Delicate Topic - Whats the best thing for constipation

I would make sure you are getting enough fiber, try a cup of strong coffee, or a heating pad will work sometimes too. otherwise, I've heard magnesium citrate works wonders

Anything I say will be totally redundant at this point since others have already covered this territory but... Yes, WARM/HOT liquids DO actually help to stimulate 'movement'. Also, exercise is a great stimulant. AND... reducing the amount of red meat in your diet could help.

The thing is, everybody's body responds differently to different stimuli. (That's why your physician will write you a prescription and say, "Try this".) So... Try this. Drink hot tea/coffee/prune juice/lemonade... whatever your drink of choice (though the caffeine in tea and coffee do tend to have a laxative effect as well.)

Also, if you are not getting enough fiber in your diet, there is nothing to compact the waste matter in your bowels and move it through the intestines and colon.

Anatomy lesson: the colon is a tube which, when not 'inflated' is flat (think of those water hoses that shrink flat when there is no water in them. That's your colon.) When your body processes food through digestion, most (not all) liquids are filtered through the liver and into the kidneys and on to the bladder and urethra. The solid matter waste is passed on to the intestines and the colon. Now, the problem here is, if there is not enough fluid in the system, there is not enough liquid in the intestines to keep that solid matter moving. It becomes drier and, potentially, impacted in the bowels. Constipation! So, obviously, the first thing you need to be attentive to is getting enough liquid into your system to help that matter pass. But, you also need to be sure that your are getting the right kind of liquid!

Sugary drinks tend to dehydrate more than hydrate. So stay clear of the sugary soda pop and other such drinks. (btw, some studies suggest that most artificial sweeteners react in the system the same way so, switching to diet soda is not really helpful in this respect.) The warmer liquids, for some reason unknown to me, also tend to stimulate movement and caffeine does have a known laxative effect.

The next point is, if there is not enough fiber in your system to bind the matter and give the muscles in the wall of the intestine something to 'grab' onto, this, too, will slow down the process of digestion.

Lastly is the exercise factor. Exercise can step up your metabolism which, in turn, will serve to 'step up' everything in your body, including bowel movements.

So... What's the takeaway on this? Eat right. Reduce red meats (if only temporarily). Increase fluids, especially warm/hot drinks, and add a stimulant such as caffeine to your menu. Cut the sugars wherever possible, especially in soda. Increase exercise.

Hm. Sounds like pretty standard advice, huh? But, sort of like "smoking is linked to cancer and birth defects", people sometimes need to hear it a few times before it sinks in. ;-) Suggestion: try cutting out the red meats altogether for a couple of days; start drinking a cup of coffee or hot tea each morning (Green tea has the highest levels of caffeine, btw!); start running/walking a mile or two each day (preferable all at once but splitting it up is better than not at all.) and, if you are already in a walk/run cardio program, up the ante and increase your pace and/or distance.

Remember, any artificially produced medicine started with a natural, organic, grown in the earth kind of predecessor. Except aspirin, of course, which is, itself, a naturally occurring by-product of willow bark! (Native Americans used to chew it to relieve pain!) :-D So, if you don't want to take some artificial chemical laxative, there is always a natural chemical compound that came before it.

Hope you are 'up and moving' soon.

Try an over the counter Probiotic!

Bbeliever215 wrote: »

snowflake954 wrote: »

I am with the others that say what you're eating isn't right. Your body is trying to tell you something. You need more fiber. I started taking aloe vera (concentrated) a year ago. I take a tablespoon mornings, as soon as I get up and another just before bed. I have been "regular" ever since. It also makes my skin nice. However, I'm eating the mediterranean way--a little of everything, lots of fruits and veggies, so that makes a difference. Good luck, but is this how you want to pass the rest of your life?

Aloe vera is great! I forgot about that one but it is important for the op to really research a quality brand because there are many out there that aren't anything other than sugar water with little specs of aloe vera.

I've also heard it's good if you are prone to stomach issues like acid reflux, heartburn, etc when taken regularily

I can't believe no one here has yet suggested that old standard, Metamucil. If you find it hard to get enough fiber in your diet, as many do, it's perfectly amazing what a spoonful a day of fiber powder will do. Metamucil comes premixed in an orange-flavored version. If that sounds gross (I couldn't stand it personally), you can buy the active ingredient, psyllium fiber, in an unflavored version, and mix it with whatever you like to drink. If your local stores don't carry it, it's easily available online; I found mine on Amazon. It's amazingly effective in an extremely gentle way.

Give psyllium fiber a try for a day or three and see if I'm not right.

Try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach upon waking. You can do a shot straight up or in 8 oz. of water.

I third (or fourth?) probiotics. The right one could fix any number of digestive issues.

For an overnight fix, Egyptian Licorice (or Licorice Root) tea steeped for about 10 minutes has always worked as a cure for me. Drink it about an hour before bed, and when you wake up the problem should gently resolve itself. If it doesn't, try steeping longer.