Natural Ways to Prevent Constipation

How to relieve constipation quickly and naturally.

Constipation is a common problem and is usually caused by poor nutrition, a weak stomach or chemical imbalances in the body. Carrying too much waste can cause toxins to leak into your body which weakens your immune system, makes you gain unhealthy weight and heightens the risk of bowel cancer later in life. If you haven’t used the toilet for more than 2 days, then it is likely you are constipated and may begin to experience bloating, pain, discomfort and gas.

In this article, we share a list of 16 ways to get rid of constipation fast, by healing underlying health problems.

1. Lemon Water: Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into 1 litre of mineral water and drink this throughout the day. This is one of the most effective cures for constipation as vitamin C helps to bring water into the gut, soften stools and stimulate a bowel movement. The citric acid also helps you to break down foods that you eat for better digestion.

2. Sauerkraut: This is a form of fermented cabbage which is rich in friendly bacteria called probiotics. These help to reduce gas production and help to break down waste in the gut. They also boost acetylcholine levels, a chemical which causes the muscles in the colon to squeeze with more force, helping to push out digested foods much easier. Consume this daily to heal underlying digestive problems.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar Consuming too many sugars and junk foods weaken the stomach acids, which leads to constipation. Taking a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal brings the stomach acids Ph. Level back to normal. This helps you to break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats are much better by stimulating bile from the gallbladder and enzymes from the pancreas.

4. Germinated Nuts: If you eat lots of raw nuts, then these may be the cause of your constipation. Raw nuts contain enzyme inhibitors which slow down digestion and also contain lots of insoluble fibre which is hard to digest. You can germinate nuts by them soaking in water overnight and dry them out in low temperatures in the oven. This makes it easy to break down in the digestive tract and may ease your constipation.

5. Avocado: This is a great source of magnesium, an important mineral which relaxes the muscles around the intestinal wall. This speeds up digestion by advancing stools through the intestines. It is also rich in healthy polyunsaturated fats which improve energy levels and heart health.

6. Black Coffee: Drinking 1 cup of black coffee in the morning on an empty stomach is an effective way to trigger a bowel movement. The caffeine in coffee and its polyphenols help to stimulate muscle contraction in the intestines. This should be kept to a minimum however, as too much caffeine can have the opposite effect.

7. Aerobic Exercise: Performing some simple exercises such as star jumps or long walks helps to speed up the metabolism and aid digestion. Getting the heart pumping faster improves blood flow to the intestinal muscles. You will often feel the urge to use the toilet after only 10 minutes of exercise.

8. Potassium: With poor digestion, we tend to absorb fewer minerals which are very important for our health. You can take potassium citrate to help eliminate more waste from the body and enhance nutrient absorption into your cells. Foods like Beet Tops, Swiss Chard and Avocados are the richest natural sources of potassium.

9. Dairy: Approximately 65% per cent of the population struggle with digesting lactose which is found in dairies like butter, milk, cream and cheese. If you notice bloating or constipation after eating these then you may wish to switch to lactose-free products. Sheep and goats dairy is also easier for the body to process than cow milk production.

10. Olive Oil helps to relieve constipation: Extra virgin olive oil is an age-old remedy for treating constipation, as it is said to lubricate the insides of the bowel. It also makes stools retain more water, making them softer and easier to pass. One tablespoon of olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach is recommended.

11. Betaine HCL: If you suffer from constipation, heartburn and indigestion regularly then we recommend taking a supplement of Betaine Hydrochloride. You can purchase this in capsules from health food stores and this restores the normal gastric acids to the stomach. This helps the LES sphincter to stay closed and prevent stomach acids flicking into the throat.

12. Black Seed Oil: Cold-pressed black seed oil is one of the oldest and most potent natural medicines known to man. It is very high in antioxidants and vitamins which help your pancreas to release more digestive enzymes. This helps to break down your food better and clear out constipation.

13. Bile Salts: If you have previously taken lots of medications like antibiotics or anti-acids then these may be the cause of your constipation. Your stomach may have become weakened and unable to process fatty foods properly. Taking bile supplements daily with food helps the gallbladder in its natural process of breaking down fat so that your stools can pass easily through the intestines.

14. Water helps to relieve constipation: In rare cases, constipation may be caused by not consuming enough water through the day. Try increasing the amount of water you drink per day by 500ml and see if this helps. We recommend using a good quality bottled mineral water from a volcanic source to provide healing trace minerals.

15. Fruit: There are certain fruits which can improve digestion due to their high soluble fibre content and phytonutrients. We recommend blackberries, pineapple and kiwi. These fruits contain naturally occurring enzymes which help your stomach in breaking down foods and passing stools.

16. Psyllium Husk helps to control constipation: Last but not least you can purchase psyllium husk as a fast way to get rid of constipation and trigger a bowel movement. This is a refined powdered fibre which you place in a glass of water and drink. This acts as a natural laxative and quickly makes you use the toilet. It contains 70% soluble fibre which also feeds the friendly bacteria in your digestive tract.

As you can see there are many foods and supplements that you can take to relieve constipation quickly. If you suffer from constipation long term, then you may wish to introduce probiotic supplements and digestive enzymes into your diet. These help your food to break down naturally, giving your body a healthy, yet natural boost. It is important to fix chronic constipation as quickly as possible, as it is very dangerous for your health and causes inflammation throughout the body. Those who have suffered from bowel cancer are more likely to have had bouts of chronic constipation in the past. We recommend avoiding laxative drugs if possible as these may have side effects in the long term, however, these are useful on rare occasions.