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HOW TO GET RID OF CONSTIPATION FAST AT HOME - 13 WAYS
- Medically reviewed by: Horia Marculescu, MD
- Photo credits: Licenses / Author
- Last updated: 06.04.2022
Constipation is one of the most frequent functional gastrointestinal disorders in the world. In the United States, more than 20% of the population suffers from this symptom.
The most common treatments for functional constipation include stool softeners, stimulant laxatives, osmotic laxatives, fiber supplements, and biliary supplements.
Here are 13 ways to get rid of constipation at home and improve digestion:
1. EAT PROBIOTICS TO RESTORE THE INTESTINAL MICROBIAL BALANCE
How to get rid of constipation fast at home? First of all, start with probiotics.
Probiotics are live non-pathogenic microbial compounds that colonize the intestinal tract. They are beneficial to the host when people administrate them in appropriate amounts.
The most common types of probiotics are Lactoacid bacteria and Bifidobacterial.
Probiotics facilitate digestion and restore intestinal flora. Together with prebiotics, they help relieve constipation immediately and improve the GI tract.
Doctors recommend probiotics for:
- Improving the affective state.
- Strengthening the immune system.
- Helping digestion after the diet change.
- Restoring the intestinal microbial balance.
- Improving the digestive transit disturbances.
Examples of foods that contain probiotics: sour dairy products - yogurt, sour cream, kefir, and cheese.
There are other natural sources of probiotics such as fruit juice, soy juice, fermented milk products, some soft cheeses, miso (a soybean paste), tempeh (soybeans and whole grains), Korean kimchi (a kind of sauerkraut), pickles, and sauerkraut.
The duration of probiotic treatment is not standardized.
Regimens can occur during or immediately after antibiotic treatment. Example: cycles of 10 days per month or during periods of asthenia.
The latest medical research shows promising results on the effects of probiotics on constipation.
Increasing investigation in human studies shows that any disturbance of the highly interconnected systems of digestion may produce direct symptoms of constipation.
These systems are highly interrelated and control intestinal motility: The gut luminal environment, immune system, ENS, and CNS.
Specific probiotic species and strains can modify the gut luminal environment. This thing may affect motility and secretion in the intestine.
As a result, this process can benefit patients who suffer from constipation.
Other medical research confirms the relationship between constipation and gut microbiota.
Many experiments show that probiotics are beneficial for getting rid of constipation.
Also, probiotic compounds are associated with gastrointestinal transit rate, weight and number of stools, gastrointestinal regulatory hormones, serum, and serum cytokines.
2. EAT PREBIOTICS TO FEED THE HELPFUL INTESTINAL BACTERIA
Prebiotics are indigestible substances, most often fiber. They improve the health of the host.
The process: selectively stimulating the growth or activity of certain beneficial microorganisms in the colon. Most often, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
The most common sources of prebiotics include:
- inulin
- lafinose
- lactulose
- fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
- galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
Prebiotics are available in the foods we eat: Berries, Bananas, Whole grains, Soybeans, Legumes, beans, peas, Asparagus, Garlic, Onions, Honey, and Dandelion leaves.
The beneficial bacteria inside the colon use prebiotics with the help of fermentation. Fermentation is the leading mechanism of action.
Prebiotics feed the helpful bacteria inside the intestine.
This process allows the bacteria to create nutrients for the colon cells. The result is a healthier digestive system and helps the gastrointestinal tract.
These things facilitate immediate constipation relief in the long term, especially with the good bacteria inside the intestines.
Eat fruits and milk products only on an empty stomach.
Or wait at least four hours since your last meal. In this way, digestion will be able to assimilate all of the vitamins, nutrients, and protein.
According to a medical study published by the U.S. NIH: Reciprocal action of prebiotics with probiotics reduce the risk of constipation, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, respiratory infections, and allergies.
Medical research confirms that Lactose-derived prebiotics has substantial potential for gastrointestinal health.
3. DRINK APPLE JUICE TO GET THE LAXATIVE EFFECT
How to get rid of constipation fast at home with apple juice? Drink two glasses of fresh apple juice to start things moving inside.
Fresh apple juice has lots of vitamins and nutrients like:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Apple juice also contains Water, Iron, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Iron, and Potassium.
The sweet taste comes from a small amount of fructose. Fructose is a sugary component specific to fruits. One glass of juice contains approximately 7.5 grams of fructose (low).
All of these components hydrate our body and help digestion.
Apple juice starts fermenting inside the intestines due to heat and humidity. Fermentation starts if the intestines already have other foods inside.
Fermentation creates gas and pressure. These things make the intestines move the stool down the rectum.
Try to always drink fresh apple juice only on an empty stomach.
According to a medical study about the chemical stability of fructans in apple beverages and constipation: The consumption of apple juice increases the number of bowel movements.
It also facilitates defecation with ease. The presence of fructans in apple juice is chemically stable and helps patients with chronic constipation.
4. EAT SUNFLOWER OIL TO STIMULATE BILIARY SECRETION AND GET VITAMINS E, D, F, B, OMEGA6
Sunflower oil is a polyunsaturated fat made from pressing sunflower seeds. The seeds are cold-pressed without using any refining process.
Sunflower oil contains 30% Oleic acid, 7%, Palmitoleic acid, 5% Stearic acid, 57% Linoleic acid, and 0.5% alfa-Linolenic acid.
This type of oil contains the following vitamins:
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin F
- Vitamin B
- Omega 6.
Sunflower oil has an antioxidant effect. It prevents cellular aging, stimulates the immune system, and improves nervous system development.
Everyone uses refined sunflower oil to cook food at home.
But the best way to use cold-pressed sunflower oil in food is to use it as a salad dressing.
Oil makes the liver secrete bile.
Biliary secretion helps digestion. In this way, the small intestine will be able to assimilate almost all the food inside.
Eating just oil is not that great. Feeling nauseous is normal after eating one tablespoon of sunflower oil. That is why it is better to use small portions of oil with any vegetables.
According to a medical review about the oilseed crop sunflower: Sunflower oil is beneficial to get rid of constipation, colds, dysentery, coughs, and other diseases.
Sunflower oil improves health by having anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive actions.
5. EAT OLIVE OIL WITH A SALAD TO STIMULATE THE BILE
Olive oil is a polyunsaturated fat made from cold-pressing olives into the press. To get rid of constipation fast at home, introduce olive oil into your diet.
Olive oil contains 70% oleic acid, 3.5% palmitoleic acid, 15% Linoleic acid, and 0.5% alfa-Linoleic acid.
Extra virgin olive oil contains the following:
- Iron
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Omega 3
- Omega 6.
Some countries recommend olive oil to fight against the oxidation of blood lipids using its polyphenols.
But everyone associates extra virgin olive oil with Mediterranean cuisine and longevity.
Olives and olive oil are primary ingredients for cooking at home in Mediterranean Europe, Greece, Italy, and Spain.
People use this olive oil with salads, cheese, meat, and pasta. Depending on the region, some people eat cold food with it.
The Mediterranean diet is now more than ever efficacious in helping with chronic inflammatory diseases.
The same thing applies to irritable bowel syndrome.
Extra virgin olive oil consumption reduces the symptoms of constipation, bloating, and incomplete defecation.
6. TAKE BILE SUPPLEMENTS TO STIMULATE THE BILE AND HELP DIGESTION
The liver is one of the most important organs inside our body. It is essential for digesting and absorbing fats.
The liver also helps:
- Cleansing of blood.
- Stabilizing glucose levels.
- Storing fat-soluble vitamins.
The liver creates the bile. Bile is a mix of water, bile acids, bile salts, fatty acids, electrolytes, toxins, cholesterol, bilirubin, and phospholipids.
Besides recycling iron, cleansing the blood, and synthesizing cholesterol, bile has another essential role in digestion: fat decomposition.
Bile supplements stimulate biliary secretion.
The role of the bile is to stay in the gallbladder for a short time. When the time comes, bile will prepare for the decomposition of the fats.
Bile smartly moves the fat molecules. This process helps the pancreatic enzymes to decompose into them small particles.
The processes continues with the small intestine that absorbs these particles.
These processes happen relatively fast and help to relieve constipation with immediate effects.
Before taking any bile supplement, ask your doctor or pharmacist for their recommendation.
According to medical research about bile acids: The role of bile acids is to act as a detergent. It facilitates digestion, the absorption of lipids, and cholesterol.
The same thing applies to fat-soluble vitamins.
Also, bile acids act as adjusters of the gut microbiome. They modulate cell proliferation, gene expression, and lipid/glucose metabolism as signaling molecules.
7. TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS TO IMPROVE THE METABOLISM
It is easy to get rid of constipation fast at home. How to do that? Take vitamin supplements early in the morning.
Vitamins are essential to digestion. Vitamins and nutrients keep our body in shape and hydrated.
Sometimes, fruit and different types of food do not have the necessary amounts of vitamins that our body needs.
A few examples of essential vitamins:
- Vitamin D, B1, B2, B5
- Vitamin B6, B12
- Magnesium
- Vitamin PP
- Phosphor
- Zinc
These vitamins are essential to digestion and metabolism. One example is inactive brewer's yeast.
It is rich in all of the vitamins mentioned above. It also contains lots of essential amino acids.
The best time to take vitamin supplements is early in the morning. So, the body has enough resources for the rest of the day.
Vitamin supplements come in the form of pills or tablets.
According to a medical study about chronic functional constipation and vitamin D: Vitamin D and anxiety influence chronic functional constipation.
The same thing applies to intestinal motility disorders.
Based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nutrition Report: The lack of vitamins such as iron, vitamin D, iodine, and Folic Acid is essential to our overall health.
It is essential for digestion, metabolism, pregnancy, muscles, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
8. DRINK NATURAL MINERAL WATER TO GET NUTRIENTS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL FOR CONSTIPATION
Natural mineral water is the purest type of water that we can find. It is pure microbiologically.
Also, this type of water is present in an underground aquifer which comes from a source exploited by one or more natural emergencies or drilling (especially in the mountain area).
There are many types of water, but for most people, most of the time, the following ones are essential:
- Natural mineral water.
- Normal drinking water.
- Carbonated mineral water.
Natural uncarbonated mineral water is the best water you can drink. It has lots of nutrients and minerals.
Nutrients and minerals help the body’s hydration process by sending the resources to the right places.
Nutrients and minerals are essential components of the chemical reactions in our body like Hydrogen, Calcium, Chlorine, Sulfur, Magnesium, Iron, Silicon, Potassium, and Sodium.
Try to drink a glass of water thirty minutes after each meal. But not earlier. In this way, you will keep your body hydrated all the time.
Because of the high concentration of Carbon, we must avoid carbonated mineral water because our pancreas will secrete a small amount of insulin after a glass of sparkling water.
Normal water or Tap water which anyone has at home, is a processed and treated most of the times. It does not contain the right amount of minerals and natural mineral water
Also, many facilities include large quantities of Chlorine to get rid of bacteria. Therefore, our intestine bacteria will disappear slowly.
Try to drink only natural uncarbonated mineral water as much as possible.
According to a CDC Health and Nutrition Guide: Water intake prevents dehydration and keeps our body to a cool temperature.
Dehydration and overheating lead to constipation and kidney stones.
9. DO SQUATS AT HOME TO HELP BOWEL MOVEMENT
Now that you know how to keep your body hydrated, it is time for exercise.
Use squats to get rid of constipation fast at home. How to do that? Practice squatting as often as possible and practice it correctly.
Practice this exercise as follows:
- Five series of 3-5 squats for beginners.
- Ten series of 5-7 squats for intermediate.
- Ten series of 10-10 squats for more advanced.
Squatting is an easy and fun exercise to practice at home. It does not require special equipment.
And you can practice it in the comfort of your home.
The exercise requires you to lower your body toward the floor. And keep your body in that posture for a few seconds or a few breaths.
In the end, return to the initial body position, and repeat.
The best time to do exercise is early in the morning. Try to start slow and always have mineral water around you.
The longer you stay in the squat posture, the better. This posture compresses the intestines and moves the stool towards evacuation.
Also, this posture increases the anorectal angle and relaxes the puborectalis muscles.
Brisk walking and squatting can be an even more effective combination of exercise. This effort combination is demanding and improves your stress and effort resistance.
According to a medical review about preventing bowel disorders: Squatting / Squats imitates the natural way humans defecate.
Squatting helps the abdominal muscles work actively. They facilitate the complete evacuation of the stool.
10. DO SOME HOME EXERCISE TO IMPROVE INTESTINAL TRANSIT
Besides squatting, there are a few other exercises to practice at home like:
- Sit-ups
- Crunches
- Legs-up-the-wall
Sit-ups and Crunches are similar exercises. They focus on compressing the lower abdomen.
This technique makes the stool move and detaches into small pieces inside. Also, it puts to work the abdominal muscles.
The legs-up-the-wall pose is a yoga posture. It focuses on the lower abdomen.
By bringing your knees to your chest, it compresses the entire abdomen.
Try to practice 5-10 series of 3-5 crunches or sit-ups. Start slow and take breaks when your abdominal muscles feel a little sore.
This thing creates pressure inside the intestines and moves the stool. Also, it relaxes the puborectalis muscles. And it increases the anorectal angle.
Ideally, you want to stay in this posture for 5-10 breaths and relax. The more you stay in this posture, the better. Try practicing this posture for 20-40 minutes every day.
The U.K. National Health System recommends avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. This thing means to avoid sitting down for too long watching the TV.
Working at a computer or driving too much without exercise is not terrible for your health.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine – Indoor fitness routine: Anyone can do a complete fitness routine.
To do exercise at home, you don’t need fancy sports equipment. Exercise three times a week. You should aim for at least two hours a week.
11. EAT SOFT AND TENDER MEAT TO HELP DIGESTION AND STOOL EVACUATION
Eat soft-boiled meat to get rid of constipation fast at home. How does this thing help digestion and constipation?
The best types of boiled meat:
- Chicken
- Beef
When you suffer from constipation, it is essential to eat food that is easy to digest. Hard to digest food like fried meat slows the intestinal transit.
Meat that contains lots of fat is difficult to digest, especially if you combine it with bread. Foods that contain carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.) make digestion even slower.
The best way to eat meat and get proteins is to combine it only with vegetables.
Fresh vegetables and tender meat are a healthy combination. This combination is easy to digest.
You can boil or fry any meat you like. It takes 5-6 hours for the intestines to digest meat. You can feel the sensation of getting hungry.
You have to wait at least five hours after the last meal to eat another meal.
You can prepare boiled meat in vegetable soup. Soup has lots of vitamins and nutrients from vegetables.
According to a Bland diet guide, published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine: A bland diet does not include spicy food, fried, or raw foods. It contains foods that are soft and low in fiber.
The guide recommends the following types of food: lean, tender meats, such as chicken. Steamed shellfish and whitefish are also great.
12. EAT BOILED VEGETABLES TO SPEED UP INTESTINAL TRANSIT
When people suffer from constipation, they should avoid eating hard-to-digest fiber.
Fiber is difficult to move inside the intestines. Especially if there is matter inside that sticks like glue.
Fiber is essential for:
- A better intestinal transit.
- Protecting the gastrointestinal tract.
- Improving constipation in the long term.
In order to prevent creating more stool inside the intestine that slows transit, we should eat softer and liquid food at first.
One of the best foods that everyone can cook at home is boiled vegetables.
Boiled vegetables are easy to digest. And still contains a small portion of vitamins and nutrients.
Raw and frozen vegetables are perfect for cooking a small portion of vegetable stew.
Boiled meat with boiled vegetables is a healthy food combination that helps digestion.
Here are a few examples of vegetables: Artichoke, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Leaf, Endive or garden chicory, Thyme, Cress, Lettuce, Lovage, Sorrel, Dill, Parsley, Tarragon, Salad, Spinach, Celery.
Other examples: Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Fruit, Pepper, Bama, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Red, Eggplant, Pod, grain, Beans, Lentil, green peas, Chickpeas, and Soy.
Here are a few vegetables that are good raw: Horseradish, Carrot, Parsnip, Radish, Black radish, Beet, and Celery.
According to a medical guide called Low-fiber diet: cooked vegetables are low in fiber and are easy to digest.
Easy-to-digest food is essential for patients suffering from intestinal stricture or obstruction.
13. PREPARE SENNA TEA OR LIQUIDS AT HOME TO GET THE LAXATIVE EFFECT
The Senna plant is a tropical semi-shrub 39-78 inches tall (1-2 m). It has yellow, zygomorphic shivers arranged in racemose inflorescences.
The final products after preparing the Senna plant are:
- Senna leaves (Sennae folium).
- Senna fruits (Sennae fructus).
Senna leaves contain 3% diantronglycosides, palmidine A, rein-arthrons, and some free anthraquinones.
They also contain potential compounds with an unidentified structure. Their structure is not yet defined.
Senna fruit contains senosides A and B, naphthalene glycosides, mucilages, flavonoids, carbohydrates, and volatile oil.
Senna leaves have a purgative and laxative effect.
Everyone uses Senna leaves as a home laxative because it is widely the most popular plant-based home laxative.
We can use Senna as:
- Senna fluid (ratio 1-1).
- Senna syrup (2-10 ml per day).
- Tea (15-20 minutes of infusion before bedtime).
- Senna Extracts (tablets and capsules 10-50mg per day).
There are two main actions: It stimulates the motility of the colon (accelerating the colonic transit). And it reabsorbs the fluid from the intestinal electrolytes.
As a result, the laxative effect comes 8-12 hours or more. The result is present in the colon.
According to a recent medical review on OTC Therapies for Chronic Constipation: Experts recommend PEG and Senna as the only OTC laxatives with grade A for constipation treatment.
There are other laxatives graded B that include: psyllium, magnesium-rich water, magnesium oxide, bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, fruit-based laxatives like kiwi, mango, prunes, and linseed oil.
CONCLUSION
To answer shortly to the question: How to get rid of constipation fast at home?
Start with probiotics and prebiotics. They go well together. They help intestinal microbiota and improve digestion.
Apple juice, vitamins, and mineral water keep your body hydrated. They help digestion by bringing vitamins and nutrients.
Sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, and bile supplements stimulate biliary secretion. This thing helps digestion and bowel movement.
Home exercise and Squats help bowel movement by expanding the abdominal muscles.
Last medically reviewed on 06.04.2022
RESOURCES
1. Applied Principles of Neurogastroenterology: Physiology/Motility