What are Some Natural Laxatives?

health wellness

A person who has no more than three bowel movements per week is generally considered to be constipated, a condition that limits bowel movements and causes the stool to be small and hard. To fight constipation, many sufferers prefer to use natural laxatives rather than harsh over-the-counter medications. The most popular natural laxatives are foods rich in fiber. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, and grains.

When a person eats food rich in fiber, his or her stomach acids work to break the fiber down into soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is the portion of the fiber that is hard to digest. It moves into the bowels and does not change form, which can cause hard stool. Soluble fiber, on the other hand, helps to soften the stool because it rapidly absorbs water. When water is added to soluble fiber, it turns into a gel-like sponge and rapidly enters the bowels to soften the stool.

Psylium Husks are other forms of natural laxatives that are sold throughout the world. They are beneficial in the relief of constipation because they offer high levels of soluble fibers. Many companies sell Psylium Husk capsules that are inexpensive and easy to swallow.

Prune juice is one of the better known natural laxatives. Prunes are not only high in potassium, Vitamin A, and iron, but they are also extremely high in both insoluble and soluble fiber. Prunes work efficiently and quickly as natural laxatives. Therefore, just a small amount of prunes is generally all it takes to relieve constipation.

Lack of exercise can also lead to constipation. The reasons are unclear, but patients who are bedridden as they recover from surgery or accident often deal with serious constipation issues. Gravity may be a factor. Nonetheless, daily exercise is another type of natural laxative that many individuals overlook.

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Posted by: olittlewood
my five year old was up last night with pretty bad constipation. he's a pretty picky eater, and i can usually get him to eat fruit and lots of fluids. he'll also eat lots of whole wheat bread. what are some secret ways i can get some more fiber into his diet that taste yummy and he'll be none the wiser about? i hate to see him suffer so much. thanks!
Posted by: anon7222
You can always try sugar free chocolate, sugar free ice cream or Lay's Wow Chips or any chips made with Olestra oil. Although you wouldn't want him to eat these things on a regular basis, the sugar substitutes or oil can act as a very effective for of laxative and these are things that the majority of kids willing eat.
Posted by: Pltnmplayer
Something else that will work is a couple of small glasses of a mixture of pure cranberry juice and O.J. or Dannon makes a great new yogurt called Activia for digestion.
Posted by: Pltnmplayer
Previously Posted: You can try sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free chocolate or Lay's Wow Chips or any chips made with Olestra Oil. Although you wouldn't want to make a habit of him eating these things, the sugar alcohol or Olestra oil has very effective laxative effect.
Posted by: quartz10
hi i'm sharon and i have stopped smoking two weeks ago and find it very hard to go to the toilet. have been 3 times in two weeks have tried orange juice, brown bread, 2 litres of water PER DAY!, 1 cup of black coffee a morning what i do not like:) and stomach has swelled up:( any suggestions. i eat very sensibly and i am not a fast food person. thanks
Posted by: anon7304
Go get a colonic done. Even though it costs a little money (around 100) it's very effective and makes you feel so much better. It is where a small plastic tube is inserted and you are flushed with warm water. It's actually good for you because it will strengthen your colon and get out nasty stuff that has been sitting up there. Totally worth it. Although I will point out I had a lot of discomfort due to the fact of a lot of gas, but like I said, worth it.
Posted by: anon7336
I love laxatives!
Posted by: Pltnmplayer
Re: Quartz10

I would stay away from any type of bread. Perhaps you should try fiber cereal or go on a strict liquid diet for a couple of days. OJ with cranberry, herbal laxative tea, sea salt with warm water, or make a soup with tomato sauce, water, seasonings and some type of herb like cilantro which aids in digestion. If nothing else works I would go for the over counter or see a doctor. A severely compacted colon can be dangerous.

Posted by: anon8374
I quit alcohol 5 wks ago and have been constipated for 3 wks - anyone think there is a connection? High stress level at my job too. Have tried prunes, stool softeners - getting a bit frightened!
Posted by: anon9111
Try giving your son fibersure. It's a powder fiber you can add to any creamy substance and he wont know. Put it in his mac and cheese, or spaghetti, or even pour some into the jar of jelly for his pb&j's
Posted by: anon9388
anon8374, I have noticed that drinking alcohol heavily one night seems to have a laxative effect by the next morning. I have never read it, though.

Editor's reply: probably not the healthiest laxative, but thanks for sharing!
Posted by: anon9725
i havent been able to go to the bathroom for over 3 weeks now. When is a good time to go see a doctor?
Posted by: anon11484
ok, this is going to an interesting one for you. My 10 year old daughter has a tendency to not have a bm for up to a week. When she finally does, well, it looks like she cleaned out the entire colon! The smell, that's another story but you can just tell that something is wrong.

I've taken her to doctors, specialists, etc. They had started her on a prescription of laxatives but that seemed to make the matter worse. The dosage that they were giving her made everything too soft and she couldn't feel it. So you can only imagine the mess that made. After the embarrassment that she constantly suffered at school and home, I stopped that.

I'm looking for something natural that I can give her in small doses at home to help her but not completely lock her down to the bathroom. Plus something that won't hurt her over the long run. I've been told that it will take her a while to get back to normal because she's been this way for so long, that she's "stretched out".

Posted by: anon11518
If it's been 3 weeks, you need to see somebody ASAP. Generally, more than a week can be bad.
Posted by: anon11519
For the first post about the child i suggest you see a pediatrician or family doctor if it keeps up.

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