One of the more common conditions that wreak havoc on a person’s peace of mind and general well being is constipation. True, being constipated isn’t considered to be a serious health problem, if left untreated for a considerable length of time, it may lead to other more serious consequences. Besides, who wants years and months of poisons in your body? That in itself should make one ponder the importance of the stop constipation process.

Serious or not, constipation is no picnic and the fact that we haven’t been to the bathroom as often as we’d like, tends to weigh down on one’s mind. And in reality can slow our thinking and cognitive abilities as well as sap our energy.

The lack of fluids (especially purified water) and fiber in the diet is a key factor in becoming constipated. When these vital components are absent or present in insufficient quantities in your daily food intake, the waste matter accumulated in the large intestine becomes hard and small which is difficult for your body to expel. The situation gets worse when the body is forced to retain the hard stool it cannot expel, which then dries out even further and is worked further up the colon where it may block the passage for additional waste material to pass through.

Not to be overlooked are the proliferation of drugs and medications of all kinds, especially to stop pain. These really make the colon cleansing process a tedious job. There are also a host of other causes that can be attributed with causing constipation which include:

• Excessive calcium or iron in one’s diet.
• Sedentary Lifestyle.
• Excessive consumption of strong tea or coffee.
• Recent abdominal surgery causing weakening of abdominal muscles.
• Age related weakening of abdominal muscles.

Constipation is easily recognized, however and symptoms should be understood so as to prevent and treat the situation. These symptoms include stomach aches and cramps, bloating, nausea, headache, coated tongue, tiredness, loss of appetite, depression etc.

If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms for more than a couple of days, it’s best to consult your doctor regarding the same. It’s important to do this because, some times, the onset of constipation may actually be the symptom of a serious illness.

However, if it’s only constipation that’s your problem, overcoming it can be as simple as plainly increasing the amount water and raw fruits and vegetables in your diet and fitting a light exercise regimen into your daily routine.

Drinking enough water and keeping your body hydrated sounds easy enough, but again it’s something that most people avoid. If you drink sufficient water, not only will you be able to eradicate constipation symptoms but you will also improve your overall health.

Another effective way to stop constipation is to include sufficient exercise in your schedule which can really be as uncomplicated as taking a brisk walk for half an hour at least once every alternate day.

Apart from these, if you are a victim of serious constipation, medication in the form of laxatives is advised. However, these are not to be used for lengthy periods of time as they will do more harm than good if used regularly. So, if you feel that you need to use laxatives regularly (even "natural" ones), visit your doctor immediately to diagnose your condition.