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Health Tip: Risk Factors for Constipation

By ariannawmd on January 20, 2015

Constipation is characterized by difficulty or infrequently passing bowel movements.

The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these risk factors:

Getting less than 20 grams to 35 grams of dietary fiber each day.
Getting insufficient fluids, which allows stools to dry out.
Getting insufficient exercise.
Avoiding passing bowel movements when you feel the urge.
Taking certain medications, such as opiates.
Undergoing changes in your life or routine, including travel or pregnancy.
Having certain diseases or conditions, such as diabetes, lupus or multiple sclerosis.
Having an intestinal problem, such as an obstruction, irritable bowel syndrome or a tumor.

Source: HealthDay

Are You Living with Psoriasis?

A growing knowledge of the skin disease called psoriasis is leading to greater treatment choices, including personalized therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes overproduction of skin cells, resulting in scaling, pain, swelling, redness and heat. The condition affects about 7.5 million Americans.

“As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments,” FDA dermatologist Dr. Melinda McCord said in an agency news release.

There is no cure for psoriasis, so the main goals of treatments are to stop skin cell overproduction and reduce inflammation. Current therapies include medicines applied to the skin (topical), light treatment (phototherapy), or drugs taken by mouth or given by injection.

Doctors used to take a step-by-step approach, starting patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on topical therapy. If that was ineffective, doctors moved on to phototherapy or drug treatment.

Health Tip: Risk Factors for Constipation

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Are You Living with Psoriasis?

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