Natural Home Remedies For Constipation [Best Prevention Tips]

Published on: 21st May 2019
Medically reviewed by: General Practitioner at First Response Healthcare

Constipation is a digestive disorder that is characterized by the hardening of stools and the difficulty that has who has it to go to the bathroom. The frequency with which a person goes to the bathroom in normal conditions is three times a week minimum, to a maximum of three times a day.

What Causes Constipation?

When a person goes to the bathroom with a frequency lower than that, it is said that he has constipation. The same is due to dehydration, stress, sedentary lifestyle and terrible nutrition. Another probable cause is the excessive consumption of some medicines that can cause the hardening of the feces.

Symptoms of Constipation

Among the most common symptoms of constipation are the infrequency of going to the bathroom and in some cases, abdominal pain can be an aggravating symptom.

One of the best ways to improve constipation is not only by modifying the daily diet, but by making use of natural and homemade remedies, since constipation is a minor condition among those that exist related to digestion and that can be treated in most of the cases consuming certain substances and foods that you can find in any supermarket.

Today we will show you the most common foods to treat constipation and some recommendations to prevent it.

Natural Home Remedies to Treat Constipation

1. Papaya

Papaya is one of the most powerful digestive and stomach protectors that exist. It is excellent to eliminate acidity, protect the stomach mucous and avoid abdominal pain that happens in these cases.

You can consume the papaya also to stimulate the intestinal movement, since it contains fiber. It can be consumed in fruit salads, accompanied by others capable of stimulating intestinal movement such as kiwi, guava, apricot, orange, peaches and blackberries.

2. Yogurt with Black Plums

Yogurt is rich in fibers, which makes it a natural laxative. If we add black plums, which contain laxative and depurative properties, it becomes one of the best natural remedies to treat constipation.

You can consume yogurt with prunes at breakfast and snacks as this provides enough energy to keep you active for much of the day. Other fruits similar to plum are raisins, which are also excellent natural laxatives.

3. Rhubarb

Rhubarb has traditionally been used as a digestive medicinal plant. It has the ability to stimulate the intestinal muscles and promote the absorption of water that the intestines need to achieve the expulsion of feces.

Rhubarb is consumed in infusions. You need 750 ml of water that you should boil and let stand for ten minutes incorporating 20 g rhubarb rhizome. It is consumed at the beginning of the night during the days that are necessary to relieve constipation.

4. Nuts, cereals and grains

Cereals and grains are known for their enormous fiber content. Fiber stimulates intestinal movement and thereby promotes digestion. Virtually all cereals are rich in cereals, especially oats, wheat, granola, peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pine nuts are excellent for treating constipation.

You can consume these cereals in granola bars, alone or in the company of yogurt, which is also an excellent intestinal stimulant. Normally, due to the enormous amount of energy that it gives us, it is better to consume it in the morning, since the energy that we will have will keep us active during the day.

Cereals can be accompanied with yogurt, which can be beneficial to stimulate bowel movement and promote digestion and expulsion of feces. For its part, grains such as lentils, beans and chickpeas contain large amounts of fiber and laxative properties, not to mention their enormous protein intake. You can consume them in a simple soup or minestrone.

5. Guava

Guava is an excellent natural gastric and digestive protector. Consuming it is an excellent option to relieve stomach pain, acidity and promote digestion thanks to its depurative properties.

Try to wash the guava well and remove the seeds before eating it, as it is a fruit that attracts a lot to flies and worms because of its extremely sweet flavor. Not washing food well can cause severe stomach upsets.

6. Fiber-rich vegetables

Some vegetables have digestive properties, among them cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, artichokes and asparagus. You can cook these vegetables in different ways, such as soups, salads, even steaming them, in the company of dressings such as béchamel sauce and parmesan cheese, which will give them a delicious flavor without subtracting digestive properties.

7. Chamomile

Chamomile is an excellent digestive and has been used since ancient times to treat all types of stomach ailments thanks to its analgesic and soothing properties.

In fact, chamomile is extremely effective in treating abdominal pain that can cause constipation. You can consume it before meals or during episodes of pain that causes severe constipation. Its calming effect is almost immediate.

Recommendations to Prevent Constipation

One of the most effective home remedies to treat not only constipation, but any kind of disease is to take preventive measures to prevent its occurrence. Normally these preventive measures improve the quality of life by improving and preserving the health of your body.

Exercise constantly

Exercise stimulates bowel movement, so we recommend you take a daily day of exercises in which you perform low and medium impact activities if you are not used to it. Performing exercises provides all kinds of health benefits.

Do not forget that one of the main causes of constipation is due to stress and sedentary lifestyle. Exercise helps reduce stress loads, as well as increases body activity and therefore the whole body, including bowel movement.

Hydrate well

When we do not have sufficiently hydrated, the intestine can not absorb the water necessary to soften the stool and thus move more easily through the intestinal tract and expel them normally.

Therefore, we recommend consuming about two liters of water daily to promote digestion and prevent constipation.

Try not to consume laxatives and antidepressants

One of the most likely causes of constipation is the abuse of laxative medications (as contradictory as it may seem, its excessive use can cause constipation) and the use of antidepressants and anxiolytics.

These drugs are issued in pharmacies only with a prescription, however it is not advisable to abuse the treatment if needed. Consult doctor at home for what is the recommended dose of these medicines and use them under strict supervision of a doctor, in order to avoid any adverse reaction.