Bowel movements vary from one person to another. Some can have them as often as 3x a day. In contrast, some can defecate only 3x a week. But if you have constipation, your usual routine may be disrupted due to abnormal bowel movement.
Constipation may not be a serious condition. But when it continues for several days, you will surely feel aggravated discomfort. Change in your bowel movement can be caused by changes in diet, not enough water or fibers in meals, stress, pregnancy, laxative overuse, and many others. It can also be indicative of some conditions like colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, hypothyroidism, and hypercalcemia. If difficulty defecating continues for more than two weeks, seeing a doctor can be a wise decision to rule out the possibility of more serious conditions.
But constipation which is not caused by other conditions can be managed efficiently at home. This will surely free you from having to undergo discomfort until you finally be able to defecate. Here are 8 ways that can ensure that you will never get to experience constipation again:
Lemon Juice
Drinking lemon juice before bedtime and in the morning can help you with your constipation. This is because lemon is fully packed with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can help pull water into the gut. With more water in the gut, the food is softened, resulting in softer stool. This will make bowel movement easier and effortless.
Olive Oil
Olive oil can be of great help when taken in on an empty stomach. It will act as lubrication on the digestive tract, making the passage of stool much easier. It can also combine with the stool itself making it softer and smoother as it slides down your intestines to your rectum.
Juiced or Dried Prunes
Prunes were used in traditional medicine to treat constipation. Prune juice may be more effective because it contains water and fibers. But both are excellent in promoting bowel movement as they contain sorbitol, which is proven as a powerful natural laxative.
Stewed or Dried Apricots
Whether apricots are stewed or dried, they can help alleviate constipation. Stew your apricots for breakfast or you can have dried ones for your snacks. They are rich in fibers which are excellent for constipation. Fibers have the ability to retain water and so, they can help soften the stool.
Fluids
If you drink the recommended number of glasses every day, there may be little chance that you get constipated. Water helps in the breakdown of foods. It also softens the stool and aids in the natural peristaltic movement of the digestive tract. Making it a habit of drinking 12 glasses of water daily can prevent you from experiencing the discomfort that constipation can bring.
Warm Beverages
Drinking warm beverages such as tea is another way of increasing water in the digestive tract. This encourages food breakdown and softening of the stool. When a beverage is warm, it can stimulate the digestive tract and relieve symptoms. If you use tea, the effects can be even more effective because of its laxative property.
Avoid Fatty Foods
Avoiding fatty foods, such as fast foods and fried dishes may help you get rid of constipation. This is because they contain more fats and fewer fibers, which can slow down digestion. If these foods have high salt content, they may also help aggravate constipation. Salt can decrease the water content in the stool making it hard to move out from the inside of the digestive tract
Proper Positioning
You should never delay going to the toilet once you feel like passing. But it may happen if you have constipation that the feeling to pass will disappear right away. Try other positions, like having a straight back or raising your knees than your hips. This can help move your stool out. Tensing your stomach rather than your rectum will encourage the movement of the stool.
Now that you know about home remedies to manage constipation, it is also important to learn the things that may cause your condition. This way, you can avoid constipation completely. Examples of foods that may cause constipation aside from fatty and fried foods are dairy products, gluten-containing foods, alcohol, processed grains, persimmons, and red meat.
The use of suppositories can also be helpful to manage frequent constipation. They can come in children and adult forms. Although some may find suppositories unhygienic, it is still one of the most effective and fastest ways to temporarily relieve you from constipation