Q: After all these years of being constipated and trying many of your and your reader’s remedies, I accidentally found one of my own. I have two orange trees. One is a peeling orange, the other a juice orange. I realized that if I ate one to three oranges a day (I have them year-round), I have a bowel movement at least once a day.
I have used your other remedies with success but they were always a bother because I felt I had to keep them up. Now I believe my problem was because when I was younger I had to take iron and now I have to take calcium and other pills – all of which constipate me. I no longer have any problem and I am thrilled!
A: Constipation affects almost everyone at some time of his or her life. It’s a topic few people enjoy talking about but it can be a very real issue. Causes may include an insufficient amount of water consumed, inadequate fiber in the diet, stress, consuming a large quantity of dairy products, being sedentary or immobile, and more, so your comments are appreciated.
Iron is an essential mineral the body requires in order to manufacture red blood cells, proteins and enzymes necessary for bodily function. And, while an iron supplement may have been prescribed for you in the past, it came with a price – constipation. What should have been recommended was that your constipation could have been prevented through dietary and lifestyle changes. To add more green leafy vegetables, beans and whole grain cereals to your daily diet, and drinking eight glasses of water daily was all that was necessary to combat the unwanted side effect.
There are a number of reasons to add calcium to the diet, two of which are osteopenia and osteoporosis. In fact, it is generally recommended that women with either of these conditions take 1200 mg daily. And, here we go again. Constipation is a well-known side effect of calcium. Some researchers feel that people should pay more attention to exercise and vitamin D than they should to calcium supplements, and indicate that a high intake has a marginal effect on bone density and prevention from fractures. And, naturally, proponents take a different view. They feel that countless studies have indicated that a high calcium intake builds stronger bones and prevents fractures, while protecting us against colon cancer. Either way, if an individual chooses to take a calcium supplement, he or she should be advised to purchase an over-the-counter stool softener to prevent the side effect of constipation or use a natural remedy, such as the one you have recommended.
Medications such as antacids that contain aluminum and calcium, anti-psychotics, anti-epileptic drugs, diuretics, narcotics, antidepressants, those prescribed for Parkinson’s disease, anti-diarrheal agents, ibuprofen, and calcium channel blockers are known to cause constipation. Treatment involves discontinuing the drug or changing to another medication that may not have the same unwanted side effect; however, a drug should never be discontinued without medical approval.
Fish oil derived from either a person’s diet or through supplementation can be helpful in managing constipation. Castor oil has laxative properties. Adding fiber to a person’s diet is yet another method of preventing constipation and this is where your oranges enter the scene. The recommended dosage of fiber in a person’s diet is between 20 and 35 grams each day. One medium orange contains 3.1 grams of fiber. Because you appear to have an inexhaustible supply of citrus that has helpful properties, three oranges may be your answer. For others, one cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, an apple with the skin on has 4.4 grams, and a medium pear with the skin on has 5.5 grams. So, fruits, vegetables and whole grains not only taste good, their fiber content actually helps the digestive process. Remember, however, to drink sufficient water when consuming more fiber, Herbs, to include whole or crushed flaxseed, barley and fenugreek act as laxatives and can easily be added to a person’s daily dietary intake.
Again, thank you for the newest recommendation to prevent constipation. Floridians and others with an inexhaustible supply of citrus will be appreciative of your recommendation.
