Prevention

• Develop regular bowel habits. Set aside time after breakfast to visit the toilet.
  
  
• Do not ignore the desire to defecate. Answer nature's call to empty your bowel as soon as possible.
  
  
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes wheat grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Recent evidence suggests that increasing dietary fiber intake may help some people with hard stools but is not necessarily of benefit to every person with constipation.
  
  
• Drink plenty of water and fruit juice.
  
  
• Exercise regularly. Walking is especially important.
  
  
• Avoid intake of medications that may cause constipation. Your doctor will help you in this regard.
  
  
• The use of laxatives can actively make a constipation problem worse in the long run and should be avoided.