Constipation-not anything anyone wants to really talk about, but 16% of adults suffer from its symptoms. Women are 2 times likely to have it than men. Let’s look at some herbal remedies for constipation so you can move on from bathroom troubles and back into enjoying life.
If you are anything like me, you are looking for a more holistic approach to health problems rather than solely pharmaceutical drugs. Trying to make the best and healthiest decisions for my and my family’s bodies is a priority for me. So when the trouble of constipation arises, I turn towards herbal remedies for constipation to help my family members or me find relief. Below you will find the tried and true ways to help you find relief when it is needed.
This post is all about herbal remedies for constipation.
Diet
The first thing you need to look at if you are dealing with constipation is your food consumption. Food is the main contributor to constipation so it makes sense to take a look at that before finding herbal ways to relieve the symptoms-let’s try and get rid of the cause before the problems even start.
The main food types that cause constipation is dairy, sugary foods, and high-fat meats. Make you sure are eating an adequate amount of fruit and vegetables as they can provide you with the much needed fiber to help move things along.
Water is also a necessity to avoid problems in the bathroom. You want everything to be soft and easy to pass; water helps make that happen.
Senna Tea
The most common tea to relieve constipation is senna tea. Senna is a laxative herb that will bring relief. Drink of a tea of senna before bed, and you will be having movements better by morning. Here is a link to a good, organic senna tea. It also contains chamomile which helps to relax the body.
If you choose to use senna to help relieve your constipation, use it sparingly. It’s effectiveness is so great that it can cause other problems as well.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is an herb that brings relief to belly aches. All you need to do for a belly ache is to rub a few drops of peppermint essential oil mixed with a carrier oil of choice (I like to use Jojoba Oil) to your belly. To help with constipation, drink the herb in tea form. The peppermint tea will aid in calming your stomach down and also bring relief to your constipation problem.
If you are constantly having bathroom problems, you could drink a cup of peppermint tea after each meal.
Ginger
Ginger is another herbal remedy for constipation you can use. The most effective way to consume ginger is to eat it raw. Slice the root up and chew slowly. However, because of the strong taste, this is a little difficult to get down. Alternatively, you can make a ginger tea which might be easier to swallow. You can find many recipes online that combine ginger tea with other herbs for additional health benefits which will also alter the taste.
It is best to consume ginger in the morning or 30 minutes after eating.
Psyllium Husks
Psyllium husks are a SUPER FOOD!! They are great at relieving constipation because they have a good balance of both kinds of fibers your body needs: soluble and insoluble. This herb is pretty amazing because it is often used to help people suffering from both constipation and diarrhea. Psyllium husks act as a binder to help with diarrhea but it also has a lubricating agent for the digestive tract which helps everything to flow easier, alleviating constipation. This lubrication also softens the stool which helps with being bound up as well. It usually takes about 2-3 days to see results. Many people prefer this type of a laxative because it is a little more gentle on the body than alternative laxative products.
In addition to being an herbal remedy for constipation, Psyllium husks are also used to help relieve irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and other intestinal problems. It has also been found to help people with diabetes because it helps to regulate the blood sugar.
There are different ways you can consume Psyllium husks that you can find online. The important thing to remember is that you need to drink lots of water when consuming this herb. Water helps so much with relieving constipation.
This link has a lot of great ideas of how to consume Pysllium husks in different ways.
Flaxseed
Similar to psyllium, flaxseed bulks stool and lubricates the digestive tract. Since these two herbal remedies for constipation act in similar ways, you should only take one at a time.
You can purchase flaxseed in either ground or whole seed form. Usually your body can digest the ground up flaxseed easiest; but when it comes to helping with constipation, it is best to use the whole seed. In order to help it to work as much as possible for you, allow 1 tablespoon of flaxseed seeds to soak in water for about 12 hours. They will “gel up” making it usable for your body.
Yellow Dock
Yellow Dock is usually one of the top herbs to help with skin problems. But did you know that skin problems and the gut are strongly connected? If you are suffering from constipation, it means that one of your detox channels are blocked. This leads to the waste and toxins that your body is trying to get rid of recirculates instead. Commonly, this recirculation of waste and toxins leads to bad skin.
Yellow Dock assists in all aspects of digestion: the digestive tract, contents of the digestive tract as well as other digestive organs. Herbalists often see hemorrhoids as a clear sign that yellow dock is needed.
This herbal remedy for constipation is usually taken as a liquid tincture.
Coffee
For all of us coffee-lovers out there, you might be excited to learn that coffee (particularly caffeinated coffee) is a natural laxative too! Coffee contains a soluble fiber which helps to improve your gut’s digestive tract. It also stimulates the muscles on your digestive tract. The warmth of the coffee also benefits and relaxes your digestive organs, allowing contents to pass through easier.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is another herbal remedy for constipation. It increases the movement of the bowels which leads to bathroom relief. You can take 100-200 milligrams of aloe vera juice daily or 50 milligrams of aloe vera extract daily. Higher doses can cause problems. If you have diabetes, there is a gel you can take. You would consume 1 tablespoon daily. This herb takes about a day or two to kick in,
Conclusion
Constipation can be a painful and annoying experience. Before turning to the store bought laxatives, take a chance on the natural herbal remedies for constipation. In most circumstances, you will find a remedy that is just right for you! One other thing to keep in mind to help prevent constipation (other than your choice of diet) is to exercise regularly. Keeping your body in motion will assist in keeping your insides in good-working order, including your digestive tract!
To learn how you can find relief through herbal remedies for headaches, read this post! Knowing how to handle your body and fix its problems holistically when they occur is such a useful knowledge to have. I encourage you to keep finding the natural ways to help heal and help your body rather than turning to harmful medicine that often create more problems than when you started.
