The Alternative Health Gazette

Herbal and Alternative Remedies for Constipation

Constipation is a common, and growing, problem for many Americans these days. And being constipated is not just uncomfortable and sometimes even painful, but it can also cause more severe health issues to arise if left untreated for too long.

The colon is our body’s primary waste disposal system. The liver filters out toxins, wastes, and harmful bacteria then sends it along to the colon. The colon moves that waste along, and expels it from our bodies via excrement.

The colon is a very large organ though. Averaging six feet in length, it holds and moves a lot of material through our bodies. And waste material can get clogged in there, and sometimes it can become crusty and hard so that it’s difficult to move forward. This is when problems can occur, because the colon walls are thin. If too much backed up waste material stays in the colon for too long, the toxins and bacteria from that waste can leak back into the system, and cause problems for other major organs.

The colon is similar to a muscle as well. If you don’t have regular bowel movements, and keep things flowing smoothly on a daily basis, the colon can become weaker and thus not be able to move things through and out of your body as effectively.

Many herbalists feel that a healthy person should have at least two good bowel movements each day. And they shouldn’t take any effort either. You should feel the urge to go, sit down and have it happen almost immediately, without strain or pain.

If you’re not having at least two movements each day, or you have to sit and wait awhile, or you have to strain and push to make your bowels move, you’re constipated.

There are many very easy ways to resolve constipation problems though, particularly mild cases of constipation. Let’s look at several natural ways to make sure your bowels move regularly and easily…

1. Fruit juice. Yes plain old apple, grape, or prune juice often does the trick quite nicely. These are the strongest bowel moving juices too. If you just need to keep your bowels moving regularly, you might choose a citrus juice instead such as orange juice or home made lemonade.

2. Fiber. Adding fiber to your diet will help keep the waste moving regularly. Fiber can be added via foods you choose to eat, or you can take fiber supplements instead.

3. Water. Yes water by itself will help keep your bowels moving regularly. But you have to drink enough of it for this to work. In most cases, a good two to three quarts a day will do the trick.

4. Herbal supplements. There are a variety of herbs which will help relive constipation. Some of these work quite quickly, while others may take up to 24 hours. Here’s just a few that work wonders:

- Chickweed: An excellent herb for relieving constipation within a few hours of taking it, this herb also strengthens the stomach and bowels, and helps carry out toxins.

- Slippery Elm: Another wonderful single herb that works for both constipation and diarrhea, because it normalizes the stools while soothing, coating and healing the intestinal tract lining. Slippery Elm should be taken with lots of water to help move it through your system.

- Cascara Sagrada: This is one of the strongest herbal laxatives and it’s commonly added to over the counter medications for use in relieving constipation too. Take an herbal capsule at night with a large glass of water.

Statements made in this article may not be approved by the FDA, and should not be taken as professional medical advice.

Tags: Colon Health, Constipation, Herbs

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