The Power of Prunes

Here are some fun facts which I recently became aware of. As many as "63 million people in North America meet the diagnostic criteria for chronic constipation." And there are many studies which demonstrate that "the prevalence of constipation increases with age and is more common in women than men."

Is guava a superfruit? The health benefits may have you searching high and low for it

Guava is a tropical fruit with light green or yellow skin, and a tasty inside that ranges in color from white or yellow to its infamous bright coral pink. If you’re wondering what guava tastes like, it’s been described as a mix of pear and strawberry – but nothing quite compares to trying this fruit for yourself! If its vibrant color and unique taste don’t have you convinced, then read on to learn a little bit more about the many health benefits of guava.

How to stop constipation with a few simple adjustments to your diet

Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints, affecting around 42 million people in the U.S, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This common condition is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, and having bowel movements that are hard, dry and small, making them difficult to pass.

How do you know if you have hemorrhoids?

Perhaps you're constipated, and lately, you've been spending a little more time in the bathroom. You've been pushing harder to have bowel movements, and eventually, you begin to notice droplets of blood in the toilet. You might have anal pain too. So what is going on?

Keep your sodium and potassium in check

Sodium and potassium are electrolytes. They drive many of the chemical reactions that occur in the body, causing everything from heartbeats to nerve impulses to digestion of food. And although both sodium and potassium are important, too much of one isn’t a good thing. While the body can usually balance these electrolytes itself, it doesn't take much to disrupt their balance and cause health problems.

Constipation is on the rise

Many of us are living in a sedentary world. We spend prolonged periods sitting in front of a computer screen at work or at home. Add in the ever-increasing stress, poor dietary choices, lack of fiber, inadequate fluid intake and lack of exercise, and you have the perfect storm for constipation. Unsurprisingly, an article in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found an increased number of emergency room visits for constipation between 2006-2011. To understand why this problem seems to be on the rise, let’s take a look at what constipation is and what you can do.

What’s the big deal about fiber?

Inadequate consumption of fiber is reported to be one of the biggest public health concerns for the majority of the U.S. population. So a good recommendation during this nutrition month of March is to incorporate more fiber into our diets. However, as consumers, we may not be clear why we really should include more fiber in our diets. It is one thing to say that we need to increase our fiber intake, but the message might be more readily accepted if it was more clearly explained to us what fiber is, what it does and where to find it. With so many misconceptions out there, many people don’t really have a clear understanding about the critical role fiber plays in our bodies.