Naturopathic Treatments For Constipation

Constipation can be an embarrassing issue to have, so you’ll be pleased to hear that there are some natural solutions for constipation that you can try out at home before you have to go seeking medical advice.

These may even help you avoid further bouts of constipation in the future.

Watch the video below, or keep reading, to find out how you can manage your constipation naturally.

What Is Constipation?

Constipation is when you’re not having regular bowel movements.

However, there is a lot of misunderstanding about what “regular” is; the answer is that once or twice a day is fairly normal.

If you aren’t going that frequently, or even as infrequently as once a week, you are experiencing constipation, and while this may be ‘regular’ for you, it’s just not healthy to have waste held inside you that long.

What Causes Constipation?

You may be surprised to learn that your constipation could be caused by dehydration.

Certain drugs, such as opiates (including Tylenol 3, which has codeine in it) have constipation listed as a side effect.

As well, if you take iron supplements, these are infamous for causing constipation, which is why doctors will frequently advise you to take them alongside a stool softener.

Diet and stress can also predispose you to constipation.

Dealing With Constipation Naturally

When my clients come to me with constipation issues, I rarely give them laxatives, because there are other excellent natural methods of dealing with constipation.

The main treatments I recommend are to drink a lot more water, take probiotics, increase your fiber intake, and add magnesium as a supplement.

Natural Treatments For Constipation

To give you a little more information on which approach might be best for you, read below for the most common natural remedies.

1. Magnesium

Magnesium is a great supplement for anything muscle-related, such as muscle spasms; many people also use it to help them fall asleep, because it helps relax muscles when you’re trying to nod off.

I also use it to help my patients to decrease their blood pressure.

However, you do have to be careful not to take too much, as it can cause the opposite issue to constipation: explosive diarrhea.

2. Drink Water

Water is important for the digestive process, and for helping food to move through your gastrointestinal system.

Most people need a good 8 cups of water a day to maintain a healthy body and regular bowel movements, though some of those can be replaced with other drinks such as herbal teas, vegetable juices and clear soups.

3. Eat A Balanced, High Fibre Diet

A balanced diet will help you with staying regular, and should include fibre; try to aim for a fibre source in every meal.

If you’re dealing with constipation, try to increase the number of fruits and vegetables you eat, and maybe include some ground flax or psyllium husks to bulk them up.

You can add a fibre supplement, but be careful: some medicines interact and can cause malabsorption, so take it a few hours before you take your meds.

This is a good reason why you should collaborate with a healthcare practitioner such as myself.

4. Probiotics

While most of the studies done so far involve research done on animals, there is some evidence that probiotics may help – however, studies involving humans are required for better evidence.

It makes sense, however; probiotics are excellent for normal gut function, which is the place your constipation issues often start out.

Good sources of probiotics include Greek yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, and other fermented foods.

Imbalances in your gut flora could be affecting your ability to break down and move food through your gastrointestinal system, causing constipation.

5. Fatty Acids

A deficiency in fatty acids such as fish oils can also cause constipation.

These are easily adjusted for by taking Omega-3 supplements or fish oil supplements.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ!

If you’ve tried all those options and you’re still having issues, then it’s definitely time to seek medical intervention.

Call me, Dr. JJ, and I’ll help you get your bowel movements back to normal, as well as answer all your questions regarding the treatments I’ve recommended above.