Constipation is a chronic disease that can impact all age groups ranging from children to adults. This condition makes you irritable, and exhausted, and prolonged suffering from this condition may contribute to various health issues like hemorrhoids, an increase in cholesterol, and many more. It is important to address constipation quickly and start treatment and also, look for some of the best home remedies for constipation.
The Symptoms of constipation include:
- having difficulty in passing stool or passing stool only three times a week
- Dry, hard, lumpy stools
- Sensation of incomplete bowel movement
If medical treatment results in side effects, you can turn to natural treatment for constipation that naturally eases the condition and gives relief.
Several contributing factors for constipation:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Changes in daily routine
- Eating way too saturated fat
- Nutritional deficiency
- Already having any untreated disease like thyroid, PCOD, PCOS
20% of the population in the United States is suffering from constipation. This condition, if left untreated, can lead to various health problems. In this case, home remedies for constipation serve as natural solutions that effectively cure your constipation.
Home remedies for constipation are helpful, but if you find blood coming from the rectum, blood in stool, abdominal pain, inability to pass gas, having fever, then you should immediately seek a doctor.
7 Home Remedies for Constipation
As per the report of the ‘American College of Gastroenterology’, 2.5 million doctor visits per year and hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on laxatives.
This means you spend several dollars per year. So, if the problem isn’t too severe, consider a constipation solution at home. It saves your money, doesn’t cause any side effects, and heals naturally which gives benefits in the long term.
The home remedies for constipation are the following:
1. Drink Enough Water
Constipation is a common problem in children and adults, and not taking enough fluid through water or other unsweetened beverages can lead to constipation.
Among various constipation solutions at home, water comes out as an effective remedy that makes the stool softer and helps to pass it easily.
When one does not drink enough water, the large intestine or colon in the stomach soaks water from the food and makes the stool hard. This leads to constipation.
Also, consuming sugary beverages, excessive caffeine, and alcohol can make the stool hard to pass.
According to a CDC report, a daily requirement of water in men is 125 ounces, in women 91 ounces, and in children 44 ounces.
Therefore, one can get constipation solution at home only by drinking enough fluid not only through water but also from fruit juices.
2. Do Exercise
A sedentary lifestyle can lead to constipation. Engaging in brisk walking and exercising serves as one of the natural treatments for constipation.
According to CDC guidelines, the body requires a minimum of 15,000 steps per week. However, for some people achieving all the steps becomes challenging due to the limitation in time.
A proper intake of fluids, and a nutritious diet, coupled with some daily exercise aids in relieving constipation. Exercise helps to relieve stress, another contributing factor to constipation, and ‘strengthens your abdominal muscles and stimulates intestinal contractions’ which helps in bowel movement.
In some clinical trials exercise as a natural treatment for constipation has shown positive effects among patients.
Contrary to the belief, ‘Digestive Diseases and Sciences’ suggests that exercise doesn’t manage chronic constipation. Therefore, for solid proof, more research is going on on the impact of exercise on constipation. Other than that, exercise is always good for overall health and a natural treatment for constipation. Thus, you should try it.
“ALSO READ: 10 Common Foods That Cause Constipation“
3. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods
Fiber is a great laxative for bowel movement and thus it is a fast remedy for constipation. It alleviates constipation by increasing the weight of the stool and the bulk and gas volume trapped in the stool. Thereby, it increases the bowel movement and passes the stool easily.
Therefore, add more fiber-rich foods to your diet to get a fast remedy for constipation. In the journal ‘Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease’, daily 25g of fiber is recommended for a quick solution for constipation.
You can easily get fiber from foods like —- whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
In PubMed research, an article was found in ‘Dietary Fiber and Metabolic Health’, where the study mentions that though fiber-rich food is great for a fast remedy for constipation, excess intake of fiber can lead to ‘mortality’.
So, it is important to follow a proper diet chart and intake fiber-rich foods in moderation because excess of anything is not good for health.
4. Maintain a Schedule
Neglecting to go to the bathroom in the morning can harden your stool. Hence, the first thing one should do after waking up in the morning is to go to the bathroom though one doesn’t feel the pressure of releasing. This practice serves as a natural remedy for constipation in adults and children.
Over time, it becomes a habit, and the urge to use the bathroom at a particular time comes naturally. Therefore, consistently maintaining the bathroom routine proves to be a quick solution for constipation.
Also, sticking to a consistent meal time and opting for early meals can help in digestion.
Indigestion and overeating can lead to constipation.
Prioritizing early sleep relaxes the body which is important for gut health. Among many
other natural remedies, maintaining a schedule is one of the home remedies for constipation for adults.
5. Avoid Spicy Junk Food
Junk or fast foods are high in saturated fat and low in fiber which slows your digestion process. When the stomach can’t digest the food, it lingers as undigested waste, and leads to various diseases. Therefore, avoiding junk food is one of the natural remedies for constipation in adults.
Consuming too much spicy food or fast food can lead to irritable bowel movement (IBS) in approx. 24.7% of women and 18.6% of men.
Spicy food irritates the intestine and raises dehydration. This dehydration causes constipation. Hence, following a diet that is devoid of junk food emerges as one of the natural ways to relieve constipation.
Also, too much salt in food can be harmful to health. According to ‘The American Heart Health Association’ excessive use of sodium ‘may cause excessive water retention’.
As a result, your body absorbs water from the intestine and makes your stool hard to pass. If you are suffering from constipation, it would be better to quit spicy, salty junk food as it is the most effective method and quick solution for constipation.
6. Take Supplements
If medicine doesn’t suit your health, follow the natural ways to relieve constipation. Intaking organic supplements is the best way to increase your nutritional value and taking them regularly aids in constipation.
Magnesium and vitamin B12 are very effective in relieving constipation. You can use these supplements daily. Supplements are very effective for health and one of the natural ways to relieve constipation.
- Magnesium helps to draw water into the intestine which helps to lose stools.
- People who have poor absorption of vitamin B12, are often suffering from constipation. Therefore, vitamin b12 which is addressed as one of the natural ways to relieve constipation can be taken as a supplement form to correct the deficiency.
7. Use Bulk-forming Laxatives
The best treatment for constipation is to use bulk-forming laxatives. One can frequently use these kinds of laxatives to quickly relieve stools and gastrointestinal conditions.
Intaking laxatives enhances digestion, improves gut health, and increases bowel movement.
Psyllium husk is one of the best bulk-forming laxatives and the best treatment for constipation. The husk is made from the outer covering of psyllium.
It can be considered as a fiber supplement. It is soluble and when mixed with water forms a gel-like consistency. This fiber doesn’t need the intestine water to soften the stool. The fiber makes your stool bulky and binds together.
This process increases the weight of your stool and makes it easier to pass easily. Rather than taking medicine that has side effects, you can intake psyllium husk which is natural and the best treatment for constipation.
You can use psyllium husk, the night before you sleep. In the morning you find your stool releases easily.
According to Zumpano, one can mix this husk with food or drinks to increase fiber intake. It can make you fuller all day.
Though psyllium husk is the best treatment for constipation, everyday intake is not recommended because it can cause several side effects like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
Conclusion
Constipation causes irritability and several health problems and interferes with day-to-day work. Following home remedies is the best solution. But in case of severe cases clinical diagnosis is important.
