Home Remedies for Constipation

Home remedies for constipation are easy to use, and they are very effective. 

If you know how to effectively use home remedies for constipation, you can solve so many health problems!  Every good herbalist knows that at least 80% of all health problems are caused by or exacerbated by constipation.

That means you can resolve at least 80% of all health problems by applying home remedies for constipation.  You don't even need to go to a doctor and get a prescription.  You just need to get the bowels back into optimal working order.

Get ready to learn .... because I am about to teach you how to do it!

Many of us don't even realize that our bowels are not functioning optimally.  Even if you are having a bowel movement once a day, you could still have a sluggish colon.  Think about it ... most people eat three times a day but only have a bowel movement once a day.  Hmm ... where is the rest of that food going?

Some of us have bowels that are moving slowly.  Waste is moving through, but not as quickly as it could.  This gives it time to rot in our bowels.  Yuck!  I compare this to work hour traffic.  Cars are moving through, but it is slow going.

There is more than one kind of constipation: 

1. Acute Constipation -- the kind where, all of a sudden, you can't go at all for days, no matter how much you strain (which can be life-threatening)

2. Constipation with Diarrhea -- occurs when your bowels are so obstructed that only liquid can get through.
   

3. Chronic Constipation -- the kind where you just don't eliminate all of your waste, like backed-up traffic. You are able to have bowel movements, but you don't have them often enough, or only a small amount is coming out each time you go.
   

We are going to address all types on this page, and tell you how to deal with each one. 

We are going to discuss acute constipation first, but most of this page will focus on chronic constipation.  If you are suffering from chronic constipation, you can skip ahead to that section. 

Home Remedies for Acute Constipation

If you have acute constipation, that means you can't go at all, and you haven't gone for a while.  Food is going into your body, but nothing is coming out.

This is a serious condition that can make you very ill very quickly. 

In a case of acute constipation, it is important to stay calm. Getting anxious is only going to make it worse. Let's go over these home remedies for constipation one at time.

Here is what you need to do:

• Stop eating all solid foods. You don't want to add more solids to the traffic jam.

• If you have Dr. Schulze Intestinal Formula #1, immediately take at least 3 capsules. If you don't have any on hand, go to your local health food store or pharmacy and get senna tea. Drink at least 2 cups as soon as possible.
  

• Use a rectal enema to see if you can get the jam to start moving.

• Your diet at this time should be fresh made juices and plenty of clean water. Apple juice, carrot juice, beet juice, spinach juice, and prune juice are great for getting the bowels going.

• Go for a walk. Walking, jogging, and rebounding can all help the bowels move.

Keep the fluids going and remember to relax.  Nervine herbs (such as valerian root or lobelia) will be great for a time like this.

If you try all of this and you still haven't had a bowel movement in two or three days, then it would be wise to get medical help. You could have some sort of bowel obstruction that a hospital would have to deal with.

Home Remedies for Constipation with Diarrhea

Understanding Chronic Constipation

Most of us understand that acute constipation is dangerous. But chronic constipation can also cause serious health problems.

When your bowels aren’t moving on a regular basis, it adds to your body’s toxic load. Always remember that a toxic body is a sick body.

Most people think that having a bowel movement once every 1-2 days means they aren't constipated ...  but a truly healthy person has 2 to 3 bowel movements a day.

People in countries that eat high fiber plant based diets, pass a meal through their bowels in 18 hours. In western countries, including America, the bowel transit time is 36 to 72 hours after eating a meal! 

That means your meal stays in your bowel for 3 days.  And that's the average ... some people's meal stay in their bodies even longer.

Are you starting to see how the bowels start to back up? I mean most people eat 3 to 6 times a day. Basically most people have colons that are suffering from a long-term traffic jam. 

To reverse this condition, you need to understand what causes it.  So first we will go over the causes of constipation. Then we will dive into our home remedies for constipation.

Causes of Chronic Constipation

Common causes of constipation include:

• low fiber diet

• lack of exercise

• not staying adequately hydrated
  

• dairy products

• overuse of chemical laxatives

• antacids

• pregnancy

• problems with the nerves and muscles of the digestive system

• holding your bowel movement when you get the urge to go

• side effect of strong medications such as synthetic narcotic pain killers

• stress

• hypothyroidism
  

Of course there are a few other more serious causes of constipation (such as tumor growths in the colon).  If you try the home remedies recommended here without relief or improvement, you should seek medical attention.

Medical Treatment vs. Home Remedies for Constipation

Depending on the medical doctor, he or she may talk to you about lifestyle changes for your constipation.

But most modern doctors don’t believe that constipation is a serious problem.

Chemical laxatives can create dependency and overtime cause the colon to stop working on its own. Both scenarios are bad news.

So you would be better off to steer clear of chemical laxatives if at all possible.

And I am here to show you how to do that.... by using safe, gentle home remedies for constipation that are natural and can be used long term without negative side effects.

How do you know if you are constipated?

If you are an American living the typical American lifestyle of chronic stress, lack of exercise, eating the standard American diet, and are having less than one bowel movement a day, then you are constipated.

Another sign is when you go to have a bowel movement, you have to strain.  Healthy bowel movements are effortless.

Another way to determine whether you are constipated is to look for the common symptoms. 

Symptoms of bowel toxemia include:

• fatigue

• nervousness

• gastrointestinal conditions
  

• incomplete nutrient absorption

• skin problems like eczema

• endocrine problems

• headaches

• arthritis

• sciatica

• low back pain

• asthma

• eye, ear, nose, and throat disease

• cardiac irregularities

• breast cancer

These are to name a few that we know of, and all the conditions on this list have responded to correcting the bowel toxemia

This concept is not popular in the current medical community, but this fact doesn’t make bowel toxemia any less true.

You need to know that your bowel habits are highly important to your overall health. So come on ... let's get to poopin!

Home Remedies for Constipation

1.  Diet changes

A healthy diet is the #1, the king, the most important of all home remedies for constipation.  Eating a diet low in fiber and high animal foods is a great way to get yourself constipated. Eating a high fiber diet filled with plant-based foods is a great way to get your colon back in working order.

A truly healthy person has 2 to 3 bowel movements a day. But most people have colons that are suffering from traffic jam.  The only way to achieve this type of regularity is with a high-fiber, plant based diet.

Now why did I say plant based diet you might ask? Because the only foods that contain fiber are the foods we get from plants. Good sources of fiber are found in bananas, beans and lentils, artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.

These are just some of the plant foods that contain fiber, but remember just about every fruit, vegetable, nut, seed, and whole grain packs a good punch of fiber. The foods of the plant kingdom need to be in your diet on a daily basis.

If you haven’t been eating a high fiber diet, start slow. Don’t immediately go from eating 5 grams a fiber a day, to 50 grams tomorrow. If you do, you are likely to experience gas and bloating and more constipation.

So remember to start slow and work your way up each day  over the course of several days to a higher fiber diet. And remember when you increase your fiber intake, your water intake must be increased too. Which brings me to our second most important on our list of home remedies for constipation.

2. Water

Water is the most vital aspect of living a healthy life. Your body needs plenty of water to have healthy bowel movements. 

Be sure to drink half of your body weight in ounces everyday.  If you are walking around dehydrated, your stool will become dehydrated too.

If your poop is coming out in small hard balls, then you have very dry stool.

The home remedy to this situation is drink baby drink. (Water that is, don’t get too excited.) Do yourself a favor and really get serious about your water intake, it will make a world of difference in the ease, regularity, and consistency of your bowel movements.

Oh, one more thing, make sure your water comes from a clean non-polluted source. You don’t want to add any more toxins to your body than is necessary. I recommend that distilled water is the cleanest source that you can get in today's world, no matter the arguments over distilled water, I think they all pale in comparison to the magnitude of our polluted world.

Click here for more information on hydrating your body and finding the purest water for you.

3. Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1

Of all of the home remedies for constipation we will discuss here today, Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1 formula is my go-to, first line of defense, I never let my stock run out, most favorite herbal remedy. 

I believe this product is the very best herbal combinations to get your bowels moving and keep them moving.

This formula produces effortless substantial bowel movements without cramping or diarrhea. It is a great product to get your bowels kick started and back on track.

It also contains herbs that help rid the colon of infection and bleeding. Over time this formula will strengthen and correct your bowels so that they will work properly on their own again. 

Be sure you read the instructions and follow them carefully.  They tell you how to determine the right dose for you.  Some people only need 1 capsules, some need 10 or more, depending upon how constipated you are. https://amzn.to/2YwA45d

Note:If you are looking for herbs that will treat constipation in children, get Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #3 instead.

4. Dr. Christopher's Lower Bowel Formula

Dr Christopher's Lower Bowel Formula is another great herbal combo that feeds and strengthens the bowel tissue.

Over time, the lower bowel formula will strengthen the bowel back to normal function. This formula also contains herbs that help clear up infection and bleeding within the bowel.

The lower bowel formula is a food source for the bowels that was designed to be used long term, 1 year or more.

The lower bowel formula may be more gentle than the intestinal formula #1 for some of you. Both are great home remedies for constipation if you are trying to heal any bowel problems and get back on the pooping track! https://amzn.to/3f8KEow

5. Senna

Senna is one of the most well-known home remedies for constipation, and for good reason. Senna is effective, easy to use, and easy to find.  If you need something fast, you can find senna in many grocery stores and pharmacies, and in pretty much every herbal shop.

Senna also produces quick results, and should result in a bowel movement in 24-36 hours.

Senna acts as a stool softener, which means it has a great ability to help keep more water in your stool.  A more hydrated stool is a softer stool, making your bowel movements easier and more pleasant.

6. Psyllium

Psyllium has earned its place as a VIP on our list of home remedies for constipation.

If you have heard of Metamucil, then you have heard of psyllium.  That is the product's main ingredient.

The husks then absorb the water and transport it into your colon, making your BMs softer and easier to pass.  Psyllium can either release water in the colon, making dry stools softer, or it can absorb water in the colon, reducing loose, liquidy BMs. 

So psyllium is great for constipation with diarrhea. 

Psyllium can and should be taken daily for best results.  If you are constipated, it might take 24-72 hours to see the immediate results.  And this time period might include some gas and bloating.  But once you get that first BM, pushing through all the old stuff, then you should stay regular as long as you take it daily.

Note:  If your constipation is caused by prescription medications such as opioids, then you should not take psyllium only. Take it in combination with a bowel stimulating formula, such as senna or Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1.

7. High Dose Vitamin C

Are you surprised that Vitamin C made it on our list of home remedies for constipation?

Your body can only absorb so much Vitamin C at one time.  If you take more than your body can absorb, the rest will come out of your body in the form of a loose bowel movement.  

To use Vitamin C as a home remedy for constipation,  take enough vitamin C until it causes a loose bowel movement. Using Vitamin C as a laxative is not harmful and actually comes with many health benefits.

Ascorbic acid powder is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to consume mega doses of Vitamin C.   Magnesium ascorbate is another great form when you are looking to induce a bowel movement.

Click here to learn more about high dose Vitamin C supplementation.

8. Aloe vera

We have talked about aloe vera before (click here to see our aloe vera page), as this wonderful herb has many different uses. As it turns out, aloe vera is a fine home remedy for constipation.

Aloe vera has the ability to lubricate the colon, making bowel movements much easier. And you can take aloe vera on a regular basis to keep your bowel movements smooth and easy. 

You can take aloe vera capsules, or for best results, you can use the plant by filleting it to expose the gel. You then take the gel and put it in the blender with about 8  ounces of water, then drink.  For the best effect 2 to 3 ounces of aloe juice should be consumed daily, preferably on an empty stomach.

9. Exercise

Believe it or not, exercise is a potent home remedy for constipation. Moving the body through exercise helps get the bowels moving. 

Try it yourself the next time you are having trouble with your bowel movements. Go for a long walk, jog, or cycle and see how these exercises can lead to easier and more frequent bowel movements.

Remember if you start a new exercise program you will have to drink extra water on top of the half of your body weight in ounces per day.  Letting yourself get dehydrated can make constipation worse. 

Of course in addition to better bowel movements, exercise has been shown to:

• decrease body fat

• lower blood pressure

• increase bone density

• improve the immune system

• help balance blood sugar

• decrease your risk of injuries and falls

• decrease your risk of developing cancer

• even improve your mental capacity!
  

So pick the mode of exercise that you enjoy the most and go for it.

Click here to watch my youtube video "How to Exercise for Health and Longevity."

10. Cascara Sagrada

This herb actually stimulates your bowel's peristalsis!  (Peristalsis is just a fancy word for the rhythmic contractions of your bowel.)

This great home remedy also strengthens and tones the muscle wall of your bowel. This in turn will increase the strength of your bowel, making bowel movements easier.

11. Cape Aloe

This unique herb contains a substance called emodin. When emodin comes into contact with your bowel, it causes the bowel to contract powerfully. So even if you are suffering from a weak or sluggish colon, this herb will produce results for you.

But please don’t let this scare you, it won’t make you poop your pants or anything. This herb will increase your bowel movements in a gentle way, unlike chemical laxatives.

Remember the herbs that assist bowel movements don’t produce the harsh results that chemical laxatives do. So I don’t want you to fear them, because the herbs we are discussing today definitely help produce regularity.

Another thing about these herbs is that they do not produce dependency like chemicals do. As a matter of fact over time these herbs will have you pooping on your own again when you stop taking them!

12.  Colon Cleansing Routine

If you are familiar with naturopathy, you will probably know that we are into cleanses, especially colon cleanses. Earlier we talked about the importance of keeping the colon working properly. Now we will learn about one of the most efficient ways to cleanse the colon.

The most efficient way to cleanse a colon is while you do a juice fast. Now think about it for a moment. If you were trying to clear a traffic jam would you add more cars? Of course not because then you would have the 2 steps forward 1 step back fiasco.

The most efficient way to clear a jam is to quit adding debris, while you clear the old debris away. The juice fast colon cleanse can last  anywhere from 5 to 30 days.

All you will need is a good juicer, some bowel herb products to move the colon, and some psyllium husk or similar fiber supplement to add a little bulk to push the old debris out.

13. Bentonite clay

Bentonite clay is one of the most amazing healing and detoxification agents on our beautiful planet. As far as home remedies go it has plenty of uses, but today we will be talking about its ability to help our colons.

Bentonite clay has been used for thousands of years for it’s powerful detoxification abilities.  Bentonite clay has the ability to absorb and bind to heavy metals, pesticides, viruses, mold, bacteria, and in the right amounts  it can work as as a stool softener and pull poop out of your colon.

Ingesting bentonite clay will help to soften and draw out old fecal matter that has been sitting in your colon making you sick and toxic.

One thing to remember is that bentonite clay also absorbs water, so it is critical to make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Always take the product with lots of water as well.  I like to drink at least 16 oz of water at the same time I take clay.

If you don't drink enough water, then the clay can actually make the constipation worse.  It is also a good idea to take bentonite clay with at least one more bowel stimulating herb, such as cascarda sagrada or senna. 

Bentonite clay not only has the ability to soften your stool, but it will also absorb the toxins in your body and pull them out. Toxin removal is the key to wellness and longevity, especially in our current predicament.

You can take bentonite clay on its own at ½ tsp to 1 tsp at a time, with 16 oz. of water. Or you can use this product that combines bentonite clay with other herbs, such as Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #2. https://amzn.to/2KK5ug8

14. Magnesium citrate

Magnesium Citrate works as an effective bowel laxative. Most of us have a deficiency of magnesium, so taking magnesium for constipation can solve two problems at once.

Like Vitamin C, excess magnesium is excreted through the bowels.  So if you take more than your body can absorb, it will create a loose bowel movement. 

Magnesium intake directs water to the bowels acting as a stool softener.Usually 300 to 400 milligrams of supplemental magnesium, should be enough to get your bowels moving.

Magnesium is used by the body for at least 300 different functions, so getting your levels up is a good thing. If you have any kind of kidney problems, you should consult your physician before taking a supplemental form of magnesium.

15. Prunes and Prune Juice

Prunes and prune juice are one of the most common home remedies for constipation.

Many people swear by prunes in relieving their constipation and keeping them regular.  It seems to work better for some people than for others.  Try it yourself to find out whether it works for you. 

There is no downside to consuming prunes and their juices.

The upside is that you are consuming a wonderfully healthy food, and when you do that on a regular basis, you will receive a overall healthful effect.

16. Enemas

Enemas are a well known and often dreaded member on our list of home remedies for constipation. 

Enemas are good for times when your bowels are being extra stubborn and you need to get stuff moving ASAP.

17. Colonics

As for as home remedies for constipation go, colonics are all the rage these days.  Everything we have said about enemas also applies to colonics. 

They can be a great way to relieve constipation, but they shouldn't be used on their own.  They should be accompanied by the herbs and lifestyle changes we have discussed here today.

Sources

http://explore.avenaoriginals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/EvidenceforIntestinalToxemia.pdf

https://books.google.ca/books?id=Qt9fPTldwm0C&pg=PA623&source=gbs_toc_r&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false].

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