Ins and Outs-
Digestion, Constipation, Prostate and Bladder as We Age
from  Living Older, Living Better! by Katrina Gwinn, MD
What’s The Poop with Constipation Treatments?

The Four most common Causes of Constipation:
  • Low fiber diet
  • Dehydration
  • Lack of Exercise
  • Laxative Abuse

Constipation is downright uncomfortable and
sometimes (though less often than many think) can
even be unhealthful.  Automatic muscle contractions  
move waste to the rectum, and water is needed for this
to occur.  The causes of constipation are complex. Not
eating enough is one.  Another is eating cheese and
meats, as well as other high protein foods.  (Nuts are
an exception: they are high in fiber as well as protein.)  
Medical causes include thyroid problems, lack of
exercise, Parkinson’s disease, and other illnesses.  
Over-the-counter causes include antacids.
Prescriptions causing constipation include treatments
for urinary incontinence, some antidepressants, and
calcium channel blockers (used to treat heart disease
and high blood pressure).  Narcotics (used for pain)
are notoriously constipating. Many false beliefs exist
concerning proper bowel function. These
misconceptions have led to a marked overuse of
laxatives.  One of these is that a bowel movement is
important every day.  Another is that wastes stored in
the body are absorbed. Recent research has not
borne out these ideas...(more)
Go, No Go; Keeping the Prostate Healthy

The Most Common Symptoms of Prostate
Problems:
  • Trouble Starting the stream (need to bear
    down)
  • Trouble stopping the stream, Dribbling
  • Having to go More Often (and at Night)

The Most Common Reason:
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH (NOT cancer!)

Prostate problems are common in men around the age
of 50 years and over.  The most common problem of
the prostate is not cancer; it is prostate enlargement
(termed benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH).  Half of
all men over the age of 50 years have some form of
prostate enlargement; 90% of all men aged 80 years
and older have an enlarged prostate.  
The prostate is a small organ about the size of a walnut
which makes fluid that is part of semen.  Sexual activity
(whether with a partner or alone) does not increase a
man’s risk of prostate problems.
The tube that carries urine from the bladder (the
urethra) passes through the prostate.  As men age and
the prostate enlarges, the urethra becomes more
narrow. This can make it hard to urinate without
bearing down hard, may lead to incomplete emptying of
the bladder, dribbling, frequent urination at night, and
sudden, intense urges to urinate.  If not all the urine
passes, a person is prone to urinary tract infections.  
The good news is that when mild, the problem does not
need any treatment.  However, when symptoms are not
tolerable, medications can be used to relax the
prostate, or shrink it. Sometimes, if medications don’t
work or aren’t an option, surgery is needed to widen
the passageway for the urethra (called trans-urethral
resection of the prostate, or TURP)...(more)