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Natural and Alternative Remedies for
Constipation
Constipation is a common, and growing, problem for many Americans these days.
And being constipated is not just uncomfortable and sometimes even painful,
but it can also cause more severe health issues to arise if left untreated for
too long.
The colon is our body's primary waste disposal system. The liver filters out
toxins, wastes and harmful bacteria then sends it along to the colon. The
colon moves that waste along and expels it from our bodies via excrement.
The colon is a very large organ though, averaging six feet in length. It holds
and moves a lot of material through our bodies and waste material can get
clogged in there. Sometimes this material can become crusty and hard so that it's
difficult to move forward. This is when problems can occur, because the colon
walls are thin. If too much backed up waste material stays in the colon for
too long, the toxins and bacteria from that waste can leak back into the
system and cause problems for other major organs.
The colon is similar to a muscle as well. If you don't have regular bowel
movements and keep things flowing smoothly on a daily basis, the colon can
become weaker and thus not able to move things through and out of your body as
efficiently.
Many herbalists believe that a healthy person should have at least two good bowel
movements each day. And they shouldn't take any effort either. You should feel
the urge to go, sit down and have it happen almost immediately, without strain
or pain.
If you're not having at least two movements each day, or you have to sit and
wait awhile, or you have to strain and push to make your bowels move, you're
constipated.
There are many very easy ways to resolve constipation problems, though,
particularly mild cases of constipation. Let's look at several natural ways to
make sure your bowels move regularly and easily...
1. Fruit juice. Yes plain old apple, grape, or prune juice often does the
trick quite nicely. These are the strongest bowel moving juices too. If you
just need to keep your bowels moving regularly, you might choose a citrus
juice instead such as orange juice or home made lemonade.
2. Fiber. Adding fiber to your diet will help keep the waste moving regularly.
Fiber can be added via foods you choose to eat, or you can take fiber
supplements instead.
3. Water. Yes water by itself will help keep your bowels moving regularly. But
you have to drink enough of it for this to work. In most cases, a good two to
three quarts a day will do the trick.
4. Herbal supplements. There are a variety of
herbal remedies for
constipation. Some of these work quite quickly, while others may take up to 24
hours. Here's just a few that work wonders:
- Chickweed: An excellent herb for relieving constipation within a few hours
of taking it. This herb also strengthens the stomach and bowels and helps
carry out toxins.
- Slippery Elm: Another wonderful single herb that works for both constipation
and diarrhea, because it normalizes the stools while soothing, coating and
healing the intestinal tract lining. Slippery Elm should be taken with lots of
water to help move it through your system.
- Cascara Sagrada: This is one of the strongest herbal laxatives and it's
commonly added to over the counter medications for use in relieving
constipation too. Take an herbal capsule at night with a large glass of water.
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