13 home remedies for constipation

If you’ve ever had to deal with constipation, or if a loved one has, you know it can be a very unpleasant experience. In this post, we’re going to suggest some of the most practical and helpful home remedies for dealing with any constipation issues.

There is no question that over-the-counter medications like Gas-X and Miralax help deal with constipation when you need them right away. This list is often regarded as natural remedies that can help alleviate your symptoms without resorting to prescription drugs or surgery. However, if your condition persists for more than two weeks after taking these medications, it’s time to turn to some other tools at your disposal.

Eat More Fiber

Too little fiber in your diet is one of the main causes of constipation. Research has shown that the average American consumes only about half the fiber they should get daily. There are more than two dozen types of natural dietary fiber, so there’s no need to get stuck on just one particular kind.

The amount of dietary fiber you should aim for depends on various factors, such as your age and gender, as well as your lifestyle and weight loss goals. Most health professionals agree that adult men should get at least 38 grams of fiber daily. Adult women should get at least 25 grams daily, although many professional health recommendations have them set at 38 grams.

Take A Fiber Supplement

A fiber supplement can also help to relieve constipation.

They’re usually very easy and safe to take but have the potential to cause unwanted side effects if taken in capsule or tablet form. But, soluble fiber is much more reliable and effective when used in a liquid form. You can mix a few tablespoons of honey into a half cup of water and drink that mixture a couple of times per day to relieve constipation naturally.

Take it slowly, though, as too much soluble fiber can have a laxative effect that may lead to diarrhea.

Several over-the-counter products can help ease constipation when you’re suffering from it. Store brands of laxatives like Diora and Ex-Lax work well for most people, and you’re more likely to get the same effects as you would if you were paying more for prescription medications. However, these laxatives are significantly cheaper than most prescription drugs. They may be less potent than their name-brand counterparts because the FDA hasn’t tested them before being on the market.

Drink More Water

Of course, the best way to avoid constipation is to ensure you’re drinking enough water daily.

You should drink at least 64 ounces daily, but if you’re underweight or have stopped sweating due to illness or some other reason, you may need more water. When you buy bottled water, ensure it has been distilled and filtered; these are the only two types of water that are safe for drinking.

Bottom line: Drinking enough water is crucial for preventing constipation and ensuring that your body has all the nutrients needed to keep your bowels moving freely and effectively.

Get Enough Exercise

Exercise is an important part of any good bowel health routine. It increases the blood flow to your intestines, helping them move more freely and giving them the nutrients, they need to perform their functions well.

You should aim for 30 minutes every day. However, your workout should be moderate; high-impact exercises like running can put extra pressure on your bowels and make it harder for you to have a bowel movement when you need one.

Use A Natural Laxative

There are lots of different herbal laxatives that can help relieve constipation without resorting to willpower or prescription drugs.

These natural laxatives are safe and easy to use and have a much lower chance of causing side effects than many prescription drugs. Two of the best-known natural laxatives are cascara sagrada and senna. Cascara sagrada is derived from the bark in the Pacific Northwest and has been used for centuries as a natural laxative to calm your bowels. Senna is another popular herbal laxative taken in pill form or dissolved in water to help ease constipation.

Low FODMAP Diet

For those of us who are sensitive to some foods, it can be very difficult to find a way to manage constipation without resorting to prescription drugs.

A low FODMAP (FODMAP) diet can help you with this problem by eliminating many of the things that cause constipation in the first place. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides and Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are a group of about 20 different carbohydrates that you digest very quickly but also contain specific amounts of fructose, lactose and galactose. These are the carbohydrates that are thought to cause digestive problems in people with celiac disease, fructose intolerance and G.I. distress.

The idea of a low FODMAP diet is to remove all known sources of these types of carbohydrates from your diet and replace them with very high-fiber foods.

By finding out which foods contain these low FODMAP carbohydrates, you can determine which to avoid. Several free apps, like the Fodmap app, can help you figure out what’s safe and which to avoid. This alone can be helpful, but if you plan ahead, there are plenty of ways to still enjoy many kinds of food while on this diet and still experience all its benefits.

Try Avoiding Dairy

Dairy is one of the most common sources of FODMAPs. Many people with digestive issues have found that simply avoiding dairy can improve or cure their constipation. This is because dairy makes your body more acidic. Most people have a normal acidity of about 6, but if you have it too high, it can cause problems with many aspects of your digestive system and make constipation even worse.

Dairy also contains casein, which can cause problems when your stomach isn’t functioning properly. It’s best to avoid dairy completely if you’re experiencing chronic constipation and other symptoms such as bloating and gas.

Avoid Highly Processed Foods

Regarding constipation, grains and dairy can be problematic, but they’re not the only culprits. Highly processed foods are another culprit, as they tend to be made with chemical additives to improve taste or shelf life. In particular, most processed meats like bacon are a big source of FODMAPs, so you should try to cut back on that if you’re having problems with constipation.

It would help if you also tried switching wheat products like bread and pasta to whole grains or other gluten-free foods. This can make a huge difference in your digestive health and help naturally relieve constipation. The same goes for highly processed sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Use Lemon Juice

Lemon juice can also help with constipation as it helps to naturally cleanse your digestive system, making it easier for you to have a bowel movement when you need one.

You can use lemon juice in various ways, including making herbal tea or simply drinking it straight. If you’re trying to avoid dairy completely, you may want to avoid lemon juice as it contains vitamin C found in orange juice. But, the amount of lemon juice found in many other fruits is not considered harmful, and any risk of having too high a level of vitamin C is very small.

Take A Soak in A Warm Bath

A soak in a warm bath can help open your bowels while relaxing. Just make sure you don’t do it if you have any severe constipation or are taking pain medication that has been known to make constipation worse. Hot water can also increase heart rate and blood pressure, so keep these in mind. If you’re taking pain medication to help manage your constipation, use caution so that you don’t cause unnecessary damage to your gastrointestinal tract by hot water therapy.

Massage Your Abdomen

Massaging your abdomen can help stimulate the muscles of your intestines and make it easier for you to have a bowel movement when needed. You should avoid this treatment if you have a hernia or some abdominal disease. And avoid any lubricants that contain petroleum jelly, as they can cause damage to the tissues in and around your anus. Also, please don’t overdo it! Too much abdominal massage may lead to perforation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Drink Coffee Enemas

Coffee enemas are another effective way to stimulate peristalsis and make it easier to have a bowel movement when needed. They also help increase bile flow by stimulating Gallbladder activity, which can benefit this situation. Coffee contains a substance known as Chlorogenic Acid, which is found in all plants but most abundantly found in coffee beans. When you drink a coffee enema, you can take advantage of coffee’s stimulant effects to help stimulate your peristalsis and increase the flow of bile in your system.

Try Castor Oil

Castor oil has a long history of helping people with constipation. It’s a very powerful laxative that does its job by liquefying the contents of your large intestine. Castor oil naturally helps to stimulate peristalsis and bile flow so it can be a very effective home remedy.

Castor oil packs are a safe and effective home remedy for constipation. They work by drawing toxins and gas out of the body in ways your digestive tract cannot do of its own accord. You can create a castor oil pack by putting a large amount of castor oil in a cotton flannel cloth, placing it inside a plastic bag, sealing it with tape and then applying the pack to your lower back or abdomen. You mustn’t have any constipation symptoms when you put on this pack, or you may have some serious clean-up. Leave the castor oil pack on for at least four hours before removing it for the best results.

In Conclusion

Many people find it difficult to take control of their digestive system and change how they eat and live. However, it’s important not to give up if you find out that you need to make changes because a medical condition might be responsible for your constipation. Many natural remedies can work wonders for many people, but if they don’t work for you, a doctor could help provide you with safe and effective options. If constipation continues, seek your doctor’s advice and have them help you improve your diet and get regular exercise sessions so that you will have regular bowel movements again.