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Constipation cures
For the last few months I've been suffering from constipation, a bloating and distended abdomen, stomach aches and all the discomfort that goes with it. It's really getting me down, especially as all the literature I've read on the subject seems to be contradictory. What can I do to help myself?
If all else seems fine, your doctor may diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, but this is not a diagnosis you should make yourself. To help overcome mild constipation, change your diet to include more fibre from wholegrains, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables - snack on apples, bananas, pears, grapes, dried apricots or figs when hungry, rather than crisps, cakes or biscuits. Soak five to six prunes in water or cold tea overnight and eat them for breakfast with natural bio yoghurt. Add seeds (e.g. sunflower, pumpkin, fenugreek, fennel and linseed) to salads and yoghurt for extra roughage. Natural bulking agents such as bran or wheat husks, taken with plenty of water, can be bought to soften stools and increase the volume of bowel motions. Molasses are also an effective and harmless laxative - take one to two teaspoons daily. When taking fibre supplements, it is vital to drink plenty of fluid: at least six glasses of mineral water per day to swell up the dietary fibre and get things moving. You should also try to take more exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling.
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