Tired of Constipation? Try These 3 Steps

~ by Katie Rainbird

Constipation. Not really a word we bandy about around the water cooler now is it? But chances are if you suffer from constipation it’s never far from your mind, so distracting are the symptoms.

Lack of bowel motion, straining or feelings of incomplete evacuation, flatulence, bloating, pain, and nausea and maybe even anxiety.

Symptoms of constipation are really telling of just how important basic detoxification is to your health and wellbeing.

The cause of constipation is a diet lacking in fiber and water and a lifestyle lacking in movement!

So if your daily struggles in the bathroom are a pain in the butt (!) here’s a few simple and effective natural remedies for constipation relief.

Foods for Constipation

1. Mix your own Fiber Supplements

Both forms of fiber: soluble and insoluble, relieve constipation. By attracting water and softening stools they are easier to pass and by forming bulk the large intestine is stimulated to contract, moving fecal matter forward.

Grind chia seeds or flaxseeds and soak until a thick gel mixture forms. Stir through meals or mix into water and juices as a pre-meal drink.

Similarly, mix a teaspoon of slippery elm bark powder into a gel with a little water then add to water or juices and drink before meals.

Squeeze the white gel only (the green gel can be irritating to the gut lining) from a fresh aloe leaf and stir vigorously into water or juice.

2. Get Fruity!

Fruit skins contain insoluble fiber and fruit flesh contains soluble fiber, as well as water-attracting sugar (hello, mix and churn!). These fruits, in particular, have natural laxative action:

Plums/prunes
Apricots
Figs
Rhubarb

3. Water and Fresh Juices

Ever seen footage of a beached whale? What gets that great, stuck-in-the-mud mass moving…? Water!

There are many, many reasons to drink water but in the case of constipation, it’s really about mixing and forming a firm, soft and easy to pass stool. How much? About 8 glasses (2L) per day sipped constantly throughout the day rather than guzzled in large quantities.

Try this yummy frappe:

Juice 2 oranges in the blender to retain the fiber. Then add frozen raspberries and pulse into a thick frappe. The vitamin C in the oranges and bioflavonoid in the berries will help heal and tone the bowel (likely weakened and damaged by strain and lack of activity) and the fiber, well… you know what that does by now!

Constipation Remedies:

Fiber: eat it, drink it, and stir it into soothing gels
Eat at least 2 pieces of fiber-rich fruit each day
Mix it all up with lots of water

And… in more than one way, LET GO: try this lovely affirmation whenever you feel frustrated by constipation “I easily assimilate and absorb all that I need to know and I release the past with joy.”

Note: constipation is a symptom of many possible causes, some which can be more serious than others. In this post I am discussing functional constipation caused by diet and lifestyle. Chronic constipation with more disabling associated symptoms is best discussed with your doctor.

Have you had success with any of the strategies mentioned by Katie in this post? Which one has worked for you? Share your tried and tested tips with us in the comments below.