How to Stay Regular

Yeah, I'm talking about *that* kind of regular. Having your bowels go out of whack is one life's more unpleasant unpleasantries. Whether the irregularity is constipation or diarrhea, having intestinal trouble in the bathroom is just no fun at all. Here are some tips to keep things regular.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. **Try Some Extra Fiber**
   
   Fiber supplements like Metamucil and Citrucel help provide some of the plain old bulk material to help keep things on an even keel. There are different sorts -- powders, capsules and chewable tablets being the most common -- and different brands contain fiber from different sources.
   
   There's no way of knowing ahead of time what will work best for you, so pick one and give it a try. The generic, drugstore brands seem to work just as well as heavily marketed brands, at about half the cost.

2. **Learn to Love Yogurt**
   
   Yogurt with active bacteria is one of the key foods you can eat to keep your gut happy.
   
   If the idea of eating live bacteria doesn't quite appeal to you, just keep in mind that you do it all the time, and that your intestines not only house trillions of the little critters, but that they play a really important role in keeping you healthy.
   
   Yogurts like Activa, Stonyfield, and DanActive contain so-called probiotics -- live bacteria such as Acidophilus or Bifidus that many people feel are a good help in aiding digestion and regularity (there's even one called bifidus regularis...hint, hint!). Give one of them a try, and see if it works for you.

3. **Pay Attention**
   
   Be a bit of a gastro-intestinal detective. Look for patterns of upset and irregularity that might give you clues to what's going on.
   
   Do you become irregular on weekends? Perhaps it's your Friday night bar-hopping that's the culprit.
   
   If the problems tends to pop up in mid-morning, pay attention to your breakfast routine.
   
   Perhaps you are particularly sensitive to some types of food. Dairy and fatty foods are sometimes triggers for irritable bowel syndrome, for instance.
   
   When you notice a possible cause, make a change to your diet or your habits, and see what happens. Perhaps cutting back (or...Gasp!...giving up) coffee for a while will lead to real improvements. Experiment...and see how it goes.

4. **Don't Forget Your Diet**
   
   Everything mentioned here, of course, is just an adjunct to your regular diet. Make a point of eating healthy. You know what that means. More vegetables and home cooking, less processed food, fast food, and junk food. Include some good whole grains in your diet, and eat and drink in moderation (most of the time, anyway).

[ScarlettOHairy]

on 5/29/2009 So important, the ol' gut. Good suggestions and steps for staying regular.

[Alrady]

on 5/25/2009 good tips...