Home Remedies for Chronic Constipation
Relieve the troublesome symptoms of constipation by following these simple home remedies.
16 Home Remedies for Constipation
Chronic constipation is associated with infrequent bowel movements when you pass stools less than three times a week for more than three months. Difficulty in expelling hard stools during bowel movements for a longer period is another sign of constipation.
Constipation usually strikes due to lack of a healthy diet, inadequate physical activity, intake of certain medications, insufficient water intake and irregular defecation habits. It is not a serious disorder; however, if not treated promptly, it can cause severe health problems.
Try these simple natural remedies for constipation to relieve your discomfort, and prevent it from reoccurring. Not only are these remedies simple to follow, but their regular application can help prevent constipation.
- Lemons are an excellent source of citric acid that helps to flush out toxins from your body. You can add the juice of a freshly-squeezed lemon to a glass of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of honey to stimulate your digestive system. Drink this solution first thing in the morning to receive positive results within a few days.
- Fennel seeds encourage smooth muscle movement in the digestive tract and treat issues like bloating and indigestion. Take a teaspoon of roasted fennel powder with warm water to ease your digestion.
- If possible, try to avoid caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks as they can potentially cause dehydration and promote indigestion.
- Molasses is one of the best natural laxatives to stimulate your digestive system. It contains a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and magnesium that help digestion. However, avoid eating it every day because of its high-calorie content.
- Regular exercises can aid natural bowel contractions. Doing light exercises like a 20-30 minute walk or a quick run can promote healthy bowel movements.
- Eating fibre-rich foods such as green veggies, fruits like apples, pears or kiwifruits, whole-grain bread, and whole-wheat pasta will help your body process food effectively. Fibre absorbs water from your food and adds bulk to your stool, which in turn helps smooth the passing of stool.
- Flax seeds contain tons of fibre and omega-3 fatty acids that can be useful in treating mild to serious cases of constipation. It is an excellent laxative and can be taken by mixing two to three tablespoons of grounded flax seeds in water for an effective constipation remedy.
- Raw spinach can reconstruct, cleanse and regenerate the entire intestinal tract. Drink a mixture of raw spinach juice and water, to get relief from severe constipation.
- Drinking ample quantities of water is the simplest solution to prevent constipation. Water makes your stool softer, adds bulk to your stool and makes it easy to pass.
- Grapes are a powerful natural laxative. They contain cellulose, sugar and organic acid to treat constipation. Eat a small bowl of grapes or drink half a glass of fresh juice daily to keep constipation at bay.
- Baking soda is one of the best-proven home remedies for constipation. It re-alkalizes the stomach, neutralizes the acids and gives relief from stomach aches. Drink the mixture of one teaspoon of baking soda and a quarter cup of lukewarm water to get instant relief.
- Oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C and fibre. Eat two oranges or a glass of fresh orange juice to get respite from constipation.
- Epsom salt is high in magnesium sulphate. It helps in drawing water into the bowel, promotes bowel contractions, and softens the stool so it can move quickly. Look for Epsom salt that is readily dissolved in water.
- Prunes: not only are they rich in fibre but they also contain sorbitol which has a laxative effect.
- Psyllium helps to make the stool softer by increasing the water inside it. Add 5g of psyllium to a glass of water and drink 1 to 3 times a day with meals. Psyllium shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach.
- Probiotics help maintain digestive health and could help to prevent constipation.
Over-the-counter medications for constipation
The list above contains some of the popular constipation remedies. If ever they don’t help, you can try constipation tablets or medications from tried and tested brands like Andrews, Buscopan, or Movicol.
When to see a doctor for constipation
See a doctor if your constipation lasts longer than 3 weeks and if it is accompanied by abdominal pain, blood in the stool or weight loss.
Takeaways
Constipation is when you pass stools less than three times a week or when you have difficulties passing stool. You should see a doctor if constipation lasts longer than 3 weeks.
To relieve constipation, several home remedies are easy to follow like exercising more regularly, drinking more water or increasing fibre intake in your diet.
Sources:
- Constipation, NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/
- Another Natural Remedy for Constipation, Harvard: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/another-natural-remedy-for-constipation-202202222690
- A Guide to Refractory Constipation: Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Management, British Society of Gastroenterology: https://www.bsg.org.uk/web-education-articles-list/a-guide-to-refractory-constipation-diagnosis-and-evidence-based-management/
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