what can you use besides laxatives

kao708

Really strong coffee tends to work for me too...sometimes too quickly.

Oy, Coffee gets me every time! That's part of the reason why I drink it every morning! :bigsmile:

emmyvera

Coffee is good for a quick fix in the morning.
Also, hydrating by drinking lots of water.

I tend to incorporate plenty of fiber into my day, everyday.

I eat oranges, apples, avocados, black beans, sweet potatoes. These always help me. :happy:
Any kind of fruit or veggie that you really like - look up and find it's fiber content. Then stock up! :flowerforyou:

There is a great recipe on Eating Well.com for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili. That will really get you on a great path!

Good Luck!

PoleBoy

cocoa butter handcream. used... err... *in* the problem area.

my guess is the cocoa is a mild stimulant, as well as lubricating, and softening things.

mrssavvysteve

I echo what the coffee people said! Also, my Mom swears by Dr Miller's Holy Tea. She drinks an 8 oz glass daily, and she is 60 and her regular doctor told her that she had the cleanest colon he'd ever seen....
It doesn't taste too bad, and you can mix it with regular tea, or fruit juice....

jipper44

I take a probiotic (I like the Nature's Bounty brand best) with my multi-vitamin and breakfast every morning. That and a good cup of coffee usually do the trick for me. Just make sure it won't conflict with any of your current medications.

Also, if I haven't had a significant amount of carbs in a long time (several days), I have a very carb-filled meal and that gets things moving by morning. Hope you find something that works for you!

lestahling

Try eating grapes!
Coffee works too - try drinking it black! Get an iced coffee if you want it to work faster (it's double brewed)
Also, ginger tea.

Oh, also- Don't eat bananas or apples for a few days - they have pectin in them and if you eat a lot they can block you up.
Good luck!

sophiajackson99

Hot water with tea/lemons/honey. Mint tea is a good digestive aid and soothes the digestive tract.

Water by itself can help, but in my experience, does not solve the problem.

Fiber comes in two varieties: soluble and insoluble. The insoluble kind can cause ADDITIONAL problems if you are already having problems, so beware the psyllium husk... (not everyone knows or tells you this when you hear the directive to consume more fiber). Fiber in fruits - like pears and apples carry their water in their fiber (thus soluble fiber) and help to form the walls of the colon with a soft bulky mass, which aids the movement. Thick hearty whole grain bread, as you can imagine, will make the problem worse.

Stretching helps. Walking helps. Yoga helps. Twists and turns to the abdomen help.

I've had some experience... Best of luck!

daniran

If you are speaking laxatives - Magnesium Citrate (saline laxative) works very quickly and flushes you out (you'll feel like a loads been taken off) (literally). For ongoing cleansing cascara segrada and/or psyllium husk (I prefer orange flavored). Now the psyllium husk will cleanse out old fecal matter as well. This will help allow nutrients to be absorbed through the intestinal walls, thus you will want to eat less because your body is getting more nutrition from your intake. These are just suggestions. If you want to get more information on any one of these I've mentioned, we're on the internet - check it out. Hope this info has been helpful.

FitPhysique

Try eating grapes!
Coffee works too - try drinking it black! Get an iced coffee if you want it to work faster (it's double brewed)
Also, ginger tea.

Oh, also- Don't eat bananas or apples for a few days - they have pectin in them and if you eat a lot they can block you up.
Good luck!

Thank you. Great info. I used to have problem with movements too. Once I went 2 weeks without things moving it was very painful. I had a colonoscopy about 7 years ago the was prescribed Mirilax. I did not like the sliminess of it because I had to take it first thing in the morning with Water according to my doctor.


What has been working for me over the last 3 years is Dr Natura's Fiber. I take it every morning but make sure you get a lot of water with it.

Kellee_76

I can relate to this problem. I help it with a magnesium supplement everyday. The magnesium really helps. I've tried everything. But nothing works if you're not drinking enough water.

JohnnyNull

I've been told that in retirement homes, they use apple juice.

tjames30

If you are doing the HCG diet, I heard the magnesium is supposed to help. I am thinking about getting some for myself.