Go to the bathroom at the same time each morning. Make this part of your morning routine because it is at this time that colonic motor activity is highest. In addition, the urge to have a bowel movement generally increases after you've had a meal, so try to take advantage of these natural signals from your body.  Eat on a regular schedule to help "train" your body to regulate defecation. Try to eat your main meals around the same time each day. Your bowels love a routine!  Since the mornings are peak times for bowel movements, make sure you eat high-fiber foods after you wake up. You may also want to include a hot drink (such as a cup of coffee) since warm beverages are calming and can help get the bowels moving. Start listening to your body and don't ignore the urge to have a bowel movement because you want to wait until you get home or you want to finish the movie you were watching. The movements that trigger a bowel movement, called peristalsis, come and go, meaning that if you don't go immediately, that urge may disappear. The longer stool stays in the bowel, the harder it gets as more water is reabsorbed, usually resulting in a more painful and uncomfortable bowel movement when you finally have one. The position in which you try to eliminate stool can help you stimulate the bowels, although it is important to note that there is no right or wrong way to sit on the toilet. The following tips, however, might help make having a bowel movement easier and less painful:   When you sit down on the toilet, place your feet on a small footstool. This helps to get your knees higher than your hips, which positions the rectum at such an angle that makes it easier to pass feces.  Try leaning forward when sitting on the toilet. Rest your hands on your thighs. The leaning forward action will also help to get your rectum at a better angle.  Try to stay relaxed and breathe deeply. Relax your anal sphincter to open your rectum and let the stool pass out. Many people experience an improvement in their constipation when they begin exercising or increase the amount of exercise they get. Doctors believe exercise helps food move more quickly through the large intestine. This means the colon has less time to absorb water from the stool. Aerobic exercise increases breathing and heart rate which can also stimulate the intestinal muscles to contract, which is an important factor in moving stools through the intestines.  Do an aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate up for a period of at least 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times a week. If you can, try to do some exercise every day, even just walking for 15-20 minutes. Daily exercise will hopefully stimulate daily bowel movements because as you become active so do your bowels.  Incorporate a more intensely aerobic exercise or non-competitive sports into your routine if you are already moderately active. Try running, swimming, or aerobic classes. Abdominal strengthening exercises can also help stimulate the muscles in the digestive system. Lack of adequate sleep over a long time aggravates constipation and can lead to a more severe condition. Try to get between 7-8 hours a night of restful sleep. The bowels can also "sleep " night, so when you wake up, you may be able to have a bowel movement since that is the peak time! Because mental stress can interfere with relaxation of the whole body, including the bowels, it's important to use some type of relaxation technique daily. Doctors believe that some patients cannot push properly when having a bowel movement because they feel rushed and stressed out. In other words, stress increases constipation. Take up relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, swimming, etc. Read a book or watch a movie to escape to another world.

Summary: Get regular. Go to the bathroom when you need to go. Get in the right position. Exercise. Catch up on your sleep. Relax your mind.


These spots result from high amounts of skin-darkening melanin in certain areas of your skin. This melanin can be set off by triggers from inside and outside your body. This melanin condition is called hyper-pigmentation. The triggers might include sun exposure, melasma, and skin inflammation.  Sun spots: These dark brown clusters can take months, or even years, to show up in sun-exposed areas. Once they show up, they usually don't fade unless you treat them. This pigment shift stays near the surface of the skin, so you can treat it with creams and scrubs. Use sunscreen daily to prevent sun spots or to keep them from getting worse. Melasma (Chloasma): These dusky, symmetrical spots stem from hormone changes during birth-control use or pregnancy. When these hormones combine with sun exposure, dark spots can appear on the cheeks, forehead, and upper lip. This form of hyper-pigmentation tends to return easily, even if you treat it. Post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation: You may get dark spots that linger after a burn, pimple, or other skin abrasion. This is especially common in darker skin tones but can happen to anyone. In this case, the melanin is deep within your skin, and the dark spots may take six to twelve months to fade. The skin around your mouth is drier during cold season. Some people tend to wet that area with their saliva, which can darken the skin. If you haven't been out in the sun much, you may be over-wetting the area around your mouth. This can lead to discoloration, dry skin, and mouth wrinkles. These problems do not go deep into the skin, so you will probably not need an invasive treatment. You may be able to easily get rid of your discoloration by treating or exfoliating the skin. If you aren't sure what's causing the dark area around your mouth, a dermatologist may be able to diagnose the problem and suggest a treatment. Changes in the skin can be early warning signs of skin cancer and other serious disorders, so it might be wise to have a doctor check out your symptoms just in case.

Summary: Understand why you have dark spots around your mouth. Consider the climate. Know that the skin around your mouth is thin. See a dermatologist.


A newborn’s skin may be covered in fine body hair called lanugo. This most commonly shows on the shoulders, back, and sacral area (at the bottom of the spine). This is usually associated with premature infants, but can be present on any. Lanugo will disappear in the infant’s first few weeks of life. Plugged pores in the skin of an infant (usually the nose, chin, and cheeks) are called milia. These spots may appear similar to small whiteheads; however, they should not be confused with common “baby acne.” Milia is a common condition, appearing in about 40% of newborns, and will disappear on its own. These are purple-black or blue-black patches that may show up (often near the lower back) on infants of African-American or Asian descent. Mongolian spots are harmless and will disappear in time, typically within a year, though longer in some cases. This is a rash that may appear 1-2 days after a newborn’s birth. It looks like small yellowish spots surrounded by larger red patches. Though it may look alarming, Erythema toxicum is harmless. It should disappear within a week. This condition causes a newborn to be red on one side and pale on the other. It may occur when the newborn lies on his or her side, and it happens because the newborn’s circulatory and related systems are still developing. The coloring may develop suddenly, but usually goes away soon (within twenty minutes), after the infant is active or cries. Harlequin coloring is most common within the first three weeks of a newborn’s life.
Summary: Be prepared for body hair. Watch for milia. Note any Mongolian spots. Watch for Erythema toxicum. Take note of harlequin coloring.