Prevention and Home Remedy of Constipation

About Constipation

Constipation is irregular bowel movement. It can be caused by low fluid intake or a poor diet consisting of mainly refined foods and high fat. Constipation may be either as weak colon muscles or no regularity in bowel movements. You should not take any laxatives to treat your constipation as this forms a habit.

Prevention of Constipation

Drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses of water daily.
Eat foods with dietary fibers such as prunes, figs, cereals, fruits, and nuts to prevent constipation.
Eat an apple daily with its skin.
Guava when eaten with seeds provides roughage to diet can give relief from constipation.
Avoid starchy foods.
Reduce intake of foods with sugar and white breads and foods prepared with white flour (maida).
Do some regular physical activity, otherwise you have a chance of irregular bowel movements.

Home Remedy for Constipation in Adults

Remedies for constipation

Drink a glass of warm water with 1 tsp honey and juice of 1/2 a lemon/lime in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
Drink 1 liter of water in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
Liquorice (mulathi) is a natural laxative. Chew a few sticks daily.
Take 3 tsp of psyllium husk (Sat Isabgol) in milk or warm water at bed time. This will give you great relief and over a period of time, it will cure your constipation.
Soak one date overnight in half a cup of water. Next morning mash the date and drain the water. Drink 1 teaspoon of this water four times a day.
Drink a solution of 1/2 tsp honey in 1/2 cup warm water 2-3 times a day to cure constipation.
Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup orange juice and drink to cure constipation.
Put some curry leaves (curry patta) in hot water for a few minutes and then take out. Mix them with honey and eat.
Eat at least 350 g of grapes daily. The combination of the properties of cellulose, sugar and organic acid in grapes makes it a laxative food. Eating grapes tones up the stomach and intestines and relieves the most chronic constipation. When fresh grapes are not available, raisins soaked in water can be used. Overweight and diabetic people should not use grape therapy.
Put Senna pods (6 to 12 for adults and 3 to 6 for children) in water and drink this tea.
Bale fruit is the best natural laxative.
Drink 1 Tbsp of corn syrup added to 4 glasses of water.
Mixed castor oil (about half a tsp) with equal quantity of honey and drink daily.
Juice Laxative:
Mix 1 cup tomato juice, 1/4 cup carrot juice, and 1/2 cup sauerkraut juice and drink.
Triphla is a very good herbal remedy for constipation as it is both a purgative laxative and a lubricating bulk laxative. Triphala is composed of Harada (haritaki), Amla (amalaki, Indian gooseberries) and Behada (bibhitaki). You can try triphla capsules form health stores. Chebulic myrobalan (Haritaki, Harida, Harar, Chebulic myroblan, Black myroblan, Harada) has been used in India for the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, heart-burn, piles, hemorrhoids, dyspepsia, and liver disorders.

Constipation in Infants and Babies

Give 2 tsp once a day of homemade ghee (clarified butter) with 1/8 tsp of sugar and juice of black currents soaked overnight in water.
Soak 6-8 raisins in hot water. When cool, crush well and strain. It helps to regulate bowel movement.
New Born Babies or Infants: Stimulates the sphinctors (muscles) in the rectum of the baby by inserting the tip of a thermometer into the babies rectum and slide it back and forth. It really works, but do it very carefully.
Mix few drops of castor oil with a tsp of mother's milk or lukewarm water. Give this once a day to the child, adjust the dose according to the age of the child.