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Check nowConstipation is a common digestive complaint, but perhaps we don’t talk about it enough! Here our Digestive advisor Ali discusses how a sluggish bowel could be giving rise to bloating, amongst other embarrassing symptoms. She explains how a number of home and herbal remedies may be available to help keep your symptoms under control.
Constipation is a common digestive complaint, especially as we get older. However, in many cases, people don’t actually realise they are constipated, or consider that other symptoms could be related to this underlying problem.
Preferably you want your bowels to open daily; if you go any longer than this without visiting the loo, it could suggest that your gut is a little sluggish. A sluggish bowel can give rise to whole number of uncomfortable and even embarrassing symptoms such as pain, bloating or flatulence.
Constipation occurs as food waste moves too slowly through the digestive system, meaning we aren’t visiting the loo as much as we should be, and we can become quite bunged up as a result.
Constipation can often become a bit of a viscous cycle. As our bowel slows, the stools within our gut can become dryer and more compact, making them even harder to pass. As a result of this, we can also have additional symptoms, such as discomfort as the bowel becomes full, flatulence as the natural bacteria in our gut ferments the stale waste material, and also bloating, firstly as result of a fuller abdomen, but also as more gas is produced as the fermentation process gets underway.
Constipation can happen for a number of different reasons; it is often more likely as we get older, as a result of changing hormones, for example during pregnancy or in cases of PMS, or depending on our diet.
If you bowels are opening much less frequently than once a day, bloating is very likely to be apparent for a number of different reasons:
There are some simple steps you can take at home to try and manage bloating as a result of constipation.
There are some natural remedies which can help give your bowels a little helping hand:
In severe cases of constipation, if you are experiencing pain, or if home and herbal remedies aren’t doing the trick, it might be time to visit your doctor or pharmacist, they can prescribe laxatives if need be.
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Want to improve your digestion? Get involved as our Digestion Advisor Ali Cullen takes you through her 5 step plan to improve your digestion and get problem symptoms, from bloating to acid reflux, under control.
Check the health of your digestive system using our simple test.
Check nowAs the A.Vogel Digestion advisor, I recommend Digestisan with extracts of Artichoke and Peppermint, to help support your digestion.
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