More than 4 million Americans have frequent constipation, accounting for 2.5 million physician visits a year. Self-treatment of constipation with over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives is by far the most common aid. Around $725 million is spent on laxative products each year in America. A better and safer way is to prevent constipation. How? Food and drink is the key to keep things moving.

Tips
Stop overeating! Always leave the table feeling like you could eat more.
Properly combined foods. Eat whole, unprocessed, chemical-free food.
Eat at regular times.
Give up all stimulants.
Get proper rest and sleep.
Chew food thoroughly. Hint: if you find whole corn niblets in your stool, you're not chewing enough!!
Do not eat unless you are quiet and content.
Exercise is a must!
Stay away from Cold drinks and food (frozen or direct out of the fridge)
In severe cases stay off all dairy for one month and see if your condition improves.

The colon needs liquid. Have a glass of water or juice or herbal tea at least 5 times a day. Older people often forget that they need to drink because they are not thirsty. Others drink lots of alcohol, which dries the colon out.

Protein can cause constipation. Unlike fruits or vegetables, it has no roughage to mop up the waste material and keep it moving. The slow-moving protein food should always be eaten with vegetables to help move it along through the digestive process. Just like your car cannot operate without gas, your colon cannot operate without roughage.

Food to eat
Vegetables - celery, cabbage, leeks, spring greens, onions, kale, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, beets, spinach, carrots, cauliflower, summer greens, lettuce, red and green peppers, endive, watercress, and chicory. You can eat as many veggies as you like as they deliver an important combination of fiber and starch to the colon. If you eat a lot of animal products like meat, fish and cheese your colon will literally starve.

Fruit – apples, pears, tomatoes, raspberries, black currants, grapes, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, melon, raisins, figs. Fruits can be a lifesaver in getting rid of constipation and increasing the intestinal transit time; however, dried fruit can be part of a gas problem.

Drinking:
Upon rising, drink 1 glass of hot water with a squeeze of ½ a lemon. Lemon juice helps stimulate the liver to produce more bile, which is used by our body as a natural laxative reaction.
Drink more warm water instead of coffee or tea.
Dandelion Tea is great for your liver & kidneys
Fresh juices, specially carrot, beetroot and spinach – good for constipation and liver.Add some dandelion leaves, parsley or milk thistle leaves if you like. Don’t mix fruit and veggie juices!
Drinking Aloe Vera juice can help relieve constipation
Ginger tea – helps speed up your metabolism
Peppermint tea – helps with digestion and flatulence
Oblong tea – helps to digest fat.
Fennel tea- helps with flatulence
Green tea- good antioxidant
At night you might want to drink a glass of warm milk ( un -homogenized!) with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, ginger, saffron and sugar. This helps digestion.
After dinner a cup of 'Takaram' assists digestion (1/4-cup yogurt blended with 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon ginger and cumin seed powder, or other spices. Discard the frothy bit).
Sip warm water with meals if you like.
Minimize caffeine and alcohol.
sources:
http://www.webspirit.com/ebook_con_lax/constipation_laxatives_food_lists.htm
http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/newsletter/newsletter0205.html

I do try to eat lots of veggies and fruits but at times I would be constipated, usually after eating processed foods (sawdust food!) This multi made from whole foods like fruits, veggies, enzymes and the friendly probiotics keep things moving right along.
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