Constipation
What Is the Best Approach to Overcome Constipati…
How healthy is your digestive tract? Unless it is functioning appropriately, you may not feel as well as you would like. Many readers have written to ask how to overcome constipation. Some also offer …
Psyllium Fiber Is Versatile Remedy
Psyllium fiber has become a household name, especially in the brand name formulations where it is found: Konsyl, Metamucil, Nature's Way Psyllium, and dozens more. From the 1930s to the 1960s a produc…
Don’t Let Psychiatric Side Effects Surpris…
There are few drug side effects as unsettling as those that affect the brain. What makes them especially challenging is that prescribers may fail to mention them. As a result, many people are totally …
Magnesium Excels Against Constipation
Constipation is a prevalent problem, with millions of sufferers. People who have had difficulties for years may be delighted to discover that a simple mineral might help improve bowel function. Many A…
Why Does Coffee Make You Poop With Regularity?
OK, we admit that this is not one of the great medical mysteries of all time. It is intriguing, though. You might think that researchers have far more important things to do than try to figure out can…
How Can You Manage Opioid-Induced Constipation?
Opioids have gotten a bad name over the last several years because so many users have overdosed and died. But people have been using these drugs, also known as narcotics, for millennia. The ancient As…
Power Pudding Is Nurses’ Secret Weapon Aga…
Americans are experiencing an epidemic of chronic constipation. A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (June, 2020) reports that CIC (chronic idiopathic constipation) "affects 9…
How Can You Get Off the Laxative Merry-Go-Round?
Laxatives remain one of the most popular products in the pharmacy. Millions worry that if they do not have a bowel movement every day they will become sick. Sometimes a laxative habit can develop over…
Is Kiwifruit Better Than MiraLAX for Chronic Con…
When people suffer an occasional bout of constipation, most don't worry about taking a laxative. Old-fashioned Milk of Magnesia or more modern MiraLAX are both popular. But when the problem is chronic…
Are There Natural Remedies for Constipation?
Constipation is a very common complaint. While doctors rarely become concerned about constipation unless the patient seems to have obstructed bowels, sufferers find that this problem really affects th…
Can Taking a Probiotic Product Help You Sleep Be…
If you have heard about taking a probiotic product, a pill or beverage containing millions or billions of beneficial bacteria, chances are you were thinking about digestive health. Some people take su…
Solving Problems With Both Constipation and Diar…
Irritable bowel syndrome is a common digestive disorder, affecting between 25 million and 45 million individuals in the US. For many decades, gastroenterologists labeled this a "functional GI disorder…
Video Demonstrates How To Make Nurse’s Pow…
Constipation is way more common than you would ever imagine. A report in the journal Gastroenterology (Jan. 2013) suggests that the median prevalence of constipation for all households is 16%. One thi…
Can Treated Licorice (DGL) Ease IBS Symptoms?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has long been a mystery to doctors. Sufferers experience cramps, bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea and other digestive distress. Until recently gastroenterologists…
Show 1179: What Should You Do About Digestive Di…
Have you ever had horrible heartburn or a really bad bellyache? Most of us have experienced digestive distress at one time or another. When do you need to seek medical attention for your problem? What…
Can You Use Dark Cocoa to Overcome Constipation?
Our readers are ingenious. They sometimes discover remedies we would never have guessed. One person wrote to us recently about a novel use for dark cocoa. Cocoa to Help Ease Constipation: Q. I r…
Show 1222: How Can You Optimize Your Microbiome?
The microbiome–the genome of our collective microbiota–has become a trendy topic in medicine lately. With more microbial than human cells in our bodies, it’s becoming clear we should think of ou…
Chronic Constipation Causes Can be Challenging
When patients complain to their health care providers that they are suffering from long-standing constipation, they may get a suggestion to use a stool softener such as docusate (Colace). If that’s …
Are There Problems With Mineral Oil for Constipa…
Some people are rarely bothered by constipation, but numerous others spend a lot of time and energy managing this condition. One reader has been taking mineral oil for constipation and wonders if ther…
How a Little Girl Overcame Her Constipation
Digestive woes such as heartburn and constipation are tricky enough to manage when an adult suffers from them. When the person suffering is a child, the situation becomes even more serious. A mother d…
Nurse Endorses Coffee to Stimulate Bowels After …
Anyone who has had abdominal surgery knows that the surgical team won’t let you leave the hospital until you fart. The passage of gas demonstrates that your digestive tract has started working again…
Can Coffee Help You Leave the Hospital Sooner?
What determines how soon you can leave the hospital? When people undergo abdominal surgery such as for appendicitis or colon cancer, doctors and nurses delay discharge until they have evidence of rees…
How Do You Feed Your Microbiota?
Scientists know that the community of microbes that lives in your digestive tract is unique to you (your microbiota). They hypothesize that if you want to stay healthy, you have to keep the community …
Will Hot Water Help You Move Your Bowels?
In years past, people put a lot of emphasis on regularity. They thought a bathroom visit every day, preferably first thing in the morning, was essential to good health. Some folks had their favorite t…
Can Antibiotic Help Post-Colonoscopy Problems?
Colonoscopies save lives. The procedure in which a gastroenterologist examines the lining of the colon for pre-cancerous growths called polyps allows for early detection of colon cancer. In addition, …
Must You Grind Flaxseed to Get Its Nutritional B…
The humble flaxseed is now being hailed as a superfood because it is a great source of fiber, healthful omega-3 fats and lignans. The fiber content is helpful against constipation. A systematic review…
Why KayaBiotics from Germany? Certified Organic!
We are delighted that Kaya Biotics has decided to extend its relationship with The People’s Pharmacy. This German company is now underwriting our nationally syndicated public radio show. We are very…
Can Epsom Salts Combat Chronic Constipation?
Many Americans have difficulty with "regularity." They may pass stool infrequently or they may find their stool is hard and painful to pass. People are eager to find ways to combat chronic constipatio…
Arthritis Remedy Does Double Duty Overcoming Con…
Some remedies are perennially popular, presumably because they help enough people to generate word-of-mouth support. We first heard about the grape juice and Certo treatment for arthritis over 20 year…
Will Artificial Sweeteners Harm Your Microbiota?
Artificial sweeteners are extremely popular, since they appear to allow us to break the rules and enjoy sweet drinks or treats without gaining weight. The FDA has approved a number of artificial sweet…
Are Cucumbers a Cure for Chronic Constipation?
Constipation is a common problem–so common, in fact, that a definition is needed. Otherwise, people may mean completely different things when they use the word "constipation." The usual definition i…
Should You Try Yogurt to Combat Constipation?
Anyone who has suffered from constipation would be grateful for advice on preventing this troublesome problem. Avoiding medications such as opioid pain relievers or even supplements like calcium that …
Agonizing Constipation from Calcium Pills for Bo…
Some medications cause constipation as a side effect. Occasionally, people report that simple supplements can trigger agonizing constipation. As a result, one reader faced a dilemma: Trying to Take Ca…
Show 1115: How You Can Conquer Constipation
Americans love laxatives. Millions of people rely on such products to stay regular. But you can conquer constipation without depending on these medications. Medications That Cause Constipation: A surp…
Does the Laxative Psyllium Really Lower Choleste…
Dietary fiber is almost universally acknowledged as beneficial. Diets rich in whole grains and vegetables that supply fiber seem to be associated with better cardiovascular health, better metabolic ba…
Do You Absorb Magnesium from Your Armpits?
Milk of magnesia is a time-honored medicine to treat constipation. But that is not the only use for this versatile compound. We first heard about using milk of magnesia in the armpits to suppress odor…
Should You Worry About Constipation?
It has been our experience that people pay very close attention to what happens when they sit on the throne in their bathrooms. We frequently get questions about the color, texture and frequency of bo…
Can You Find a Breakfast That Will Fight Constip…
Constipation is a chronic complaint that can be very troubling. In this condition, people move their bowels three or fewer times a week. Often, they must strain to eliminate hard or lumpy stools. Cer…
Can Special Yogurt Prevent Diarrhea and Constipa…
Chronic diarrhea is a vexing problem. Occasional diarrhea is generally a symptom rather than an ongoing condition. It may be a signal that you ate something that caused an infection. In other instanc…
Mother Found Solution for her Son’s Big BM…
Over the years, we have heard from a number of people troubled by large bowel movements that would stop up the toilet. It can be hard to figure out what to do about this problem if we don't know the c…