Thursday, September 20, 2007

Constipation - Causes and natural cures

Causes of constipation

Constipation is caused by a wide variety of problems that range from simply not drinking enough liquids to having a very low fibre diet.
Medications such as iron and calcium supplements, drugs used to treat allergies, cold, hypertension, depression, antacids, diuretics (drugs which increase the flow of urine), non-steroid and anti-inflammatory drugs also cause constipation. Parkinson's disease, spinal cord disease and paralysis are the other known causes.
Weakness of the abdomen muscles and pelvic floor also lead to constipation, especially in the case of the elderly.

Nature cure for constipation

There are many home remedies which are effective in the treatment of constipation.
* A large slice of papaya every day will help in easy bowel movement.
* The juice made from the pulp of the ripe bel fruit is also recommended. Break the shell of the fruit and remove the seeds. Add water to the pulp and sugar if desired. Strain and serve.
* 6-8 apricots a day are also helpful. The cellulose in apricots acts as roughage and the pectin retains water. Two raw apples per day can also be taken.
* Figs have a high cellulose content. The fig seeds increase the peristaltic movements, thus easing constipation.
* Curd is also beneficial in treating constipation. Dates, bananas, raw cabbage and beetroot also help a great deal. Lemon juice with honey taken first thing in the morning is a good bowel stimulant.

Hazards of Obesity

Obesity is a major health hazard. In fact its becoming a very common problem. The excessively high levels of fat in the body is a great risk to health. People who are over weight are prone to many diseases like heart attack, strokes, blood pressure, osteoarthritis and more. The obesity is plaguing the entire world today.

Overweight is the mother of all chronic diseases. Overweight leads to non isulin dependent diabetes. This reduces the ability of the body to control blood sugar. This could lead to kidney problems and blindness too.

Several types of Cancer are associated with overweight. Women develop cancer of the breast, uterus and colon. Men develop prostrate and rectum cancer due to obesity. According the the World Health Organisation high BMI increases the risks of cancer in human. Lets now see how Obesity causes Cancer.

1. Being overweight causes changes in the harmonal behaviour thus speeding up the cell division activity which in turn increases the risk of cancer.

2. Overweight also makes the amount of insulin in the body to go up speeding up the cell division which increases the chance of the cells becoming cancerous.

Excess weight in the body leads to osteoarthritis. This caused by placing extra pressure on the joints wearing away the cartilages.

Overweight also leads to respiratory problems during sleep. This results in halting of breathing for short periods during sleep and snore heavily. This may lead to daytime sleepiness and heart attacks.

Overweight also results in very high blood cholesterol levels which results in heart diseases. Over weight also puts an extra strain on the heart as it tries to pump blood.

Obesity also causes female infertility, uterine fibroids and irregular ovulation.