In the Egyptian "Ebers Papyrus," which is one of the oldest books ever found, it's clear that undigested food — that is, constipation — was blamed for causing illness thousands of years ago.

That idea persisted into the early 1900s, when ads in the U.S. identified constipation as "the monarch of all diseases," and a shortcut to premature aging.

We now know that constipation is a symptom, and while it can cause discomfort and, if extreme, bowel damage, we're more interested in what it's signaling about your health and eating habits — and about resolving it long-term without stimulant laxatives that your body may become dependent on.

Several studies offer solutions to those most challenged by the condition.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that fiber supplementation improves constipation. The best sources include psyllium, a soluble fiber found in Metamucil, as well as barley, nuts, oat bran, seeds, and beans. Taking 10 grams a day of psyllium for four weeks appeared to be optimal.

Another study out of China found that when people with Parkinson's disease take multistrain probiotics daily for 12 weeks, they get significant relief from common constipation and have improved quality of life.

A third study suggests that constipation associated with irritable bowel syndrome can be eased when people consume a pasteurized kombucha drink — fermented, black tea that contains bacteria and yeast — enriched with inulin, which is a prebiotic found in many fruits and vegetables, including wheat, onions, bananas, leeks, artichokes, and asparagus.

For all treatments, talk to your doctor first; then, give it a go.