How to Get Rid of Constipation

Honey & Lemon

How It Helps: Honey is a safe and all-natural remedy that has a mild laxative effect. Used daily it can both treat and prevent ongoing bouts of constipation.

How to Use: Use 2 teaspoons of honey 3 times daily. It is even more effective when you add 1 tablespoon of honey to an 8 oz. glass of warm water and lemon juice. This mixture works best when used first thing on the morning before breakfast.

Flaxseed Water

How It Helps: There are numerous benefits of using flaxseed, but one of them is laxative properties. Flaxseeds are high in fiber that can help with both mild and severe bouts of constipation.

How to Use: Take 1 tablespoon flaxseed and stir into a glass full of water. Allow it to sit for 2 or 3 hours and drink at bedtime. Your constipation should be relieved by morning. You can even sprinkle your cereal with 2 to 3 tablespoons of flaxseed and chase it with a full glass of water.

Molasses & Milk

How It Helps: Molasses, especially blackstrap molasses is a great natural laxative that can get your bowels moving because of the high level of magnesium that being produced naturally when processing.

How to Use: Take 1 teaspoon of molasses prior to bedtime. It can be stirred into milk or juices to improve the taste. You can also stir it into peanut butter and eat it on your toast first thing in the morning. If 1 teaspoon does not help, you can increase gradually up to 2 tablespoons.

Olive Oil

How It Helps: Olive oil helps to stimulate bowel movements and get things going. If you use it on a regular basis, you may even prevent regular episodes of constipation.

How to Use: Take 1 tablespoon before breakfast in the morning. If you don’t take it when you first wake up, take it on an empty stomach later in the day. If you don’t like the taste, mix it with the lemon juice for an added punch to wipe out constipation.

Epsom Salt

How It Works: Epsom salt contains magnesium, which naturally stimulates bowel contractions. It also allows more water to enter the bowels to soften stool. It is actually a “dry laxative” that is mixed with fluids.

How to Use: Take 2 teaspoons of Epsom salts and mix into a cup of water or juice. Wait 4 hours and if you have not had a bowel movement, repeat one more time. For little ones, only use ½ teaspoon.

Add Fiber to Your Diet

Make sure you include enough fiber at least 24 to 38 grams in your daily diet from fruits and vegetables. Foods that are high fat, high sugar and dairy can increase your chances of constipation. Fiber goes straight through to the colon and goes to help keep your bowels moving on a regular basis. It also helps to keep water in the bowel to keep stools soft. Include these foods for extra fiber:

• Vegetables: peas, broccoli and artichokes

• Fruits: Apples, pears, and berries

• Beans/Legumes: Lentils, black beans, and split peas

• Grains: Bran, flax, whole-grain pasta, and barley

Increase Water Intake

Make sure you are drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily for good general health. In addition, if you have constipation, add about 2 to 4 glasses of warm water every day. Besides, you should drink 10 to 20 ounces of regular water in the morning before breakfast. This will help flush out waste and toxins. Avoid sugary drinks to replace water. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, give it a squeeze of lemon juice.

Establish Good Bowel Habits

Holding back bowel movements can really plug you up inside. Try to not hold it and go as soon as the urge hits you. The feeling that you need to have a bowel movement is a natural reaction by the body to tell you that it is time. If you don’t go when the urge hits, the body pulls the water out of your stool and makes it hard.

Try to have a set time each day that you try to have a bowel movement. This is a time when you have privacy and quiet. You can train your body to go at the same time every day and get some reading materials to relax yourself if necessary.

Squat Instead of Sitting

Some have more luck when they squat over the toilet. Place your feet onto the seat and squat over the bowl. This can help put you in a more natural position for passing your stools. You can also use a stool to place your feet on just to elevate them more.

Other Helpful Remedies for Constipation

• Try 1 to 2 teaspoons of castor oil. Do not use if you are pregnant, it can stimulate uterine contractions

• Drink an occasional cup of coffee to help get you going

• Try yoga poses designed to ease constipation

• Use prunes or prune juice

• Try probiotics or a cup of yogurt every day

While this article may tell you how to get rid of constipation naturally, you may need medical help if it does not go away. Complications from constipation include anal tears or fissures, hemorrhoids or a prolapsed rectum. Constipation can even get bad enough that it needs surgical intervention. See a doctor immediately if:

• Constipation becomes a long-term issue

• You have blood with bowel movements

• You experience abdominal pain

• You lose weight

• You have not had a bowel movement in over 3 days with treatment

• You cannot have a bowel movement at all or been constipated for over 3 weeks