More than a disease, constipation is a symptom, which can occur in different diseases (colon and other organs) or by side effects of some medicine (secondary constipation). Whoever suffers from this symptom has a disorder in the functioning of his intestine or anus.
In this sense, the excrement moves much more slowly than normal through the large intestine. Consequently, the person evacuates infrequently and / or painfully.
Constipation is very easy to identify and this has been thanks to the adoption of the definition given by the World Health Organization (WHO), which establishes that constipation is present when a person produces less than three bowel movements a week, contrary to diarrhea, which is considered like this when the person produces more than three stools a day or more than twenty-one in a week.
To avoid this symptom, it is necessary to have an adequate diet, with a very good fiber intake, thus being the best allies to avoid constipation, fresh and dried fruits, vegetables and legumes, whole grains and products derived from these, such as bread. and whole wheat pasta. Otherwise, there are milk, meat and fish.
A sufficient consumption of water also helps to avoid constipation, so that the body is well hydrated and the education of the large intestine, that is, create a habit of evacuation (at the same time each day for example), perform physical exercise and not neglecting the physiological calls of defecation.
Failure to comply with these activities respond to the causes of this symptom, also stress and constant travel, colon cancer, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, nervous system disorder, mental disorders, hypothyroidism and pregnancy and diseases thyroid.
Physiological causes of constipation are: hypermotility and hypomotility of the intestine, rectal problems, mechanical obstruction of the rectum or colon, and weakness of the abdominal wall.
Constipation discourages the quality of life of people and corresponds to the root of many diseases, such as appendicitis, body odor, bad breath, depression, tongue dirty or furred, diverticulitis, gas, fatigue, headaches, hemorrhoids, hernias, insomnia, indigestion, obesity, malabsorption syndrome and varicose veins. It can even contribute to the development of serious diseases such as intestinal cancer.
