Remedies for constipation is an excellent solution to use at home. It affects approximately 20% of Americans, causing 8 million visits to the doctor per year.
It can cause by the foods you eat or avoid, lifestyle, medications, or illness. But for many persons, the cause of their chronic constipation is often unknown. It is known as chronic idiopathic constipation.
Constipation characterizes by having fewer than three bowel movements a week. However, it can also include other unpleasant symptoms, such as distress when you go to the bathroom, bloating, and pain because the stool is hard, dry, and difficult to pass.
Unfortunately, constipation can have a severe adverse effect on your quality of life, as well as your physical and mental health. There are numerous natural ways to help relieve constipation. You can try them in the comfort of your home, and most of these even back by science.
Table of Contents
13 Home Remedies for Relieve Constipation
1. Drink More Water
- Regularly, being dehydrated can cause constipation. It avoids this, and it is essential to drink enough water and stay hydrated.
- When you’re constipated, you may try to find relief by drinking some soda (fizzy) water to help rehydrate you and get your bowel moving again.
- Some studies have found that effervescent water is more effective than drinking water in relieving constipation. It includes people with chronic idiopathic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- However, do not start drinking more carbonated beverages like sweet sodas, as they are a poor choice for your health and can make your constipation worse.
2. Eat More Fiber
Often people who are constipated are told to increase their fiber intake. Increasing said intake increases the volume and consistency of stools, which makes it easier to expel them.
A recent review determined that 77% of people with chronic constipation benefited from adding fiber. However, some studies have found that growing fiber intake can make the problem worse.
Other research has found that although dietary fiber can increase bowel movements’ frequency, it does not help with the other symptoms of constipation. These comprise stool consistency, pain, bloating, and gas.
It is because the type of dietary fiber you add to your diet is essential. There are many different dietary fibers, but generally, they fall into two categories:
Insoluble Fibers
- They find in wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains. These add bulk to the stool and believe in helping it pass more quickly and easily through the digestive system.
Soluble Fibers
- They are found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and fruits and vegetables. They engage water and form a gel-like paste, which softens stool and improves consistency.
- Studies examining the effects of inexplicable fiber as a treatment for constipation have been inconclusive.
- Insoluble fiber can worsen some people with functional intestinal problems, such as IBS or chronic idiopathic constipation.
- Some soluble, fermentable fibers can also be ineffective in treating constipation, as they are fermented by bacteria in the gut and lose their ability to retain water.
- The best excellent for a fiber supplement when you’re constipated is one made from soluble, non-fermentable fiber, such as psyllium. Various brands are available online.
- To avoid constipation, you should consume a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibers. The total optional fiber intake per day is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
3. Get more Exercise
- Studies on the result of exercise on constipation have shown confusing results.
- Several studies have exposed that exercise does not touch the frequency of bowel movements.
- However, a recent randomized controlled study of constipated people with IBS found exciting results. It found that exercise significantly reduced symptoms.
- Other studies also found similar results for this group of people.
- Although much research has found that exercise does not affect the number of times people go to the bathroom, it appears to reduce constipation symptoms.
- If you are constipated, then try successfully for a walk regularly. It is worth a try.
4. Drink Coffee, Especially Decaf
- For some people, coffee can increase the essential to go to the bathroom. It is because this drink rouses the muscles in your digestive system.
- Coffee can also cover small amounts of soluble fibers that help prevent constipation by improving your gut bacteria’s balance.
5. Take Senna, an Herbal Laxative
- The herbal laxative Senna commonly uses these remedies to relieve constipation. It is available over the counter or online and can take orally or rectally.
- Senna contains various plant compounds called glycosides, which stimulate the nerves in your gut and speed up your bowel movements.
- It usually considers safe for adults to use Senna for short periods, but you should check with your doctor if your symptoms do not go away after a few days.
- Senna is usually not recommended for pregnant, nursing, or certain medical conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
6. Eat Probiotic Foods
- Probiotics can help prevent chronic constipation.
- People with chronic constipation show to have an imbalance of bacteria in their gut.
- Probiotic foods think to help improve this balance and prevent constipation.
- They could also help treat constipation by creating lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids. These can improve bowel movements, making it easier to pass stool.
- A recent review found that probiotics appeared to treat functional constipation by increasing stool frequency and improving stool consistency.
- To include probiotics in your food, try eating foods that contain them. Examples include yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, which cover live, friendly bacteria.
- Alternatively, you might try a probiotic supplement. It usually recommends taking it daily for at least four weeks to see if it has any beneficial effects.
7. Over-the-Counter or Prescription Laxatives
You can talk to your doctor or pharmacist about choosing an effective laxative.
They may commend one of the following types:
Bulking Agent
These are fiber-based laxatives that use to increase the water content in your stool.
Stool Softeners
Stool softeners contain oils to soften the stool and facilitate its passage through the intestine.
Stimulating Laxative
These stimulate the tensions in your gut to upsurge bowel movements.
Osmotic Laxative
Osmotic laxatives soften stool by drawing water from the surrounding tissues into your digestive system.
However, most of these laxatives shouldn’t regularly take without talking to your doctor first.
8. Try a Low-FODMAP Diet
- Constipation can be an indication of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- The low-FODMAP diet is a removal diet that often use to treat IBS. It could be useful in treating your constipation if this syndrome causes it.
- FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. The food includes limiting foods high in FODMAP for a while before reintroducing them to determine which ones you can tolerate.
- However, if you consume constipation-predominant IBS, the low-FODMAP diet without help is often not sufficient.
- You will probably want to pay care to other aspects of your diet, such as drinking enough water and fiber to experience relief from your symptoms.
9. Eat Shirataki Noodles or Take a Glucomannan Supplement
- Glucomannan is a kind of soluble fiber. It shows to treat constipation effectively.
- A study in children found that 45% of those who took glucomannan experienced relief from severe constipation, compared to just 13% in the group who did not use it.
- However, another skillful study found no significant effects.
- Like improving bowel movements, glucomannan show to work as a prebiotic and enhance the balance of good bacteria in your gut.
- If you are constipated, try including more glucomannan in your diet. You can achieve this by attracting a glucomannan supplement or eating shirataki noodles, making from this fiber.
- Glucomannan supplements vary in benefits by brand, so it’s essential to shop around before you buy.
10. Eat Prebiotic Foods
- Dietary fiber increases the consistency and bulk of your stool, which can improve bowel frequency.
- Another way that some fibers can help treat chronic constipation is through their effects on your digestive health.
- Prebiotic fibers progress digestive health by feeding the good bacteria in your gut. It can improve the balance of your gut bacteria.
- Prebiotics like the galactooligosaccharides shows to help increase the frequency of bowel movements and soften the stool.
- Foods that are rich in prebiotic fiber include garlic, onions, and bananas.
11. Magnesium Citrate
- Taking magnesium citrate is an available home remedies for constipation. This is an over-the-counter type of osmotic laxative that can also be purchased online.
- Taking moderate quantities of magnesium supplements can assistance relieve constipation. Sometimes the higher doses are used to prepare and clean the intestine before surgery or other medical procedures.
12. Eat Plums
- Plums and prune juice are often touted as natural remedies for constipation, and it’s for a good reason.
- In addition to fiber, plums contain sorbitol, a natural laxative. It is a polyol that has a laxative effect.
- Studies have shown that plums can be more effective than fiber. For constipation, plums may be the most comfortable natural solution to find.
- The effective dose considers being approximately 50 grams (about seven medium plums) twice a day.
- However, you may want to avoid plums if you have IBS, as polyalcohols recognize FODMAPs.
13. Try to Avoid Dairy
- In some circumstances, dairy intolerance can lead to constipation remedies due to its effect on your bowel movement.
- In some cases, children who are intolerant to cow’s milk protein and adults with lactose intolerance may experience constipation.
- If you think you may be lactose intolerant, then you could try eliminating it from your diet temporarily to see if your symptoms improve.
- Just make sure to replace dairy in your diet with other calcium-rich foods.
Conclusion
Remedies for constipation is an uncomfortable problem with several root causes.
If it is a problem for you, you should speak with your doctor to identify the possible cause and find an effective treatment protocol.
With that said, many natural home remedies in this article can also provide significant relief.
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