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IMMEDIATE CONSTIPATION RELIEF - THE COMPLETE GUIDE
- Medically reviewed by: Horia Marculescu, MD
- Photo credits: Licenses / Author
- Last updated: 22.11.2023
Immediate constipation relief is a complex process that requires:
- Fast changes in your diet.
- Introducing fiber gradually.
- Hydrating the body properly.
- Taking medicine only if necessary.
- Using exercise for bowel movement and prevention.
Changing your diet involves to stop eating white flour bread, pizza, pasta, and pastry.
It also requires you to eat milk products such as skimmed yogurt on an empty stomach.
These changes have immediate effect and help with constipation. They reduce the volume of the dry stool.
Fresh fruit juice and mineral water help hydrate the body and the stool. Fermentation and gas push the fecal matter towards evacuation.
Cardio exercises, stretching, and deep breathing help bowel movement. They help decompose the stool into small pieces.
It is essential to combine eating habits with body hydration and exercise.
In this way, you will have the immediate results with constipation.
Medicine such as laxatives, enemas, and suppositories are excellent remedies.
They help a lot, but you should avoid them and use natural laxatives.
ConstipationGUIDE has many other helpful guides about constipation and prevention.
Follow the rest of the guide and learn all the techniques that have immediate results.
1. STOP EATING WHITE FLOUR BREAD, PIZZA, PASTA, AND PASTRY
Stop eating white flour to have immediate constipation relief.
The worst examples are:
- White flour bread.
- White flour pizza dough.
- Homemade fresh pasta.
- Pastry with margarine.
- Dry cookies that contain margarine.
White flour food requires large quantities of water to start and maintain digestion.
After eating bread, pasta, or pizza, the flour in their composition will turn into starch.
Flour is a dry product. It keeps its form in the absence of humidity with te help of vegetable oil.
This thing also requires large quantities of water.
Homemade fresh pasta is a delicious type of food that you should avoid because it contains only high sugary starch.
It does not contain any fiber.
Instead, try other homemade remedies like hot coffee, skimmed milk with inactive brewer’s yeast, or vegetable stew.
If you eat large quantities of white flour food, the intestines cannot prepare digestion and move the stool.
As a side effect, the water inside the body will tend to move towards hydrating the intestines and the stool.
The result is dehydration.
This method is excellent because as soon as you stop eating food that contains white flour, digestion will not suffer anymore. Also, the body will hydrate.
According to a medical review about pizza consumption in the United States of America, pizza is the most popular food in the world and the U.S., unfortunately.
Experts from the U.S. National Library of Medicine suggest that pizza consumption should become rare because it lacks essential nutrient content.
2. START EATING WHOLE WHEAT BREAD EARLY IN THE MORNING
The best type of bread is whole wheat bread. This type has:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
Introduce whole wheat bread into your diet to have immediate constipation relief.
The process should start slow because whole wheat has a large quantity of fiber. Fiber is excellent for digestion and bowel movement.
Too much fiber can make the stool move slowly inside the intestine. This thing will slow digestion and stool evacuation.
The best way to eat whole wheat bread is early in the morning.
You can have a simple breakfast containing 4-5 slices of bread. Combine them with any fresh vegetable out there.
After breakfast, drink one glass of uncarbonated mineral water to hydrate the body.
Do not combine whole wheat bread with cheese because this combination is hard to digest.
According to a medical study about rye bread and constipation relief published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, rye bread is an excellent alternative to laxatives and has great potential overall.
The medical experts concluded that rye bread relieves constipation, improves colonic metabolism, and does not have adverse effects.
3. EAT SOURED MILK AND SKIMMED YOGURT TO GET CALCIUM AND GOOD BACTERIA
Soured milk is the best source of Calcium and Protein. It protects the intestines, and it is easy to digest.
You can prepare soured milk at home. Pour it into a glass recipient.
Leave it there to ferment for 2-3 days.
Soured milk is a way to get rid of constipation at home. It requires little effort to prepare it. And you can store it inside the refrigerator.
This type of milk is semi-liquid.
It improves the intestinal bacteria and fills the intestines with a large volume of liquid.
This thing pushes the rest of the stool towards evacuation.
Eat soured milk with a teaspoon of inactive brewer's yeast.
This type of yeast is an excellent natural supplement with lots of vitamins and proteins.
Inactive brewer's yeast contains:
- Vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12
- Vitamin B3 (PP)
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Zinc
The same thing applies to skimmed yogurt. Skimmed yogurt helps intestinal bacteria. This type contains good bacteria, proteins, and calcium.
“Fermented milks are suitable carrier for probiotics, and their production and consumption can be a beneficial way for improving health status.”
4. PROTECT YOUR DIGESTIVE TRACT WITH NATURAL FIBER
Most of the time, constipation is the result of eating low-fiber food. The majority of vegetables and fruits contain natural fiber.
Immediate constipation relief comes if your diet contains at least 50% natural fiber.
Natural fiber protects your digestive tract because:
- It helps digestion.
- It cleans the intestinal lining.
- It lowers the glycemic index.
- It makes the sticky stool move.
- It protects against chemicals and additives.
If your diet does not contain a minimum of 50% natural fiber, then bowel movement will slow.
Also, digestion will suffer because sticky stool filles the small and large intestines.
This thing makes the stool move with difficulty.
Also, food will start to rotten, and the intestines will not be able to assimilate vitamins and proteins.
Here is a list of vegetables: radishes, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, turnips, cucumbers, onions, peppers, parsley, basil, and celery.
Here is a list of fruits: blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, cherries, cherries, and kiwi.
Medical experts from the U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information suggest that:
“Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated the benefits of dietary fiber on gastrointestinal health through consumption of unrefined whole foods, such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits.”
5. USE FIBER SUPPLEMENT ONLY WHEN YOUR TIME IS LIMITED
Fiber supplements are excellent remedies to fight against constipation.
Here are a few examples:
- Inulin
- Psyllium
- Rye fiber
- Wheat bran
- Coconut fiber.
The only reason to take fiber supplements is when you don’t have time to buy vegetables and fruits.
Fiber supplements have immediate results, especially for adults.
Good fiber comes from vegetables and fruit rich in fiber.
The role of fiber supplements is to increase the volume and to lower the feeling of hunger.
Another role is to assimilate the fats and help eliminate them. Fats are hard-to-digest foods.
Also, these types of supplements detoxify the stomach and improve intestinal transit.
Always combine these supplements with large quantities of water for the best results.
Water helps the fiber move towards evacuation and hydrate the stool present inside the intestines.
Medical experts who conducted a study on wheat bran and dietary fiber suggest that:
“Wheat bran had been considered as the addition with a large potential for improving the nutritional condition of the human body based on the dietary fiber supplement.”
6. GRADUALLY INTRODUCE INSOLUBLE FIBER INTO YOUR DIET
Insoluble fiber is an excellent part of food that helps digestion and bowel movement.
Here are a few examples of foods that contain insoluble fiber:
- Green beans
- Whole grains
- Wheat bran
- Carrots
Insoluble fiber combined with lots of water makes way for immediate constipation relief.
Gradually introduce them into your diet. Drink plenty of water and hydrate the stool.
The role of insoluble fiber is to clean the colon, protect the GI tract, and move the remaining stool.
Most of the Insoluble fiber passes through the intestines and keeps its shape and size.
This type of fiber does not digest entirely.
A large quantity of insoluble fiber can create constipation. The reason is that hard stool is not able to move. The fecal matter cannot disintegrate that fast.
That is why you need to introduce them into your diet gradually. And drink plenty of water.
Insoluble fiber can irritate the intestinal walls if your colon suffers from ulceration. So again, it is better to eat small quantities rarely.
A trusted medical study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine called “Dietary Interventions in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Soluble, Insoluble or no Fibre?” suggests that insoluble fiber may worsen IBS and Constipation symptoms due to the limited evidence.
7. DRINK MINERAL WATER THAT CONTAINS MINERALS AND NUTRIENTS
The mountains are the best sources of mineral water. The reason is that water contains large quantities of minerals and nutrients.
Minerals and nutrients:
- Help the chemical reactions inside our body.
- Help hydrate the body and stool.
- Help digestion.
Constipation is a symptom that requires us to drink plenty of water. It is not enough to drink only tap water.
Tap water, sugary drinks, and drinks that contain alcohol do not help to hydrate the body.
Hot drinks, alcohol, and sugary drinks dehydrate the body.
Drink at least two glasses of water after every meal. And wait at least thirty minutes after the meal. In this way, water will not perturb digestion.
Most health experts recommend increasing our intake of fiber and water. They also recommend changing our lifestyle.
A medical study called "Chronic Constipation: Is a Nutritional Approach Reasonable?" presents these recommendations.
The same trusted source recommends having an active lifestyle because the evidence indicates that physical activity is beneficial for chronic constipation.
8. DRINK FRESH FRUIT JUICE RIGHT AFTER PREPARATION
Fruit juice is an excellent drink that provides lots of vitamins and minerals. This quantity is essential to digestion and hydration during the day.
The best time to drink fresh fruit juice is early in the morning. And the best way to drink it is right after preparation.
Fruits ferment fast because of heat and humidity.
Ideally, we want to drink the juice so the fruits do not ferment. Fermentation makes the vitamins and minerals decompose.
Therefore, eat them or drink the juice right after preparation.
We can prepare juice from any fruit except bananas.
Bananas contain large quantities of fructose (glucose). We should avoid eating bananas because they ferment very fast.
“Some experts affirm that whole apples have superior nutrient density, while others point out that juice can be more convenient. A great advantage of juice is its ease of consumption, when taken with moderation, to take advantage of the health properties of fruits.”
9. USE CARDIO EXERCISES WITH A BALANCED DIET
Cardio exercises are incredible when it comes to immediate constipation relief.
Cardio exercises help to:
- Build stamina over time.
- Improve bowel movement.
- Improve weight loss.
Cardio exercises are helpful only when we combine them with a balanced diet.
It is enough to avoid eating white flour bread, potatoes, pizza, pasta, white rice to have a balanced diet.
Ideally, we should start cardio exercise slowly (brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, etc.).
People who are not in good physical shape should start brisk walking for 1.5-2 hours every week. And continue with two sessions every week.
People with intermediate physical shape should start jogging for 1-1.5 hours twice a week.
People who practice sports regularly should start running 1.5-2 hours once a week (twice is ideal).
Cardio exercises work well with having easy-to-digest foods. As a result, you will not feel your intestines filled with matter that sticks like glue.
Eat skimmed yogurt before running. This thing will make your body feel great for the entire session.
Whole wheat bread is the perfect choice before any sport session. It has low glycemic index, and it contains lots of fiber.
Whole wheat flakes do wonders when it comes to constipation and GI tract.
Ideally, we should eat whole wheat bread, skimmed yogurt, or wheat flakes 1-1.5 hours before practice.
Also, having natural mineral water during training will keep your body hydrated.
Medical experts from the U.S. National Library of Medicine recommend us to workout 2-3 times a week.
They also recommend having one full day of rest between the days of your workout. This thing is necessary for recovery.
To have the best results, medical experts recommend exercising at least two hours a week.
10. STRETCH YOUR BODY AND DRINK PLENTY OF LIQUIDS TO STIMULATE BOWEL MOVEMENT
Cardio exercises are helpful when it comes to helping with constipation. They focus on the entire body and make the internal organs move up and down.
But stretching your body (simple stretches or yoga) will stimulate bowel movement better.
Here are a few exercises/stretches that focus on the abdomen:
- Squats
- Crunches
- Supine Twist
- Cobra Stretch
- Half Knees to chest pose.
Ideally, you want to stretch your body and focus on the abdomen area. In this way, you will stimulate bowel movement in the most efficient way possible.
People who suffer from constipation and stretch their bodies can feel the fecal matter inside the intestines.
The sensation is uncomfortable. It feels like a dry stool inside the intestines that does not move at all.
Another helpful technique is to do stretching exercises and drink fresh fruit juice.
You can drink fresh fruit juice before and during your stretching sessions.
Stretching your body does not require lots of energy reserves like cardio exercises.
Also, filling your intestines with liquid will stimulate a bowel movement.
Contracting your abdominal muscles and filling the intestines with liquids makes the stool move and disintegrate.
Keep water around to hydrate the body after stretching.
If you combine cardio exercises with stretching, you will have the best results ever.
According to a randomized controlled trial about muscle performance recovery and fluid type:
“Exercise and heat trigger dehydration and an increase in extracellular fluid osmolality, leading to deficits in exercise performance and thermoregulation.”
11. TAKE DEEP BREATHS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE TO EXPAND YOUR LUNGS
Breathing exercises are simple and helpful when it comes to immediate constipation relief.
Here is an example of a breathing exercise:
- Stay straight on your feet.
- Slowly inhale the air inside the lungs.
- Inhale slowly until the lower abdomen is full of air.
- Keep the air inside the lower abdomen for two seconds.
- Slowly exhale the air.
- Finish when the air is entirely out.
Repeat this exercise with 20-25 reps once every day. Try to focus your mind on the lower abdomen.
You can practice this exercise as often as you can. This example is a great technique to relax your mind.
Breathing makes the lungs shrink and expand. The air that goes inside the lungs increases the volume of the lungs.
Expanding the lungs will make the abdominal muscles also contract and move.
These actions make the intestines move and put pressure on the fecal matter.
The dry stool will disintegrate and move toward evacuation.
Try to add the breathing exercise in between Cardio exercise and stretching.
When we combine breathing exercises, cardio, and stretching, the results are incredible.
It is essential to use these exercises in the long term. Short-term is also good. But the point is to prevent constipation.
According to health experts from University of Michigan Health:
“Diaphragmatic breathing can be used while sitting on the toilet attempting to have a bowel movement to calm and massage the system. The result may be a more complete bowel movement.”
12. TAKE NATURAL LAXATIVES FIRST, LIKE PLUMS, GRAPES, APPLES, AND WATERMELON
Now that you know which types of food to avoid and which types to eat, it is time to learn which types of food have laxative effects.
The fruits that have the most laxative effects are:
- plums
- apples
- grapes
The rules remain the same. We should eat all fruits only on an empty stomach. Always.
Plums contain lots of vitamins like Vitamin A (beta-carotene and lutein zeaxanthin), B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6, B9, C, E, K.
Plums also contain minerals like Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, Manganese, Magnesium, and Phosphorus.
Plums contain a large amount of sugar alcohol (or polyol) called Sorbitol. Sorbitol is an efficient chemical that helps with constipation.
Sorbitol has laxative effects due to fermentation that starts after eating fruits.
Besides Sorbitol, these fruits contain neochlorogenic acids and chlorogenic acids. These acids have laxative effects.
These three components trigger bowel movement in the most natural way possible.
Apples are similar to plums. They contain Sorbitol but in lower quantities. Apple juice is a delicious alternative to take in consideration.
They have the same laxative effect as plums. Also, apple juice is a natural laxative because of fermentation.
Grapes are delicious fruits that deliver both vitamins and minerals. These chemical components are essential to digestion and hydration.
Grapes contain Vitamins like B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6, B9 (Folate), Choline, E, K, and Vitamin C.
They also contain minerals like Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Zinc, Phosphorus, and Calcium.
Grapes do not contain Sorbitol. Grapes ferment fast because they have lots of sugar.
Fermentation creates gas and helps move the stool towards evacuation.
Watermelon has laxative effects because of mannitol and lycopene. Most of the time, everyone eats a large quantity of watermelon.
Filling the intestines with watermelon is a helpful way to have a bowel movement.
“Dried plums are safe, palatable and more effective than psyllium for the treatment of mild to moderate constipation, and should be considered as a first line therapy.”
13. TAKE MILD LAXATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION
We should ask a doctor for his opinion on using strong laxatives for immediate constipation relief.
Stool softeners:
- Are mild laxatives
- They stimulate water secretion.
- They stimulate Sodium secretion.
Stool softeners like Docusate Calcium, Magnesium Hydroxide, or Docusate Sodium soften the stool and improve peristalsis.
The laxative effect starts after 6-8 hours and can continue up to 40-50 hours.
Lubricant laxatives are mild laxatives and have the same effects as stool softeners.
The most common ones are mineral oil, Vaseline lubricant, and paraffin.
Lubricant laxatives lubricate the intestinal walls. As a result, the stool mass will move throughout the intestines.
The effect of these laxatives starts from 6-36 hours, depending on the severity of the symptom.
Experts recommend taking lubricant laxatives only for a few days.
Stimulant laxatives:
- Are mild laxatives
- They squeeze the intestines.
- They stimulate the intestinal walls.
Here are a few examples: Senna Sennoides, Bisacodyl, Sodium Picosulfate, and Magnesium salts.
Stimulant laxatives activate peristalsis and nerve impulses by stimulating the colonic mucosa.
The effect starts after six hours (6-12 hours is a more accurate interval).
These types are Over-the-counter laxatives. You can buy them from your nearest pharmacy.
They also recommend using gentle laxatives. These options have mild effects on the body.
14. TAKE STRONG LAXATIVES TO HAVE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS ON CONSTIPATION
Taking strong laxatives is a quick relief for constipation because the effect is immediate.
Osmotic laxatives help move water and fluids through the colon. This type of laxative brings water to the stool.
As a result, the stool will get enough water to have a normal consistency.
Here are a few examples:
- Lactulose
- Magnesium Citrate
- Magnesium Hydroxide.
Another example is Polyethylene glycol (or PEG). This type can have mild or strong effects, depending on the prescription.
You can purchase these types of laxatives only with a prescription from a doctor.
Osmotic laxatives are strong laxative. The laxative effect depends on the severity of constipation that affects you.
Colonoscopy preparation laxatives are strong laxatives. They have immediate effect.
The purpose of these laxatives is to clear the entire intestines.
These types of laxatives are the most efficient laxatives because:
- The effect is immediate.
- They clear the entire intestines.
- They keep the intestines clean for hours.
Also, the way you should take these laxatives is pre-established. You should not eat for 8-12 hours in that day.
These laxatives come in the form of powder. This powder mixes with water. The result is a large bottle of liquid.
You should drink this liquid for about 4-6 hours. And you can drink fruit juice and soups.
You will go to the toilet once every half an hour. The idea is to empty the intestines as much as possible.
There are two popular choices: DulcoLax and MiraLax.
Before taking these laxatives, make sure you talk to your doctor.
Doctors use Polyethylene glycol-electrolyte solution (PEG-ES) to empty the colon (large intestine, bowel) before a colonoscopy.
This process is necessary so the doctor will have a clear view of the intestinal walls.
15. TAKE AN ENEMA ONLY IF YOU HAVE A DAY OFF FROM WORK
Taking an enema is helpful for immediate constipation relief.
It is not a complicated process, but it requires attention.
Enemas are effective because the result is immediate. Enemas focus on a specific part of your body – the large intestine, the rectum, and the lower abdomen.
Enemas soften the stool by decomposing it into small pieces. Pushing liquid inside the large intestine makes the fecal matter decompose.
After decomposing, the stool will evacuate with ease out of the rectum.
There are a few enemy types: warm tap water enemas, soapsuds, and Sodium Phosphate.
Although it is easy to take an enema, ask your doctor first for medical advice.
The cleansing action of Fleet Enema is excellent. Most of the patients who participated in the study had mild side effects.
16. TRY A SUPPOSITORY ONLY IF YOUR DOCTOR RECOMMENDS IT
Suppositories are the last remedies for constipation you should try.
Taking suppositories is a delicate and unpleasant process.
Suppositories such as glycerin or bisacodyl stimulate bowel movements.
The doctor or medical staff inserts the suppositories into the rectum.
After insertion, the suppositories dissolve. And the effect takes place around the rectum area.
In this way, the suppositories stimulate bowel movement.
This process is what makes you poop instantly. Always get the recommendation of your doctor before using these types of laxatives.
The combination of all of the techniques is beneficial for both short-term and long-term.
It is not enough to use one technique because you do not know the cause of this symptom.
Last medically reviewed on 22.11.2023
TRUSTED SOURCES
1. Mechanisms, Evaluation, and Management of Chronic Constipation.