Natural Constipation Remedies

Who can forget that advertisement on national television run by a popular wellness and pharmaceutical company, of a fat man trying in vain to take a dump, which just refuses to come out of his system? Though the picture was too graphic and descriptive, it is nevertheless not uncommon. Constipation is known to have plagued anyone from an eight-year-old child as well as an octogenarian. It is one of the most common lifestyle ailments that people easily fall prey to and takes years, sometimes decades, to get rid of its symptoms. Anything could, in fact, trigger a bout of constipation – from too much workload, wrong eating habits, wrong timings for eating and sleeping, too much stress, as well as not enough water consumed throughout the day. The problem is, there is enough reason to believe that constipation as well as its symptoms are hereditary too; and with kids falling easy prey to wrong dietary habits, it also begins to set in rather early. No need to worry, however, since a lot of natural products can easily be used to get rid of constipation – be it a chronic one or an acute bout. Here are some natural remedies for curing constipation.

Home Remedies For Constipation

Short Term

Sometimes, an acute bout of constipation can lead you into seeking immediate remedy for it. Some natural remedies for curing the constipation on a short-term basis are listed below:

Make a solution of corn syrup and about 250ml of water and drink it twice a day to relieve constipation.
Another common remedy for treating constipation at home is to mix two teaspoonfuls of castor oils with warm milk twice a day.
Two spoonfuls of aloe gel taken twice a day is also extremely helpful in curing constipation instantaneously. Pregnant women and menstruating girls who experience constipation should, however, avoid taking aloe gel as a cure for constipation.
A solution of a teaspoon or two of honey in lukewarm water, taken about twice or thrice a day is also an effective cure for constipation.
Dates are also effective when it comes to giving relief from constipation. You will to deseed one or two dates and soak them in water overnight or in lukewarm water for about two hours. Mash these dates with the water and remove the excess pulp. Take this water, three to four times in a day, one teaspoon at a time.
Lemon juice with lukewarm water, taken twice or thrice a day, especially early in the morning, is another age old tried and tested remedy for curing constipation.
Psyllium husk, sold over the counter as Sat Isabgol, is another effective remedy for constipation. Since the husk contains fibre, it will provide some much-needed roughage to your diet.

Long Term

As has already been mentioned, constipation is not an issue that one develops within a day or week. Many factors like faulty diet, eating at the wrong times, sleeping at the wrong times and experiencing disturbed or incomplete sleep, too much stress or eating on the go, even heredity are some of the causes that lead to constipation. Here are some long-term remedies that will help cure constipation, even eradicate it from your system:

Drinking at least two to three liters of water each day will eradicate existing issues of constipation. Water is necessary to turn the roughage or fibre that we eat into a gel that promotes smooth bowel movement. Without it, fibre is as bad for constipation as anything else is. You could also try herbal teas like Ginseng, Rhubarb, Senna and so on. Stay away, however, from aerated drinks and too much consumption of beverages like tea and coffee.
The importance of including roughage in the diet to do away with constipation can never be overestimated. Fibre of both types – soluble as well as non-soluble – contributes in their own ways to reduce constipation. Increasing the intake of fresh salads, including fibre-rich foods like prunes, figs, flaxseed and so on will do wonders when it comes to doing away with constipation.
Moderate and regular exercise is something that will prevent many such lifestyle ailments that can easily affect your normal routines. Exercising at least three to five times a week, effectively brings down problems of bowel movement.

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