Constipation usually happens in a thoroughly predictable way.
For some reason, whether it be through lack of exercise, insufficient hydration, not enough fiber,or some other reason - the stool begins to move too slowly through the intestines and colon.
At a certain point it is moving so slow that it begins to dry out and become hard.
And, as it becomes harder and harder, it also becomes more difficult to pass through the colon.
Eventually, the result is constipation where you have to strain your colon muscles to help the stool pass.
Sticking to a healthy diet is good advice for anyone.
Unfortunately the advice is easier to give than to take.
For a person with a history of constipation, a healthy diet has to include a certain amount of fiber - especially insoluble fiber.
Health experts usually recommend a minimum of about 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day to ensure that your colon and bowels remain in good shape.
Fiber helps by making your stools soft and bulky.
Bulky stools will move through the intestines much easier than the hard stools which often are the bane of people who don't get enough fiber in their diet.
Common foods that are high in fiber are beans, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Coming up with a plan to include fiber in your diet is not difficult.
But, if you are having trouble coming up with a decent high fiber diet yourself, talk to a dietician.
She will normally be able to help you come up with various breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus which are not only healthy but also provide you the daily dosages of fiber that you need.
But just as important as getting enough fiber or roughage in your diet is limiting the amounts of food that have little or no fiber.
The usual suspects of foods with little or no fiber are all sorts of junk foods from candies to potato chips.
A good diet doesn't necessarily eliminate these foods, it just limits them.
Insoluble fiber is an excellent food choice to help prevent constipation because its bulk helps to prevent the hard stools that lead to constipation.
In fact, one of the reasons that seniors have more constipation than those younger is that they find it more difficult to eat high fiber foods.
As a result, they tend not to eat these foods which eventually leads to constipation.
But if there were only one piece of advice to give to people who have trouble with constipation, it would be to eat more fiber.