Natural Constipation Remedies

You can try the following natural constipation remedies. These home remedies are safe and effective. I tried some of them. Many of them were tried by others. I am sure a few will work for you. All these remedies work as natural laxatives, which means, add bulk to stool and work as stool softener.

It is understood that you don’t try all of them at the same time!

Blackstrap molasses

If you don’t get relief in a few days or if the symptoms are painful, see your doctor. In case of children, especially infants, take the advice of expert medical practitioner.

• Early morning drink: Take a glass of warm water, squeeze half a lemon into it and add a table spoonful of honey. Stir thoroughly until the honey mixes well. Drink it early in the morning.
  
• At night, before going to sleep: Eat two table spoons of blackstrap molasses. If the taste is unpleasant, add it to fresh fruit juice or milk. To make it much more effective, you may add some prune juice as well.

Molasses is a very good laxative to be one of the best among the natural constipation remedies. But, as it is rich in calories, it is not to be used daily. However, as an occasional remedy, it is very good.

Spinach

• Add half a glass of spinach juice extracted from fresh leaves to half a glass of water and drink it twice a day. Spinach is not only a good constipation remedy, but also is rich in vitamins and minerals. You may replace water with carrot juice as well.

• Course bran is rich in fiber and hence is one of the best natural constipation remedies. Bran is the outer layer of cereal grains. Bran is rich in fiber, starch, vitamins and minerals. Bran is removed by polishing to increase the shelf life of grains or flour. Add a spoon full of bran to your fruit juice, milk or barley to make it an effective constipation remedy.

Please remember that bran is not chaff. Chaff is the hard outer protective layer of the grain.

• Barley is good source of fiber. Barley soup: Fry the seeds on dry heat and make a course powder. Mix 2 tablespoons of powder in a glass of water. Take 500ml of water in another vessel and keep it for boiling. When the water boils, pour the powder mixed water into the boiling water slowly and stir. Keep it on low heat until it becomes thicker. Add a pinch of salt or honey or instead, you may add milk for taste.

You can also use barley powder to make a number of recipes.

• Flax seeds and Psyllium are well known for their fiber content. Flax seed powder and Psyllium seed husk can be taken by mixing in fresh fruit juice.
  
• Ginger tea. Slice raw ginger into thin slices. Use 4 -5 slices of one inch long. Keep them in two cups of water and boil for 10 minutes. More time will make stronger tea. Remove from heat, filter the ginger out, add lemon juice and honey for taste. A good morning drink to replace coffee or tea.
  
• Aloe vera juice is considered to be good constipation remedy.

There are a number of fruits that work as natural constipation remedies since they are rich in fiber.

• Oranges stimulate peristaltic movement of the colon. Eat two fresh oranges in the morning and also in the evening. Instead of juicing, eating the whole fruit after removing the outer skin will give you more fiber.

• Prunes are rich in fiber and work very well on constipation. Either you can eat them or drink a glass of prune juice in the morning and at night. You can use fresh or dried prunes. Similarly, adding kiwi fruits to your diet also improves constipation.
  
  
• Bael fruit has good laxative properties. Bale trees grow in India and surrounding regions. Take a fully ripe fruit (gives a good smell), break the outer shell and scoop out the inside pulp. You may eat it as such after removing the seeds. You can make it sweeter by adding some honey.
  
  
  
• Papaya is a good laxative. Eat half of a medium sized papaya in the morning before breakfast, but half an hour after your regular water intake. You can eat it daily.
  
• Guava fruit eaten along with seeds is good constipation remedy. Eat two medium sized Guavas in the morning and two in the evening.
  
• Figs are fiber rich. You can enjoy them fresh or dried. Eat 4 or 5 figs a day to keep the bowel movement healthy.
  

Apart from what you eat and what you don’t, keeping your body active and your mind free of stress and worry are the two important factors that affect your colon health.

• Include physical exercises in your daily routine to have healthy peristaltic movement in your intestines.
  
•  Pavanmuktasana, Paschimottanasana and Uttanapadasana facilitate stool movement in the colon.
  
•  Keep you mind free of stress and worry. Don’t neglect or suppress the urge to pass stool. Respond as soon as possible.
  

Whether you go for pharmaceutical or natural constipation remedies, you get the expected results only when you follow the two basic things 1) Foods to be avoided and 2) Foods to be included in your daily diet. If you are not satisfied with your evacuations, an occasional colon cleansing enema will keep your colon healthy.