When you are groaning from constipation, magnesium citrate may be your salvation. Your body requires magnesium, an essential mineral, to burn carbohydrates and fats, produce energy, synthesize proteins and DNA and provide structural support to...
Difficulty passing stools, infrequent stools and hard stools are all signs of constipation. This condition can result in several minutes of pushing and straining to no avail. The discomfort of this scenario may lead you to reach for an...
A bowel movement is the final step in the digestive process. This substance, commonly referred to as a BM, feces, poop or stool, consists of what remains after your stomach, small intestine and colon absorb the fluids and nutrients out of the...
A bowel movement is the final stage in the movement of food through your digestive system. MedlinePlus states that the material composing your bowel movement, or feces, is the remnants of the food and beverages you consume, or the material that is...
As you age, several factors that influence your diet and the foods you eat change. Getting adequate nutrition is important to keep all systems running efficiently. Having an imbalanced diet and limited food selection can cause problems with...
Laxatives are drugs, foods or substances used to induce bowel movement to relieve constipation. The doctor may advise you to take laxatives if you have medical conditions that may be worsened by straining. These conditions include heart disease,...
The colon forms part of the large bowel or intestine and stores stool before it is excreted from the body. Food nutrients and water are absorbed back into the bloodstream, concentrating the waste products in the colon. The tissues lining the colon...
The pineapple is a sweet tropical fruit that grows primarily in Hawaii, Florida and Central America. Drinking the juice provides nutrients in the diet that are important for the body's biological processes, including digestion. The danger of too...
Taking too many laxatives can put your health at risk. If you're taking excess laxatives for any reason, including chronic constipation or in misguided efforts to purge, cleanse your body or lose weight, serious complications are possible. Consult...
Websites selling Colon Clenz explain that this product cleanses the colon and intestines of toxins and waste build-up. The ingredients indicate that Colon Clenz is effective at stimulating bowel movements, because most of the included substances...
Laxatives are medications that encourage bowel movement. Osmotic laxatives cause your feces to retain more water as it passes through your colon, the Bupa UK website explains. The resulting feces is less solid but also easier to pass. Lactulose,...
Colon cleansing is based on the concept of "auto-intoxication." This theory holds that as food accumulates in the colon, it can "rot" and become toxic. Proponents of colon cleanses claim that when food enters into the colon, it can cause...
Magnesium is a vital mineral that is often sold as a health supplement in the form of magnesium citrate. Although magnesium citrate supplements are generally safe and cause only mild side effects, overuse of magnesium citrate can potentially cause...
Herbal teas are billed as a safe and natural way to speed elimination when you are having problems with constipation. Tea laxatives contain active herbal ingredients that have stimulative laxative action such as senna. Consult a doctor before...
Irritable bowel syndrome is a digestive disorder that affects the area of the large intestine called the colon. The condition is characterized by abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome can...
Many believe liver cleansing rids the body of harmful toxins and enhances liver function. Diet gurus and doctors have reported weight loss, higher levels of energy and other benefits to the body from this process. However, liver cleansing can have...
Nopalina is a blend of natural fiber and essential fatty acid sources and fruits. The makers market it as an aid to digestion that helps to maintain healthy sugars levels, burn fat, cleanse the colon, and support weight loss. It does not contain...
Magnesium citrate is not a beverage but an over-the-counter liquid laxative. It can work quickly or more gradually, depending upon how it's used, but dosing instructions allow you to tailor your dose to your needs. Just because magnesium citrate...
Magnesium citrate is available as an over-the-counter medication used to help treat occasional constipation or clear the bowel for medical procedures. This clear, liquid medication may cause minor side effects related to stimulating the...
If you have to strain to pass hard stools, you may suffer from constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hard, dry stools may be the result of not drinking enough liquids or a dietary deficiency, but constipation could also be a symptom of an...
Laxatives that are sold over the counter are not always used in the intended way -- the occasional relief of constipation. Some people take them as a weight loss aid, though this is not a safe way to lose weight. If you are considering the use...
The World Health Organization explains that more than 1 billion adults are overweight and 300 million adults are obese. When people turn on the television or radio, they are often bombarded with exercise videos, weight loss supplements and diet...
Traditionally, the term "detox" has referred to the process of eliminating harmful chemicals from the body, such as during drug and alcohol detox, or in the treatment of the ingestion or exposure to a poisonous substance. Within the last decade,...
Colon cleansing proponents believe the treatment provides health benefits by cleaning out the digestive system. Cleanses are done through water irrigation or with dietary supplements that are similar to laxatives. Colon cleansing may produce...
The lemonade diet, also known as the Master Cleanser Diet, was invented in the 1940s by an alternative health advocate named Stanley Burroughs. Like other detox methods, the lemonade diet purports to cleanse the body of toxins and facilitate...
Americans are desperate to lose weight, spending more than $60 billion per year on diet and weight loss products. The fact that many people, especially those with eating disorders, turn to laxatives to lose weight, further illuminates the...
In a desperate bid to lose weight, some people turn to habitual laxative use in the mistaken belief that it will allow them to eat whatever they want without absorbing the calories. Not only is this practice erroneous, it's potentially dangerous...
Derived from the leaves and fruit of the Senna alexandrina plant, senna tea has been used for centuries as a natural stimulant laxative. Senna is also an FDA-approved nonprescription over-the counter laxative. A stimulant laxative can relieve...
The trendy concoction of organic lemon juice, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper that's been extolled by celebrities and cleansing gurus is known as the "Master Cleanse." Proponents claim that subsisting on nothing but this homemade...
