Natural Remedies For Constipation

Constipation is a common but painful condition that occurs when bowel movements become infrequent or difficult. In this article we will discuss some best natural remedies for constipation. It can be caused by nutritional deficiencies, stress, pregnancy, cancer, depression, and more. The best way to prevent constipation is eating a healthy diet, exercising, and drinking plenty of water.

How To Fix Constipation?

Though treatment depends on the cause, severity, and duration of the constipation, in most cases nutritional and lifestyle changes will help alleviate symptoms and help prevent them from recurring. Here are some tips on how to fix constipation naturally.

Use Healthy Diet

A diet plan with adequate fiber (20 to 35 grams each day) helps the body form soft, bulky stool. For individuals vulnerable to constipation, restricting foods that have little or no fiber, such as ice cream, cheese, meat, and processed foods, is likewise vital. A healthy, high fiber diet plan and appropriate fluid consumption will provide you instant constipation relief.

Lifestyle Changes

Various other modifications that could assist avoid and deal with constipation consist of drinking sufficient water and various other liquids, such as vegetables and fruit juices and clear soups, so as not to end up being dehydrated, taking part in day-to-day workout, and reserving sufficient time to have a bowl movement. In addition, the desire to have a  bowl movement need to not be overlooked.

Natural Home Remedies For Constipation

You can treat constipation at home, but if you have persistent issues or bloody stools, abdominal pain, rectal pain or constipation alternating with diarrhea, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends calling your physician. Some fast home and natural remedies for constipation and natural stool softeners are as under but consult a health practitioner before trying new treatments or herbs, which may cause side effects:

Drink Water

Water is one of the natural remedy for constipation and it is recommended that you should drink at least eight glasses of water each day. The body requires water for appropriate food digestion and removal, and if you experience hard stool that are challenging to pass you might require to consume even more water. Avoid counting coffee, tea and soft drinks as part of your daily water intake.

Drink Prune Juice

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recommends combining a generous glass of prune juice with apple juice or applesauce to kick start a bowel movement as it act as natural stool softener. This is the best natural remedy for constipation. Prunes are a traditional constipation remedy, probably because they contain dihydroxyphenylisatin, a compound that triggers colonic activity. If you’re not a fan of prune juice, eating prunes will give you similar results, plus a healthy dose of fiber that may help prevent future constipation issues.

Try Senna Tea

Brew a cup of senna tea which is another natural remedy for constipation and stool softener. This herb is a natural laxative because of its ability to cause contractions in the colon that promotes bowel movements, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Foxx-Orenstein, in the “Washington Post,” notes that warm liquids can trigger colonic contractions, too. To make senna tea, add a heaping teaspoon of senna leaves to a cup of hot water and let the liquid steep for 20 minutes before drinking it. About 300 milligrams of senna per day is beneficial, but you shouldn’t continue to use senna if your constipation persists for more than a few days, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Use Flaxseed

Grind two tablespoons of flaxseed in a blender or coffee grinder. Use alone, or mix with other high fiber seeds such as sesame and pumpkin. Sprinkle the mix over your morning cereal or add to smoothies, soups or salads.

Brew Dandelion Tea

Dandelion tea has a mild laxative effect that promotes regularity. Simply drink a cup of the tea three times per day until your constipation passes. To make dandelion tea, pour 8 oz. of boiling water over 1 tsp. of dried dandelion root and let it steep for about five minutes. You can find dried dandelion root in most health food stores.

Take Castor Oil

Castor oil is one of the most traditional natural remedies for constipation and acts as natural stool softener. Be careful with it, however. Too much castor oil can make you sick. For best results, take 1 to 2 tsp. on an empty stomach and wait up to eight hours for results. Castor oil can be slow-working, so be patient.

Use Apples

Eat a large apple every morning, including the peel. Health 911 points out that apples have a laxative effect, in addition to containing pectin, which adds bulk to stools.

Figs

Boil eight fresh figs in 8 oz. of water, then let the decoction cool, and drink. Natural Home Remedies suggests using this remedy for three or four consecutive nights, but warns that the mixture may be somewhat too effective–if you experience diarrhea, stop using the mixture at once.

Sauerkraut and Grapefruit

From Health 911 comes the sauerkraut and grapefruit remedy. Warm a glass of sauerkraut juice and drink it, then follow it with an 8-oz. glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice. Sauerkraut juice is a mild laxative, and grapefruit juice contains a flavonol called naringenin which is useful for constipation.

Triphala

Triphala is a blend of three Indian fruits–haritaki, amalaki, and bibhitaki. For centuries, it has been used Ayurvedically as a mild laxative and bowel cleanser and for instant constipation relief. According to Health 911, the anthraquinones in the fruit stimulate intestinal contractions. Take 1500 mg of triphala at bedtime as long as constipation lasts, then cut back to 750 mg a day to maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The pectin in apple cider vinegar is water soluble fiber than can help get your bowels moving again. Drink 2 tbsp. of the vinegar mixed into an 8-oz. glass of water or juice to get the full benefit. Repeat if constipation is not relieved in a few hours.

Mineral Oil

Familydoctor.org suggests mineral oil as one the fast home natural remedies for constipation but it should be used only when advised by a physician as the oil can trigger stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Enema

Most health care providers recommend an enema only when other treatment options have proven ineffective. Enemas are the most fast-acting home remedy for treating chronic constipation; they work within minutes or seconds and provides instant constipation relief. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for using an enema, since improper use can introduce an infection.

Exercising and Yoga

The National Institutes of Health advises getting about 20 to 30 minutes of workout every day to assist avoid constipation. This can be able to make food digestion more effective and assist alleviate irregularity. Besides certain yoga poses increase blood flow to the digestive tract and stimulate the intestines to contract. This can make digestion more efficient and help relieve constipation.

Herbal Remedies for Chronic Constipation

Several herbal remedies are used to softening stools, but cautions that you should not take these without talking to a professional. Not all herbs are safe for every person and every situation, and they should not be overused. Some of the herbal remedies for constipation are as follows:

Psyllium

Psyllium comes from the Plantago ovata plant. They are the seeds culled from the husks of the plant. Psyllium, or its alternate name ispaghula, is an active ingredient in many conventional bulk fiber laxative products on the market because it contains a high level of fiber. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests taking 20 to 35 g of psyllium each day to combat constipation. Drink a full glass of water with psyllium and products containing the herb, to avoid esophageal or intestinal obstruction.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed, the seeds that are part of the flax plant, is another natural herb that may relieve your constipation. Flaxseed, not to be confused with flaxseed oil, contains soluble fiber that bulks up waste and leads to its easy excretion. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that you can mix flaxseed powder into water or juice, or sprinkle the seeds into salads, cereals or yogurt. “The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook”, a Rodale publication, suggests taking 1 to 3 tsp. of flaxseed up to three times daily as a natural constipation remedy.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an herb used as a cooking seasoning, and to increase a nursing mother’s milk supply, but the seeds can also settle an upset stomach and aid in constipation. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that taking the seeds by mouth may actually produce side effects, such as diarrhea, in some people, so ask your doctor to determine an appropriate dosage for you before you begin taking fenugreek.

Herbal Stimulant Laxatives

Aloe extract and senna are stimulant laxatives that are approved by Germany’s equivalent of the FDA, called Commission E, to treat constipation. Stimulant laxatives cause your colon to contract to expel waste that is difficult for you to pass naturally when you are constipated. UMMC explains that because these herbs, in effect, irritate your colon, they should be used with caution to avoid severe stomach cramping.

Herbal and natural remedies for constipation mentioned above are useful to relieve constipation but they must be taken carefully and for short periods of time. If you have blood in your stool or you have severe pain with bowel movements consult your physician.