Constipation and Active Yogurt

Anyone who is looking for a natural aid to alleviate constipation should consider yogurt. Yogurt became popular in the 1970s when many people joined the health food craze that swept through the United States. Today yogurt can be purchased in most any grocery or convenience store. However, not all yogurts will alleviate constipation. Many yogurts are tainted with additives. If you are looking for a yogurt to help you with your constipation you will have to purchase one that is natural and made by using the cultures of friendly bacteria – or probiotics. When you go to purchase yogurt, take a look at the label. Look for the live bacterial cultures Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillis. If these are on the yogurt label then you can feel confident that the yogurt can help you with your constipation.

Many people enjoy eating yogurt. The fact that studies are showing that it improves gastrointestinal conditions such as constipation, gas, bloating, diarrhea and the infection that causes gastric ulcers is an added bonus. The good news about yogurt is it can usually be enjoyed by people who are lactose intolerant. The probiotics that aid in constipation also help to digest the lactose that is present in the yogurt. Many people prefer to purchase plain yogurts. Most plain yogurts do not have the additives and extra sugar that health conscious people want to avoid. People can flavor their yogurts by adding preserves or fresh fruit to it. Yogurt is also a good replacement for mayonnaise and sour cream and it can be used in dressings, dips, smoothies and in desserts.

Individuals who are interested in self care understand that there is a link between their health and their diet. Microbial cultures have undergone intense scrutiny because of their ability to prevent and/or cure a host of diseases and ailments. The first clinical trials on probiotics took place in the 1930s. Researchers focused on probiotics and constipation. Probiotics were found to have significant impact on the intestinal tract and they helped to alleviate constipation. Probiotics are showing that they are a non-invasive and important means that can prevent and treat a host of diseases and ailments. In addition to alleviating constipation, probiotics have a host of other healthy benefits. It can help to relieve diarrhea, decrease diaper rash, enhance immunity, it promotes healthy bacteria in the colon, and it can reduce carcinogens in the body.

Many people question whether they should try to receive their probiotics through foods or through supplements. The choice is purely personal. Taking supplements is very convenient, especially for the individual who do not always have yogurt readily available to him or her. Another reason that people are opting for supplements is that most probiotics do not adhere permanently to the intestines. They work as they are metabolized and grow. It is important that these good bacteria are consumed daily to maintain their effectiveness. Supplements can ensure an individual that they are getting their daily dosage of probiotics into their system. Individuals who want to go the food route need to make sure the yogurt they consume has the probiotics bacteria in it. Eventually we will probably see more probiotics foods added to the marketplace such as juices, cereals, cheeses and even energy bars. Until then, always read the food labels on yogurt and purchase ones that have “live active culture” on their labels.

It may surprise many people to learn that many mainstream medical professionals are embracing probiotics. Less than 10 years ago probiotics were considered an alternative medicine. However, the research that is being done on these good bacteria is prompting many physicians to tell their patients to supplement their diets with probiotics — especially if the patient has undergone a treatment of antibiotics. Antibiotics are necessary to kill the bad microbes that are making someone ill. However, antibiotics also kill off the good microbes. Supplementing the diet with probiotics after an antibiotic treatment can strengthen the immune system and get the good bacteria back into the gut.

If you are suffering from constipation or other gastrointestinal problems you should seriously consider the benefits of eating yogurt on a daily basis. If yogurt doesn’t turn your taste buds on then consider purchasing probiotic supplements. Using something natural to alleviate constipation will certainly be easier on your system than using harsh laxatives, stool softeners or enemas. Your constipation will not only be alleviated by probiotics, but your entire digestive tract can benefit from them.

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The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center

http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/constipation-and-active-yogurt-89869.html

Fruits That Aid Constipation

How long Will This Take?

Getting food from our mouths to our stomach, digesting it and then emptying our colon is something we humans spend a lot of time doing. When we suffer from constipation that whole process can seem like an eternity. Have you ever wondered how long the whole process takes?

Since we eat different foods at different times and come in all shapes and sizes, the average transit times (like commuting to and from work!) are only estimates scientists have reached, when studying digestion.

The estimates are that it takes about 21/2 to 3 hours for the stomach to be at least 50% emptied, with total emptying times about 4-5 hours. Then there is the small intestine transit time of another 2-3 hours, with colon transit times between 30 and 40 minutes.

It would be impossible to get exact transit times because food doesn’t move through the digestive process all together. Foods don’t always get processed in the same order as they came in- some of the food from the same meal will be in the colon, while another portion remains in the stomach.

A meal is a mixture of several types of chemicals and materials. It’s a miracle the body knows what to do with everything, but it does. Sometimes the choices we make will effect the transit time unpleasantly, and that can mean problems with constipation. One of the best foods to get the journey back on track is fruit. Enjoying at least two fruits a day can keep the transit police happy. (Is that the sound of happy people’s toilet’s flushing?)

Top Ten Fruits

Fruits are made by nature- a perfect food. They are easy to digest and absorb. Fruits are your colon’s friends. If you ever suffer from constipation, you’ll want to reach for fresh fruit. Here’s a look at the top ten fruits that help improve constipation.

• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Strawberries
• Prunes
• Papaya
• Orange
• Apple
• Pears
• Figs
• Avocado

Fruits offer many health benefits, including providing vitamins and nutrients, but this list have added benefits for sluggish bowels. Can you guess what these fruits pack a punch with? Did you answer fiber? Thought so!

These fruits are packed full of fiber. Let’s take dried figs. 5 figs will supply 237 calories, with 8.5 grams of fiber for every 100 of those calories. One cup of raspberries, at 60 calories will help get things moving with 8 grams of fiber.

Most of us have already been told how fiber is so good for us. It’s great to know that you don’t have to down bowl after bowl of bran to get rid of constipation. In fact, if you aren’t used to a lot of fiber in the diet, it can make you feel bloated, gassy and more uncomfortable than being constipated did in the first place.

More Fruits to the Rescue

Don’t worry if the fiber-rich fruits on the top ten lists don’t appeal to you. Most fruits are naturals at gently relieving constipation. Here’s a list of other fruits you might want to add to your diet:

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Boysenberries
• Cantaloupes
• Cherries
• Dates
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Plums

The combination of fiber (which is usually provided by the skin, so don’t peel that apple!) and sugars that are harder for the body to digest, makes fruits a good bet for clearing bouts of constipation. Since the body can’t break down the sugar, it pushes it out. You might say that fruit are nature’s laxative. They also act as toners to the stomach and intestines.

Other Transit tips

Need some other suggestions to get traffic flowing again? First of all, if you’ve suffered from constipation for a while and it doesn’t seem to be getting better, it may be something more than just a nuisance. It’s wise to have it checked out by your physician. Here are some other tips for relieving constipation:

• It’s not only what you eat; it’s how you are eating. Be sure that you are not rushing to eat meals and eating at odd times. Make sure you chew your food. Digestion starts in the mouth. Saliva has enzymes that work chemically on your food before you even swallow. Each mouthful should be chewed at least 15 times.
• Stay away from foods that contain white flour and sugar.
• Drink lots of water- just not with your meals, as it dilutes gastric juices needed for digestion. A cup of hot water with some lemon can help with constipation.

You’ll find that making a conscious effort to add fruits to your diet will make a lasting difference in helping you avoid constipation.

The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center

http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/fruits-that-aid-constipation-89961.html

Finding A Natural Cure For Constipation

If you want to use a natural cure for constipation you need to do a number of things relating to how you live your life and what your diet consists of. But unlike medicinal treatments and other treatment methods a natural cure is both a simple and easy to practice and have far less side effects than the others. Often natural cures are able to eliminate completely infrequent or mild bouts of constipation.

Dietary changes which a person suffering from constipation should make should include them eating more fiber which is found in fresh fruit (bananas, apples, papaya, grapes and oranges), fresh vegetables, whole grains and pulses. They should also ensure that they drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water each day.

A good thing that you should avoid if you are suffering from constipation is alcohol, processed and junk goods, foods and drinks which contain caffeine as they can cause dehydration and avoid drugs and medication if you can.

Guava (but is must have the seeds) because of their roughness is a great way of getting relief from constipation. Also eating bran cereal not just for adults but for children as well is another way of safeguarding against constipation. A more natural way for the elderly to deal with constipation is to drink milk that has either extra sugar or honey in it.

A great natural way of helping to prevent and alleviate constipation is to exercise daily you do not need to exercise vigorously all you need to do is walk for about 30 to 40 minutes each day will be more than enough.

Today there are many kinds of natural laxatives available which will help cure constipation and they are made to relax the bowel muscle walls and reduce any anxiety or tension that a person feels. They are also good for enhancing the functions of a person’s liver and gall bladder and improve the flow of bile in the body which improves the digestion of food.

For many centuries herbs were used by tribes and some cultures around the world and are becoming more and more popular as a natural way of treating constipation. Herbs such as Aloe Vera, Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) and the Passiflora Species are ones which have laxative properties and also help the digestive system as well as acting as a tonic for a person’s liver. These herbs can often be used in treating both chronic and occasional bouts of constipation and almost all of them have no side effects associated with them.

You can buy these herbs in tablet form as well and each tablet contains a definite amount of the fresh herb within them. So with these you are able to change the amount you take according to the type of constipation you are suffering from. Also most of these tablets can be used alongside a digestion tonic as well.

So as you can see there are a number of natural cures for constipation that are available and which will assist if you should suffer from this problem at any point in your life.