Most of us have experienced constipation at one point or another and have opted to use home remedies for constipation to find relief. About 80 percent of people suffer from constipation at some time during their lives and turn to constipation remedies, although brief periods of constipation are normal.
There really is no need to use all the harsh medications or chemical treatments for constipation that may cause cramping and send you from one extreme to another, constipation to diarrhea. Constipation results when food moves too slowly through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Constipation is usually diagnosed when bowel movements occur fewer than three times per week on an ongoing basis.
Other signs of constipation occur when the stool is hard, dry or there is excessive straining. The stool can often be described as “rabbit pellets” or like “toothpaste squeezed from the tube”. Sometimes it is painful to pass. Sometimes the patient does not feel complete after a bowel movement.
There is widespread belief that everyone should have a bowel movement at least once each day. There is no “right” number of bowel movements. Each person's body finds its own normal number of bowel movements. It depends on the food you eat, how much you exercise and past history. This kind of thinking has led to the overuse and abuse of laxatives.
Constipation can arise from lack of enough fiber and water, inadequate exercise, advanced age, muscle disorders and poor diet. Premenstrual and pregnant women can suffer from constipation also but, the most common cause is usually dietary. However, constipation can be a component of irritable bowel syndrome or can result from a wide range of causes, such as a drug side effect or physical immobility.
Many medications, including pain killers, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and other chiatric medications, blood pressure medication, diuretics, iron supplements, calcium supplements, and aluminum containing antacids can cause or worsen constipation.
Aromatherapy Constipation Treatments
Essential oils can assist in improving digestion, reducing stress and increasing peristalsis (the rhythmic contractions of intestinal muscles that push waste out of the body). Helpful as constipation remedies are essential oils such as basil, chamomile, coriander, ginger, lavender, lemon, orange, rose, and rosemary.
These essential oils work as effective home remedies for constipation due to their properties as an antiseptic, diuretic and excellent for their detoxification properties. They stimulate lymphatic circulation, improve immunity, stimulate the adrenal glands, circulatory system, liver, gallbladder, and promote nerve health.
- Basil is an antispasmotic oil that can be massaged into the abdomen to increase peristalsis.
- Lavender This oil is an amazing therapeutic oil. It stimulates new cell growth, lifts depression, calms nerves, fights infection, reduces inflammation, and eases congestion. Relieves pain and muscle spasm. Lowers blood pressure.
- Peppermint relieves pain, muscle spasms, reduces inflammation, fights infection, clears congestion, promotes good nerve health, and is one of the better constipation remedies as it promotes digestive health.
- Rosemary Stimulates the adrenal glands, circulatory system, liver, gallbladder, promotes nerve health, improves the functioning of the heart and nervous system. It is a great oil for muscle spasms and eases digestive orders. Warning: This oil may trigger epileptic seizures in prone individuals, may irritate sensitive skin. Avoid if you have high blood pressure.
- Check out our Single Essential Oil Profiles.
Home Remedies for Constipation
There are many natural ways to help patients who suffer from constipation.
Cayenne Pepper for Constipation
One home remedy especially recommended is the use of cayenne pepper. You can use the pepper on food or can be taken in capsule form. Cayenne pepper is a blood thinner and can help improve circulation. Cayenne tablets can be taken at each meal after you finish eating. This ingredient is said to help improve the digestive tract and the circulatory system, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and speeds healing.
You may feel a burning in the upper portion of your stomach after taking a cayenne capsule, which will disappear when your body becomes used to the pepper. Adding cayenne pepper to soups, salads, and other foods you like will also help. Once your constipation has been relieved, it will also help you stay regular.
Vegetables as Treatments for Constipation
Vegetables are key ingredients for regulating your colon and avoiding constipation pain. Green leafy vegetables are important to good digestive health and are fantastic and healthy home remedies for constipation. Parsley, lettuce, and cabbage included in a salad are a wonderful side dish with most meals and effective treatments for constipation. Red beets and the liquid from boiled potatoes are also recommended. Tomatoes and tomato juice are thought to relieve constipation problems. Green cabbage is also recommended but remember that green cabbage can also cause gas.
Additional Constipation Remedies
- Eat one half cup of sunflower seeds everyday.
- Try drinking two cups of warm water on an empty stomach each morning. Half a teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of olive oil can be added to that warm water for a little extra help.
- Blanched thyme leaves in a cup of water with a little honey can help if you drink it each morning
- If you like honey, eat a little every day to ease constipation.
- Eating whole wheat breads, bran, and even oatmeal each day will also help your problem.
- One of the easiest and best ways to avoid constipation is to keep your body hydrated during the day. Drink water every day, a minimum of eight, eight ounce glasses of water will help. Flavored water can be bought at any local grocery store or other retail outlet if you don’t like the taste of plain water.
- If constipation still rears its ugly head, then try to incorporate eating a couple of prunes every morning with your breakfast. Prunes are one of the best home remedies for constipation and will help keep your bowel movements regular. Talk about a natural remedy, you don't get much more natural then a prune.
- If additional help is needed then try a magnesium supplement. Magnesium helps smooth and skeletal muscles work the way they should. It also increases the amount of water that is reabsorbed by your colon throughout the course of the day. The more water your colon absorbs the easier it will be to go to the bathroom.
- Get up and get moving, literally. The more you move the more your bowels will move. Exercise is one of the best treatments for constipation. Walking is best but try any thing that you think you will like. The more you like doing what you are doing the more you will do it.
- A diet rich in fiber will also help you to have regular bowel movements. Either take a fiber supplement or eat fresh fruit and vegetables. If you eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables you should be able to ward off constipation altogether. Make sure you eat the skin of the fruit, that is where most of the nutrients and fiber are. Dried fruits are an excellent source of fiber also. Dried apricots are just about as good as prunes are for encouraging a bowel movement so if you don't like prunes then try the dried apricots. Once again take care and only eat a few at one time, the effect can be the same as too many prunes.
Preventing Constipation
You can eliminate the likelihood that you will experience constipation by making sure you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet every day and drink the full amount of water your body needs also.
If you drink all the fluid that your body needs then you will not become dehydrated which is a big reason you could become constipated. Most people do not drink the recommended amount of water each day to stay adequately hydrated.
Herbs for Constipation
Natural Moves is a natural, safe, and effective herbal formula that treats constipation naturally without the risk of dehydration, mineral imbalance and dependency.
This terrific remedy can be used for both chronic and occasional constipation, depending on the dosage used. The herbs used in Natural Moves are fantastic home remedies for constipation and promote healthy digestion, as well as act as an effective liver tonic, therefore avoiding the risk of dependency and side effects associated with some other laxative products.
Natural Moves combines herbs known for their laxative properties and beneficial effect on digestive health. Passiflora is added to relax the muscles of the bowel wall and to relieve stress and anxiety which is often associated with digestive complaints like constipation and IBS. Formulated by our team of experts in natural medicine, Natural Moves is pharmaceutically manufactured to the highest standards.
Learn more about Natural Moves now.
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