Home Remedies for Constipation

The modern lifestyle has brought with itself many health problems. Constipation has emerged as a disease in every household. This condition is not limited to the inability to passing stools and bloating.

Did you know? The other symptoms of constipation:

• headaches
• acne
• bad breath
• a loss of appetite
• hemorrhoids (in some extreme cases)
• irritability
• mood swings
• dullness
• lack of enthusiasm
• Together, all the symptoms keep one uncomfortably occupied throughout the day!

What causes constipation?

According to Ayurveda, constipation is a result of indigestion. This leads to the accumulation of feces in the intestines. Vata (the air element) is produced, manifesting as stomach pain, heaviness and a rise in thirst. So, the critical question is what causes indigestion?

There are a few answers. Some are lifestyle-related: make specific lifestyle tweaks and regain a clean colon. While some of the other reasons are circumstantial-related such as pregnancy, age, and travel.

Following are some lifestyle-related causes of constipation and indigestion:

• Diet: Processed food, alcohol, meat, excessive dairy and a diet lacking fiber are the most common dietary causes of constipation. Remove the constipation-inducing food items, and the chances are that you’ll make your morning bathroom trips happier!
• Insufficient water intake: The food in your intestinal tract needs water to move and reach towards its final destination. Thus, with less consumption of water, you are likely to feel constipated. Drinking sufficient amounts of water (here, water does not mean soft drinks!) is the best natural remedy for constipation.
• Lack of movement: Our sedentary lifestyles are triggers for constipation. The solution lies in including walks and some form of exercise in your routine. The after-dinner walk is especially beneficial in the smooth passage of poop.

Other natural home remedies for constipation:

Tending to your diet, water intake, and physical exercise are effective ways to relieve yourself of constipation. There are some other practical tips and remedies which can aid your journey of constipation-relief:

• Have one teaspoon of ghee in warm milk at bedtime

Ghee lubricates your intestinal tract and helps in the smooth passage of the feces. If you do not have ghee, there is something else that you can use – which is oil! It works on the same principle as that of ghee. Doctors recommend taking a teaspoon of coconut or olive oil on an empty stomach to relieve constipation

• Consume fibrous fruits and leafy vegetables

Leafy vegetables have nutrients which aid in the contraction of the muscles of the intestine. While fibrous fruits increase the bulk of the feces and thereby help in its release.

• Consume urine of desi cow

Consuming cow urine is an effective ayurvedic remedy for constipation. According to Ayurveda, cow urine is helpful for constipation, bloating, indigestion, and abdominal colic pain.

If none of these home remedies work for you, it is advisable to consult a doctor. With the help of pulse diagnosis, an Ayurvedic doctor can recommend the right internal medicines and other Ayurvedic treatment for constipation.

9 NATURAL REMEDIES FOR CONSTIPATION

In our experience, there is no one method that works for everyone — personal experimentation is important. The remedies below can help an acute case of constipation, but if you are one of the many people with chronic constipation, you’ll most likely need to use a combination of the methods until you are eliminating properly.

Chronic constipation doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t be surprised if it takes a few days to get things going:

1. Drink plenty of water

Hydrating the body and colon helps make sure elimination is running smooth to remove waste out of the body. Often drinking more water is enough to relieve constipation over a 24-hour period, but increasing your daily water intake consistently will be necessary to reduce or stop chronic cases. Drink enough water so that you’re going to the bathroom about once every 2-3 hours. Boost the nutrients and improve the taste of your water with a spoonful of our tasty Greens drink mix.

2. Eat fiber-rich and water-rich foods

Eating the rights kinds of food is one of the best ways to reduce constipation. Making a habit of eating more fiber-rich and water-rich foods on a daily basis can reduce the causes of chronic constipation and improve your overall health. Leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, cherries, pears, apples are easily accessible options to start with. In addition to foods, adding in a scoop of easily-digestible fiber to a shake or glass of water can be wonders.

3. Move gently

Movement and exercise stimulate peristalsis — the contraction and relaxation of muscles that encourage good bowel movements and reduce constipation. Jumping exercises—jumping jacks, jumping on a mini-trampoline, and jump rope—going for longer walks, and doing yoga are all great for toning the colon and keeping things moving.

4. Take Magnesium

Low micronutrient intake, such as magnesium, has been associated with the acceleration of degenerative diseases and the increase in constipation. Currently,  magnesium deficiency affects 56% of adults in the United States. Fortunately, inexpensive magnesium supplementation is one of the simplest natural remedies for constipation, both chronic and acute, that we have. Magnesium gently helps to relax the nervous system and increase bowel movements. Add a spoonful of magnesium to a warm cup of water to create a tasty magnesium drink before bed. This simple habit will help to improve elimination, especially during a the Clean Program.

5. Drink green juice

Green juice is a wonderful cleansing drink. Typically made of low-sugar vegetables like cucumber, celery, and leafy greens, green juice is a powerfully hydrating drink full of important phytonutrients and minerals. Having a green juice each day or a few times a week when you’re feeling constipated adds a tasty way to keep you hydrated and your bowels moving.

6. Get to bed

When we’ve underslept, especially for weeks at a time, not only do we feel tired but our digestion and elimination get backed up. For many of us, we’ve become so used to inadequate sleep that we may think the poor digestion and elimination that results from it are normal. But often a few nights of quality sleep can start to change this pattern and reduce constipation. Go to bed early or take an afternoon nap. Long-term, you’ll want to develop a consistent sleep cycle and use a few sleep optimization tricks to help make chronic constipation disappear.

7. Disconnect and relax

Stress is a common and often overlooked cause of constipation. The body, as well as the bowels, needs periods of relaxation to function properly. If you notice you’ve been burning the candle at both ends and not scheduling enough downtime, consider shutting off the phone and computer for a while and relaxing. Take a hot bath with Epsom salts, cozy up to a good book, and give your body some TLC.

8. Take an herbal laxative

For short-term constipation or during a 21-Day Cleanse, taking herbal laxatives in the form of teas and capsules can be very useful. While we don’t recommend them as one of the long-term natural remedies for constipation, using them for a few weeks is fine.

Here’s one caveat: Before you try herbal laxatives, try the suggestions above first. These are the most gentle and are easiest to turn into healthy long-term habits. A few herbal laxative options readily available at most health food stores include Smooth Move Tea, Swiss Kriss, and Triphala (an Ayurvedic colon support supplement). We have had good success with clients taking six Triphala tablets a few hours before bed and again in the morning.

9. Get a colonic

For chronic constipation, colon hydrotherapy can be very helpful. Colon hydrotherapy is the process whereby a colon therapist uses water to flush out the length of the colon. Contrary to what many Western-trained physicians may say, colonics are generally safe and beneficial when done with the right therapist.