If you’re currently having three bowel movements daily or at least three bowel movements weekly, you’ve got nothing to worry about. That’s according to the National Institute of Health; however, alternative doctors would disagree, although the aforementioned times may be normal, they may not necessarily be healthy.
According to many naturopathic physicians, you should have at least one complete, soft bowel movement a day.
Without natural, regular bowel movements, the toxins from the stool could eventually be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream, which could cause or complicate a litany of other health problems.
Most conventional as well as alternative doctors would tell you that not having daily bowel movements can be very uncomfortable as well as unhealthy. It’s no wonder that Americans spend more than 700 million dollars yearly on laxatives.
Although you can walk into any pharmacy and pick up an over-the-counter laxative, it does not mean that they’re no risk involved with taking them. For instance, people that abuse laxatives can eventually weaken the muscles of the bowel as well as become dependent, which means that you won’t be able to have a bowel movement without taking a laxative. In addition, they are also known to deplete your body of minerals and proteins that are key in energy production.
The most important thing for you to know about laxatives is that you do not need them. In most cases, you can clear up your situation with constipation home remedies.
Constipation home remedies for fast constipation relief without the use of laxatives
The first thing that you should do is eat plenty of high fiber foods. Many Americans do not get nearly enough of the recommended daily fiber that it takes to prevent constipation. The best way to get the recommended amount of fiber in your diet is to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, 3 servings of whole-grain foods, and at least 1 serving of beans.
Stimulate your intestines with water
It’s important to drink plenty of water when you’re trying to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Try to drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily. Fiber helps to relieve constipation by soaking up a lot of water, which then creates large and soft stools.
Drink hot water instead of cold water if you’re constipated because it stimulates peristalsis, which is the squeezing, muscular movement that helps to push stool through the digestive tract.
Use citrus peel to aid in the removal of stagnant chi
You can accomplish this by drinking a glass of hot water with citrus peel. Citrus peel is known to stimulate chi, which is the life energy of the body. It is believed in Chinese Medicine that through the buildup of chi, the body can gain enough strength to have a bowel movement.
However, you don’t need a citrus peel to enjoy the benefits of this constipation home remedy. For instance, every morning before you eat or drink anything, take a lemon and squeeze into a glass of warm or hot water (preferably hot) and drink it to stimulate a bowel movement.
Clear up constipation with healthy oils
Olive oil, canola oil, as well as other polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils tend to act as lubricants for your digestive system and can help with clearing up constipation. You can prepare an anti-constipation meal by putting a tablespoon of the aforementioned oils on your salad.
What happens if eating plenty of high fiber foods isn’t enough?
Usually, all it takes to remedy most cases of constipation is a high-fiber diet with the drinking of plenty of water. However, if for some reason you cannot get the fiber needed, or you’re still experiencing bouts with constipation no matter how much fiber rich foods you eat, they’re plenty of other natural home remedies for constipation out there.
You can experiment with the following remedies in order to determine which constipation home remedy is right for you. Do not use any of the remedies at the same time.
Take fiber supplements like psyllium
Many people with constipation symptoms may need to incorporate some high fiber supplements to alleviate the problem. Many alternative practitioners recommend you take a supplement that contains psyllium seed and that includes Metamucil or Citrucel. For the best results, follow the directions on the label and take with a glass of water. Supplements that contain psyllium seeds tend to have about five grams of fiber per dose.
Stimulate intestinal action with prune juice
They’re certain compounds in prune juice that helps to stimulate the intestinal action that is needed for bowel movements. Try to drink at least three glasses of prune juice mixed half-and-half with water daily.
As soon as you begin to have regular bowel movements, you can cut the juice intake by half for a couple of days, then stop drinking it.
Constipation home remedy using cascara sagrada
Cascara Sagrada is a traditional constipation remedy; in fact, it is one of the few laxative herbs that can improve the tone of the bowel, which makes it an ideal laxative home remedy.
In addition, it does not cause any distress to the bowel like many other laxatives can such as senna, which is known to cause cramping.
For the absolute best results, you should take cascara during the night time just before bed or after dinner. The herb goes to work while you’re sleeping and you’ll most likely experience a bowel movement in the morning.
It is recommended that you take a 450-milligram capsule every day for about three to four weeks during which time you should be increasing your intake of fiber. Start out by following the directions on the label. However, if it does not seem to be working, you can double the recommended dose.
If for some reason a double dose is still not doing the trick, you should switch to a different brand. In most cases, the product does not contain the right amount of the active compound that is found in the bark of the cascara sagrada. Another reason for it not working can also be a result of the bark not being able to age long enough to be biologically active.
You can continue to take this herb until you begin to have bowel movements; however, you should not use it for more than fourteen days without being under the supervision of a physician. Also, do not use this herb if you’re experiencing an inflammatory condition of the intestines, abdominal pain, or intestinal obstruction. Unfortunately, this herb can result in a dependency to laxatives as well as diarrhea.
Rejuvenate your digestive tract with triphala
If you want a laxative herb for long-term use, triphala is the one you’ve been looking for. It helps to rejuvenate the digestive tract and it is not addictive. For the best results, you can take 2 one thousand milligram tablet three times daily or 6 tablets before going to bed with a cup of warm tea. Use for six months.
Soothe the way with aloe
Aloe gel helps the bowels to move more easily by lubricating the intestines. In addition, it is also one of the natural laxatives. People that have severe constipation should take 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe gel three times daily until the problem is relieved. Make sure to check the label of the product to make sure that is a form of the herb that’s intended to be used internally.
Magnesium deficiency
A magnesium deficiency can cause constipation because the mineral is known to relax the intestinal muscles, which helps to keep peristalsis normal. For best results, take a daily magnesium supplement of four hundred to five hundred milligrams, which helps to prevent constipation.
Cure constipation with acetylcholine
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that affects brain as well as the bowel function. The nutritional precursor to acetylcholine is choline and you can find it in legumes, egg yolks, fish, meat, the food additive lecithin, and milk. For best results, you can take a 250 to 500 milligram supplement of choline citrate or bitartrate 2 or 3 times daily, which should help relieve constipation.
Start taking action
Incorporating the right nutrients, foods, and herbs into your digestive tract is one of the best ways to stimulate your bowels. The following are a couple constipation home remedies that will also aid in getting your bowels moving.
- Adopt a regular routine: People that have problems with constipation should definitely establish a constant time for elimination. Make an attempt to wake up a little earlier in the morning and spending at least ten minutes on the toilet, it does not matter whether or not you have to go to the bathroom. Many people that try this technique are amazed at how well it works.
- Regular exercise is great for the digestive tract: Stress can make constipation worse. For instance, when you’re stressed, blood is diverted from the digestive tract to the muscles; stress also makes the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling intestinal peristalsis less effective. Therefore, exercising regularly can really help to alleviate some if that stress in your life. Try to get at least 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three to five times weekly. Some exercises that you can are brisk walking, bicycling, jumping rope, jogging or any other aerobic exercise that you enjoy.
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Another home remedy for constipation is to soak 5 dried figs in some warm water overnight, then eat the figs and drink their water on an empty stomach the following morning.
The definition of constipation is to have three or fewer bowel movements per week. During manure constipation are usually very small and hard and can be difficult to produce.