Constipation is a condition that relates to your bowel movements. It may mean that you have pain during a bowel movement, you are unable to pass a bowel movement after straining or you do not have any movement for 3 days or more. This can vary from person to person as everyone has different bowel movement patterns. A normal bowel movement is anything from once every 3 days to 3 times per day. So constipation can affect people in different ways.

There are a number of things that can cause constipation including not enough fibre in your diet, lack of fluid intake, not going to the toilet when you feel the urge or stress and travel. There are also a number of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or pregnancy that can also cause it.

Most constipation will clear itself up however if you suffer from it on a regular basis there are a few things you can do to improve the situation. One thing you could consider is visiting a nutritional therapist to advise you on your fibre intake and give you some advice on how to improve things. Aloe is also a great herb to try as it has laxative properties and can get your bowels moving. Other therapies that could be beneficial are homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic and massage to help reduce stress that could cause constipation.