Top 5 Home Remedies for Constipation

For some reason, the things we have most in common are the ones we have the hardest time talking about. And having a hard time going is one of those topics.

Constipation is something that happens to young and old, the very active and the couch potato.

There are plenty of fixes you can buy at the drug store to help get things moving. But there are also a lot of good home remedies you can use once, or add to your daily diet to provide a full time fix.

5 Ways to Stay Regular and Avoid Constipation

1. Drink Up

Water, that is. It's what keeps our food moving through our system.

When we don’t drink enough, everything shuts down – including our intestines. They leech water out of the food waste passing through, and that makes your stools hard.

Add 2 to 4 more cups of water to what you are drinking now and your stools will be softer.  Fruits and veggies, herbal tea and soups also add to your body’s store of liquids.

2. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber

If you’re looking for a quick fix, beans and prunes are 2 of the highest fiber foods around with 10 and 12 grams per cup, respectively.

A study comparing prunes to a laxative found that the prunes did a better, faster job!

But you can also make a few simple changes to your eating habits to prevent constipation from coming back.

  • Eating one pear a day adds 6 grams of fiber to your diet.
  • One ounce of pumpkin seeds sprinkled onto your salad gives you 5 grams of fiber
  • Gift yourself a half cup of raspberries and get 4 grams of fiber and a sweet treat too.

3. Boost Healthy Gut Bacteria

When we hear the word bacteria we tend to think of sickness and germs, but you need certain healthy bacteria in your gut to keep your digestive system working.

The best way is to eat a cup of fat free Greek yogurt or include kefir in your morning smoothie. They both have the healthy bacteria known as probiotics. I also recommend my Earth Echo Probiotic to boost healthy gut bacteria. 

Research has shown that eating probiotic foods increases the number of times that people go each week and also makes the stool softer.

4. You've Got To Move It to Move It

Keep food moving by getting your body moving.

One of the easiest and healthiest ways to improve your bowel habits is through exercise. When you move your body, you speed the time it takes for food to pass through. That cuts down on the amount of water that your intestines draw out of the food waste.

5. Think Mega Omega-3's

Just like the tin man needed grease to get him moving, your intestines could use some lubrication too. Omega-3s are found in salmon and flax oil. Adding a tablespoon of flaxseeds to your yogurt is a triple bonus that adds probiotics, Omega-3s and fiber!

If you want a delicious and nutritious way to drink away your constipation, try this prune juice smoothie that hits all the right notes!

Prune Juice Smoothie

Prune-Juice-Smoothie-With-Coconut-Milk-And-Berries-600

½ cup coconut milk
½ cup prune juice
1 cup kale
¼ cup mixed berries, frozen
1 tsp flax seed
1 cup fat free Greek yogurt (I like Fage Total 0%)

Mix it all in the blender and drink up!

Yours in Health,

Danette

P.S. Please share this with your loved ones and I welcome your comments below.