How To Find a Natural Remedy for Constipation

Have you ever had to walk around feeling very…uncomfortable? One of the most common gastrointestinal ailments that most people have is constipation. Being constipated can leave you feeling uncomfortable and you can end up spending far more time in the bathroom than you ever wanted to spend.  Many people avoid talking about constipation, or any sort of bowel movements, as it’s one of those “taboo” subjects that we’re raised to only discuss with our doctors. So how do you know if you really are constipated? One way to tell is to see how hard your stools are and how often you go. Doctors agree that if you have hard, dry stools and you’re going less than three times a week, you’re likely very constipated. If you feel bloated and uncomfortable along with the infrequent stools, you’re definitely constipated.  What can you do about it?

Changing Your Diet

The first thing that any doctor will tell you to do if you complain about constipation is to change your diet. While there are medical reasons why someone would be constipated, such as a medication actually causing the constipation, most people suffer from constipation because they are not eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. When you know that you’re constipated, it’s time to try changing what you eat.. Start by eating a diet that is high in fiber. Fiber can be found in things like whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.

You can easily add more fiber into your diet simply by switching a few things. Don’t eat white bread, for instance, but eat wheat bread. Instead of eating regular pasta, try wheat pasta, and eat brown rice instead of white rice. You can add some prunes into your breakfast or even some figs. If you don’t like prunes or figs, try purchasing some flaxseeds and sprinkling them over your morning oatmeal. These types of seeds have a nutty taste and can greatly help someone who is dealing with constipation.

You also need to make sure that you’re getting enough fluids into your body. Too few fluids will definitely leave a person constipated. Try to drink a cup of water with every meal, and avoid drinking caffeinated beverages. Soda and coffee can be dehydrating and can cause a person to be experience that condition. If you’re dehydrated, the body has a much more difficult time processing the waste, which can lead to constipation. So always make sure that you drink as many fluids as you can during the day. Drinking fluids on a regular basis can help you to get into a routine so that you don’t forget to have the amount of fluids that you need every day.

Treating Constipation

If changing your diet hasn’t worked, or you need relief faster than a diet change can allow, you may want to look at some stimulant laxatives. There are many laxatives that you can buy which are actually herbal laxatives, and some have a combination of different herbs inside of them. One such herb is senna. Senna is very gentle and can even be found in constipation medication for children. It’s been approved as an over-the-counter treatment for people who are suffering from constipation but should only be used for a week or less, as a person can become dependent on using these types of herbs to have a bowel movement.

Another option, if you’re suffering from constipation, is probiotics. Probiotics are actually a microbial organism that is found in your digestive tract. Studies are showing now that people who have certain issues, such as constipation, can be helped by taking something that has probiotics in it. You can find a few different products that boast of having probiotics in them, such as yogurts or milk. Probiotics are actually a great option for children who have constipation, as it’s not a medication and is something that you already have in your body, meaning that it’s definitely safe.

Another option that most people have not heard of is called biofeedback therapy. This type of therapy works on teaching a person how to use the muscles in their body more effectively, in order to push the waste out of the body. One study that was done on biofeedback showed that people who used it, and who were educated, had more success in helping their constipation than those who were just using laxatives. This study made a huge impact on the medical society.

Constipation doesn’t have to be suffered, especially since there are many easy ways that you can get rid of it using natural means. If you’re suffering from constipation, try some of these methods to care for the problem, and if that doesn’t work, make sure that you see your doctor as soon as possible to rule out any serious issues.