constipation on occasion. The problem is we may not know what constipation is and we accept what we don’t have but one bowel movement every two or three days. As a child I was told that I had a problem with this, but I never felt any sort of pain. When I would get sick, someone would always inevitably ask me when the last time I used the bathroom was. At that time in my life it was only once every two or three days, and they were always concerned that something was wrong with me. One particular babysitter was very concerned about my problem even though it wasn’t bothering me. She often talked about natural cures for constipation to make things better for me.
My mother wasn’t concerned because she had talked to my doctor about it and he wasn’t concerned. Now days this is still the attitude of many doctors. As long as I was not in any sort of pain, or it not affecting my health, he saw nothing wrong with the frequency of my trips to the bathroom. He did however say that natural cures for constipation may help me become more regular as I got older. When you think of natural cures for constipation you may be thinking of some sort of medicine, but you should know that there are simpler ways to go about this.
Some of the best natural cures for constipation are things that you eat every day. There are certain fruits that if eaten in between meals can activate a bowel movement. There are certain teas that help you have a bowel movement. Drink a fruit smoothie mixed with a variety of special nutrients and it will also cause you to head to the bathroom. In many cases, there are no medications needed. Fiber is also a natural cure for constipation. If you were to eat, for example, raisin bran on a daily basis, you will find that you are more regular then you ever were before. Other natural cures for constipation might be eating prunes, though they are not very pleasant, or any other type of fruit that aids in digestion. You may also want to try cereals that are high in fiber each morning for breakfast.
For some people though, these natural cures for constipation don’t work and that’s because they are they are eating and drink other foods that make them constipated. Sometimes when you are constipated, there is not enough liquid in your system. You may want to concentrate on drinking more water, and staying away from foods that are known to cause constipation. If you have a thing for cheese, you may want to cut back on how much you eat.
If you find that you are still having constipation problems, you may want to talk to a naturopathic doctor about other natural cures for constipation that you have not considered yet. If these don’t work, your doctor may have to give you a prescription or do some additional testing to find out what is going on with your body.

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