To my constipated friends! ;)

Hey darlin I would suggest to you to buy some Smooth Move Tea instead. It's milder and works as an over night relief. It really does work and probably costs less. A plant based relief method vs. chemical. It's awesome. You can find it in the Tea isle of any grocery store. It's a medicinal tea.

The "Smooth Move Tea" is an herbal laxative tea. It has the same side effects as pharmaceutical laxatives. Like any stool softener/laxative they can become habit forming (ones digestive system becomes reliant on softeners/laxatives to have a bowel movement) I personally have tried "Smooth Move," Laci Le Beau's "Dieters Teas," as well as pure senna/casscara sagrada tea. Those cause a lot of cramping and undesired bloating and gas. I agree with you hon, Milk of Magnesia works like charm!!! Like anything moderation is key when using either "natural" or pharmaceutical.

Add some prunes and flaxseeds to your protein mix.. you'll be pooping in no time! :bigsmile:

I have bad constipation (secret is out LOL) I drink tons of water and eat healthy nothing was helping. I was tired of turning to gut renching laxatives. I take a talblespoon of FlaxSeed Oil every morning, eat spinach and BAM Relief!! Most of my relief tricks are usually temporary but this one seems to be working. I also every few days take a couple Stool Sofners (doctor remcommended that one).

Thanks I will try this because I always look bloated no matter what it seems!

I eat romaine lettuce every day almost and it does wonders. If I go more than 2 days without a salad, I get constipated.

What ended up working for me is eliminating dairy and gluten. Sorry, I'm sure that's not exciting to hear, but it worked!

^^^^This (except for dairy)

For me, removing all grains from my diet and getting my fiber from nuts, fruits and veggies worked great. I don't believe in the "whole grains/added fiber" way of life. I don't do it, yet I'm 100% regular. Read about leaky gut syndrome and why eating grains are bad for your intestinal tract and lead to other health issues.

Check your birth control. I found out an unpleasant side effect of the Mirena is constant constipation. I too hate the laxative thing. I actually like the taste of prune juice, and was doing the gold bottle prune juice, half a cup a day. Cherry juice also helps but it is potent and really high carb. I eat chia seeds almost every day, I really think they help keep the intestines hydrated and lubricated. I really dont have trouble when I eat them regularly. I have them either in yogurt or home made kombucha. If you soak them in water they make a jelly kind of like jello, I like to add them to juice n stuff.

coffee

fresh juice from a juicer moves things along right away.

This topic intersects with my professional life a lot. As a Pharmacist I can tell you that the "Lazy Bowel" odes happen. I have seen patients buying a 24 case of milk of mag, or citro-mag just to keep moving. Watch out.

Fibre- great bulk forming laxative - needs water! Convieniently also works with diarrhea as it can absorb some of the fluid in the colon and slow things down as well.
Softeners (ie Docusate) - Watch out these just make stool softer, if too soft people can have issues where they run to diarrhea (or alternate constipation - diarrhea). Also if there isn't enough movement it can just sit there as well

Stimulant laxatives (Senna) - often combined with softeners but they do not have to be. While natural they do have potential adverse effects, read labels and if no relief in 2-3 days see a doctor.

Osmotic laxatives (Mag variety) - Works great! generally used for more serious issues. PROBLEM OF LAZY BOWELS!!!! If abused (ie used too much, used for wt loss...) the bowel becomes dependent on them to move, in some cases this does not reverse.

Others PEG (Lax -a-day, others) =-> has become the go to agent for our pain and palliative care teams. still have to avoid in use with obstruction but inert otherwise, draws additional water volume into bowel. seen great success with this.

All that said, remember that bodies do change over time. Regular can be anywhere from 3 times a day to some people 3 times a week. IF things become painful or uncomfortable by all means use a laxative, but use them sparingly.

Good luck

Exercise. Move those legs, move those arms. Bend and stretch at the waist.

That gets things moving when they don't want to. As well as eating well and drinking water, obviously.