Are you tired of being constipated more often than you care to admit? Have all the medication for constipation failed you after providing momentary relief? If you are looking for long-term methods to keep constipation at bay, you have landed at the right place!Constipation is when you experience difficulty in bowel movement due to hard stools. The major and the most common reason is the lack of sufficient fiber and water in your diet. This might sound gross but the insoluble fiber in your food provides volume to the stools and the water works as a softener. Together they ensure a healthy and easy bowel movement.Apart from lack of sufficient fiber and water intake, consuming a lot of fatty and sugary foods, living a sedentary life, consuming alcohol and caffeine, and in some cases, consuming dairy products, are what causes constipation. But there are some dietary and lifestyle changes that you can embrace to not only treat constipation but also avoid future episodes. Let’s take a look at the most effective and easy to follow constipation home remedies for adults.Consume Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil is the best way to replace the unhealthy fat in your diet. Apart from cooking with olive oil, you can use the extra virgin variety to treat and prevent constipation. Consuming a tablespoon of extra virgin olive on an empty stomach the first thing you wake up in the morning will ensure a healthy bowel movement.It is quite possible that you may not like its fragrance at first if you are not accustomed to using olive oil. But I am sure you will soon develop a palate for it. In the meanwhile, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to the extra virgin olive oil to make it more palatable.
Blackstrap Molasses for a Healthy Gut
During the process of making sugar, the sugar cane juice is boiled several times. Blackstrap Molasses is produced when the sugar cane juice is boiled for the third time. Blackstrap Molasses are loaded with minerals and vitamins. It is the magnesium in the blackstrap molasses that make it the perfect remedy to treat constipation.Like in the case of extra-virgin olive oil, it takes time to get used to the flavor and taste of blackstrap molasses. The key is to start small. You can consume blackstrap molasses by mixing a teaspoonful of it in either a glass of warm water or a cup of tea. After a few days if you think the remedy is not working as effectively as it should, try bumping up the quantity of molasses to two teaspoons.
Eat Yogurt to Replenish the Healthy Bacteria
It is necessary that the healthy bacteria flourish sufficiently well in our gut to keep it healthy. A culture of healthy bacteria is added to the milk to make yogurt. You can include a cup of yogurt in your daily diet to ease constipation. Do not go for the flavored, sweetened varieties. It’s the plain, natural, unsweetened yogurt that works magic. You can eat it as it is, with berries or with your meals. This is something you can eat every day without risking any side-effects.Eat Some Figs
Figs both dried and fresh, are loaded with fiber. You can eat a couple of fresh figs every day with their skin still on. Alternatively, you can soak 2-3 dried figs in milk for a few hours. Grind them into a smooth paste along with the milk and consume it before going to bed. Not only would it taste delicious but also relieve the symptoms of constipation. You can try this remedy as and when needed.Go Flaxseeds!
Flaxseeds are known for their Omega-3 fatty acids content, which are very healthy. Besides, the seeds are rich in fiber too and work as a natural laxative. You can incorporate flaxseeds in your diet in one of the two ways, whichever you like the most. The first one is very simple. Just eat a tablespoon full of flaxseed powder and drink a glass of warm water along with it. The second method is to consume the flaxseed oil. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil mixed in a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with pulp works great too. We think that the first method is more practical and easy in the long-run, if you might not want to drink orange juice every now and then.Make sure you consume plenty of water. Do not forget to get some exercise. Do not force a bowel movement, because it can give you anal fissures or fistulae. Also, if possible get a stool that is designed specifically to use for resting your feet while squatting on the toilet. One such product goes by the name ‘Squatty Potty’. Please look it up online. Squatting helps relax the sphincter muscles completely, which ensures easy and complete passing of stools.
We hope these simple remedies would come handy and provide you the much-needed relief from constipation. You can say bye-bye to medicinal laxatives once you find out which of these natural remedies for constipation works best for you. Try a remedy for a week or so to find out if it’s working effectively in your case. If not, move on to the next one. If you do not find relief within a few days, please see a doctor. We do not mean to scar you but chronic constipation could be a symptom of bigger medical problems like ailments of the bile or pancreas, gastric ulcers, or gastric cancer.
