Constipation - It is the passage of small amounts of hard, dry bowel movements, usually fewer than three times a week. As a rule, if more than three days pass without a bowel movement, the intestinal contents may harden, and a person may have difficulty or even pain during elimination. Stool may harden and be painful to pass, however, even after shorter intervals between bowel movements. Straining during bowel movements or the feeling of incomplete evacuation may also be reported as constipation. Other symptoms of constipation include feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and sluggish.

You should seek your doctor's advice incase you have severe abdominal pain or vomiting along with constipation, severe straining on the toilet with no results, the normal routine was one bowel movement a day and now it has been 3 or 4 days since the last bowel movement, or blood around the outside of the stools or problems with hemorrhoids.

Diarrhea -Normally, the food we eat remains in liquid form during most of the digestive process. When food passes through our colon, most of the fluids are absorbed and what remains is a semisolid stool. In diarrhea, food and fluids we've ingested and secreted pass too quickly or in too large an amount — or both — through our colon. The fluids aren't sufficiently absorbed, and the result is a watery bowel movement. Also, the lining of our colon may be inflamed or diseased, making it less able to absorb fluids.

The most common causes of diarrhea include viruses, bacteria and parasites, and lactose. Diarrhea can also be a side effect of many medications, particularly antibiotics. In addition, some artificial sweeteners that are found in sugar-free chewing gum can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea -Normally, the food we eat remains in liquid form during most of the digestive process. When food passes through our colon, most of the fluids are absorbed and what remains is a semisolid stool. In diarrhea, food and fluids we've ingested and secreted pass too quickly or in too large an amount — or both — through our colon. The fluids aren't sufficiently absorbed, and the result is a watery bowel movement. Also, the lining of our colon may be inflamed or diseased, making it less able to absorb fluids.

The most common causes of diarrhea include viruses, bacteria and parasites, and lactose. Diarrhea can also be a side effect of many medications, particularly antibiotics. In addition, some artificial sweeteners that are found in sugar-free chewing gum can cause diarrhea.

Diverticulitis - It's common for people older than age 60 to have small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in their digestive tracts — a condition known as diverticulosis. Although diverticula can form anywhere, including in your esophagus, stomach and small intestine, most occur in our large intestine. Because these pouches seldom cause any problems, you may never know you have them.

Sometimes, however, one or more pouches becomes inflamed or infected, causing severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea and a marked change in our bowel habits. When diverticula become infected, the condition is called diverticulitis. Mild cases of diverticulitis can be treated with rest, changes in your diet and antibiotics. But serious cases may require surgery to remove the diseased portion of your colon.