Treating Constipation Naturally

If laxatives aren’t the answer, what is? The first thing that comes to mind for most people seeking to remedy constipation is bran. Bran makes larger stools that through the gut more quickly, but there are complications in using bran effectively. Bran accelerates the passage of other kinds of food through the colon, but slows down the passage of food through the stomach. The longer food stays in the stomach, the greater the likelihood of acid reflux, belching, burping, or heartburn.
Coarse bran is more useful in relieving constipation than fine bran, but it is also more likely to cause heartburn. Once bran reaches the colon, it is the last food eliminated. If you eat bran for breakfast and skip lunch, the bran you eat will probably be eliminated in your next bowel movement. If you eat bran for breakfast and then eat an early lunch, bran does not get a chance to leave the colon and can cause swelling, bloating, and gas.
Another popular food for relieving constipation is prunes. It is difficult to imagine how hundreds of millions people around the world who eat prunes to encourage regularity could be wrong, but there is not a single scientific study validating their use in treating constipation. Scientists speculate that prunes stimulate bowel movements through a mechanism similar to milk of magnesia: their high content of the sugar sorbitol draws fluid into the colon and makes the stool softer and more watery. Prunes have another scientifically demonstrated nutritional value: They are a rich source of potassium, which is beneficial to cardiovascular health, and an important source of boron, which plays a role in the prevention of osteoporosis. And no one can argue that they do not relieve constipation.
Since fiber and prunes don’t give reliable results, most treatment plans for constipation include increased consumption of prepared fiber. Fiber is the non-digested part of plant food. It adds bulk to the stools by absorbing water. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in oat bran, barley, peas, beans, and citrus fruits. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is found in wheat bran and some vegetables. Fiber increases the transit time of the colon and decrease the pressures within the colon.
Avoiding sugars also helps relieve constipation. Eating sugar raises blood sugars. When blood sugars are high, the central nervous system signals the digestive tract to absorb sugars more slowly. This slows down the passage of food through the digestive tract, giving gas time to accumulate and maximizes the amount of time irritating food allergens are in contact with the intestinal wall. Some naturopathic physicians speculate that sugar consumption is the most important contributing factor to spasmodic constipation in most cases in the United States.
People who have frequent constipation can avoid the urge to pass gas by cutting down on saturated fats. Fat, of either animal or vegetable origins (avocados, milk, cream, cheese, meat, etc.) triggers colonic contractions even while it is still in the stomach. What this does is to create a sensation of urgency about a bowel movement, but the stool is still hard. Gas, however, escapes as flatulence. creates an urge to have a bowel movement, but bowel movement is difficult or impossible because the stool is hard. Gas, however, escapes as flatulence.
Maintaining the colon’s supply of the friendly bacterium Lactobacillus is a helpful to adjunct to all other treatments. Herbal stimulant laxatives such as aloe, buckthorn, cascara sagrada, frangula, rhubarb root, and senna contain complex sugars that have to be broken down by Lactobacillus before they can stimulate movement of the muscles lining the colon. Lactobacillus also breaks down fatty acids into forms that draw more water into the colon, softening the stool and making bowel movement easier.
How do you put all this advice together in your diet plan? The basic rules are to eat your veggies and drink the often-recommended eight glasses of water a day. Beyond that, try some prunes, eat a little yogurt. Don’t pass any opportunity to eat vegetables that are served to you. Designing entire meals to treat constipation is in my opinion, however, is a little too much. Simple measures usually relieve constipation in a few days.