Think of the freeway at rush hour with cars just inching along. Your listless gastrointestinal tract, if constipated, moves slower unless you help it out. The best way to do this is to consume more fiber . Both soluble and in soluble fiber play a role in preventing con stipation. Soluble fiber , which dissolves easily in water, takes on a soft texture in the intestines, helping to prevent dry, hard stools.
Insoluble fiber passes almost unchanged through the intestines and adds bulk to the stool.
Try to get from 25 to 40 grams of fiber in your diet a day, says Christopher Lahr, M.D., director of Complete Colon Care in Charleston, South Carolina, and the author of Shining Light on Constipation. All-Bran, fresh fruits like avocados, and vegetables such as artichokes. Other Wise Ways Go slow. Adding too much fiber too quickly to your diet may solve your constipation but replace it with gassiness, bloating, and diarrhea. But you can avoid these side effects by introducing fiber slowly.