Constipation prevention | Constipation relief | Constipation in infants & babies
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 Remedies of Constipation
You may use the following simple remedies for constipation, one at a time for a week or so and see its result. If it does not treat your condition, you may try another cure.
- Drink 1 liter of water in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
- 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 1/2 tsp honey in 1/2 cup warm water 2-3 times a day to cure constipation.
- 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. Metamucil is nothing but psyllium husk, finely powdered and flavored.
- 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. This is a natural constipation remedy.
- 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. 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 to cure constipation.
- 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 to get relief from constipation..
- 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 from 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. There are other herbs for constipation herbal remedy.
- Sometimes waste can accumulate within the colon, preventing regular bowel movements and compromising effective digestion. Choose a cleanse that utilizes psyllium fiber husks and digestive herbs to sweep the colon clear of this impacted waste.
