Lifestyle quick tips

• Drink plenty of water
• Exercise daily
• Reserve time for a bowel movement
• Never ignore your urge to have a bowel movement

These are the foundations of good digestive health.

Fiber first

Here's how fiber works. Fiber is a component of plants, and it passes through the intestine undigested. Fiber also absorbs a lot of water, which results in softer, bulkier stools. And high-fiber foods increase peristalsis—the wave-like motions that keep food moving through.

Fiber can help normalize the time that it takes food to pass through your colon (24 to 48 hours). When stools are soft and bulky, they can move more easily through the colon. When stools are hard and dry, they have trouble moving through—that's when you experience straining.

For all of these reasons, eating high-fiber foods may help with constipation. There are many high-fiber foods. Beans. Whole grains and bran cereals. Fresh fruits and dried fruits. Vegetables like asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and carrots. Greens like spinach, kale, collard, and Swiss chard.

Talk to your doctor about creating a high-fiber diet that could work for you.

Laxatives

Your doctor can help you determine if laxatives are right for you. There are different kinds of laxatives. And they work in different ways.

• Bulk-forming laxatives. These are fiber supplements to be taken with water and work similar to food fiber. Products include Metamucil® and Citrucel®.
• Osmotic laxatives. Three types include saline, lactulose and polythene glycol. They act similarly, like a sponge to draw water into the colon, which in turn makes stool softer. They are effective in increasing stool frequency and stool consistency.
• Saline laxatives. Examples include Milk of Magnesia® and Phillip's M-O®.
• Lactulose laxatives. Lactulose is a non-absorbable carbohydrate. These can be used for chronic constipation. An example is Kristalose™.
• Polyethylene glycol. This is approved to treat chronic constipation for short periods of time. An example of this is MiraLax™.
• Stimulant laxatives. These can cause rhythmic muscle contractions in the intestines and help move stool through the colon. Products include Correctol® and Dulcolax®.
• Stool softeners. These provide moisture to the stool and prevent dehydration and allow the stool to pass through the colon. Stool softeners do not promote bowel movements but instead allow you to have bowel movements without straining. Products include Colace® and Surfak®.
• Lubricants. They grease the bowel and stool so it can move through the intestine more easily. Mineral oil is the most common example.

Laxatives can help. But it is possible to become dependent on them. Your colon could start to need laxatives to have a bowel movement. That's not healthy. Long-term laxative use can cause nerve damage. If you are dependent on laxatives, your doctor can help you slowly stop using them.

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Prescription treatments

Currently, there are 3 types of prescription treatments:

• 5-HT 4 Agonist. The chemical serotonin plays a role in making your digestive system work. This kind of treatment can help by acting like serotonin. It helps coordinate the muscles in your intestines so they function more normally.
• Prescription laxatives. These are not approved to treat chronic constipation, but for occasional constipation they can help. Powdered forms usually dissolve in water, juice, coffee, or tea. Polyethylene glycol is an example.
• CLC-2 Activator. This treatment helps improve the intestine's fluid balance. Because when fluid is in balance, your stool is softer. You can have spontaneous bowel movements. You may also have fewer hard stools and less straining.

Ask your doctor about treatments that may be right for you.

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