Are you constipated? The first step is to decide whether you really are constipated. Constipation is difficult to define, and what one person regards as constipation, another person may regard as normal. Some people think they are constipated if they do not pass feces every day, but this is not necessarily the case. We tend to think one stool a day is healthy, but this is because of the way we have trained ourselves. Actually, our bodies are designed to pass feces more often. Primates such as chimps and monkeys pass soft stools several times a day.So try the following questions:• Do you have to strain to pass feces?• Are your feces lumpy or hard at least one time in four?• Do you feel that you haven't emptied your bowel completely, at least one time in four?• Do you pass feces only once or twice a week?If you answered 'yes' to two or more of these questions, and you have had the problem for more than 3 months, then you do have constipation.