A classic sign usually of a poor diet, low in fiber, this condition is usually easy to address with long lasting better health resulting. It is your body's way of telling you that changes need to be made. However, there may be other changes you should think about too because like IBS it can be a sign of unexpressed anger which needs to be sorted out along with your diet.

What is it?

Constipation is a relatively common ailment that affects people of all ages. It is a condition whereby you find it difficult to pass stools and when you do, they are quite hard and painful. It affects more women than men particularly during pregnancy. Stomach-ache, cramps and sometimes a feeling of being bloated can accompany bowel motions.

How is it caused?

The main cause of constipation is lack of fiber in the diet and lack of exercise. It tends to be more evident in underweight and overweight people. Some medicines can cause constipation as a side effect; these include antidepressants, iron supplements, indigestion remedies and water tablets. In pregnancy constipation it is usually caused by the hormonal changes in the body. In children, constipation can result from a fear of going to the toilet.

Stress can also be a cause in adults and causes of the underlying stress need to be addressed along with the diet if one takes a holistic approach. Some people claim that constipation is an indication of unexpressed anger and an example of this might be in a family with a new baby where the toddler is unable to express feelings of jealousy in any other way. The attention they get from mother from this condition can if unchecked become a pattern.

Lifestyle changes you should make

As well as changing the diet it is important to increase your exercise and increase fluid intake (water please!). Increasing water consumption is often suggested for conditions where unexpressed anger or resentment can be at the root of the problem. It is in any case beneficial to drink a lot of water. In addition, you need to be doing 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Raw Foods to improve the stools

It is important to increase fiber in your diet to at least 18-30gms per day. High fiber foods are listed below. The most effective cure by far is believed to be wheat bran. Apparently ½ of a cup of wheat bran has the same effect as 11 apples, 14 slices of whole meal bread or 5 cups of carrots.

• Fruit
• Apples
• Apricots
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Prunes
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Seeds
• Vegetables
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Water – at least a liter per day
• Nuts
• Beans

Constipation is a relatively straightforward ailment to address with diet not forgetting the all important exercise but also think about whether you need to make other changes to your lifestyle to make it less stressful or do something about the anger you may be bottling up. If your young child has constipation, give them attention for other positive things they are doing rather than focusing on toilet time. Of course if it happens to be that you are pregnant then you are off the hook because it's all perfectly normal and one of the many inconveniences we go through for that lovely bundle of joy at the end of 9 months!

By TTS Cofounder Botanical Chef Omid Jaffari