Constipation: An Insoluble Solution

Constipation is not pleasant, and understanding the fiber difference may offer an insoluble short and long term solution to one of your life’s little inconveniences.

Constipation may result if your colon absorbs too much water which causes the stool to move through the colon too slowly. As food moves through your colon, it absorbs water from the food while it forms waste products. Your muscle contractions in the colon then push the stool toward the rectum.

Fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested. It is present in all plant foods you eat. However, not all fiber is the same. Soluble fiber partially dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. This difference is important when it comes constipation.

Because insoluble fiber is indigestible and does not dissolve in water, it passes through your body virtually intact. This hastens the passage of fecal material through the gut, thus helping to prevent or alleviate constipation.

The inclusion of soluble fiber in your diet is important for its healthy heart benefits. But too much soluble and not enough insoluble may be gumming up your works. The obvious solution is to increase insoluble.

If you haven’t heard, vegetables are an excellent sources of insoluble fiber. So go on and reach for that edible plant in its nature produced form.

Also, consider these common causes of constipation that may indicate additional personal lifestyle adjustments:

Solving your constipation problem may include more than just ingesting more insoluble fiber. If your increased ingestion of insoluble fiber and healthy lifestyle adjustments fail to make an impact, then your cause of constipation may indicate something else is going on.

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