Constipation causes a lot of discomfort and also damages our body systematically. Constipation is actually a digestive disorder. There are several causes for constipation which include our dietary habits, bad habits like drinking alcohol, inadequate water and some underlying diseases.
Here are some of the most common causes of constipation
- Lack of fiber-Diets that lack fiber cause constipation. It means that the digestive system is not able to process the food that you are eating. Fiber enables the food to pass through the kidneys and then to the excretory system. When the daily diet lacks fiber kidneys are unable to process the food.
- Lack of water-Drinking inadequate water often causes constipation. Water is required by the body to flush out the toxins and chemicals that get deposited in the organs. Water also keeps the digestive tract and the kidneys hydrated. It is essential to drink at least 8 glasses of water for a proper digestion pattern every day.
- Lack of exercise-Exercise keeps various organs of the body active including the kidneys. Also exercise increases the metabolism rate and promotes digestion. The body is able to consume the energy from the food that we eat and excrete the waste.
- Lack of sleep-A good night’s sleep is required for the body to work on the digestion. Every person needs 6 to 8 hours of sleep for the body to process the food. This will help to alleviate the bloated symptom that we often feel when constipated.
- Stress-Excessive stress can play havoc with the digestion process. The body is consuming all the energy to fight the stress levels and the kidneys are starved of nutrition in the process. This can lead to symptoms like constipation.
- Diseases-Underlying diseases like diabetes for example can cause constipation. It is essential for people with this condition to eat more fiber and drink plenty of water. Diabetes is a condition that directly causes kidney malfunction.
- Medications-Certain medications that are high in zinc or minerals for example also lead to the condition. These minerals are not naturally absorbed by the body and hence stay undigested.
- IBS-Irritable bowel syndrome invariably causes constipation. People with this condition should consciously avoid spicy food to prevent constipation.
- Milk intolerance-Even though milk is healthy for most people some of them cannot digest milk. This could be a birth defect. This condition is diagnosed as milk intolerance. Eating dairy products can lead to constipation in such people.
- Obesity-Obesity is a common cause of constipation and the latter causes obesity too. They both aggravate each other’s symptoms. Obesity is also a major cause for kidney failure.
- Fatty foods-Foods that are high in fat content cannot be digested by the body easily. It often forms deposits in the digestive track and leads to constipation. Usually fats take several hours or even days to be digested and excreted from the body.
- Salt and sugar-Foods that are high in salt and sugar will cause indigestion. They get absorbed into the blood and affect the kidneys.