Maybe you’ve recently found yourself flipping through the People magazine in the bathroom basket a few extra times. It happens to the best of us. In fact, according to the National Institute of Health, constipation accounts for over 2.5 million doctor visits per year in the US.
And if you’re one of the roughly 4 million people who’ve experienced frequent constipation, you know that it’s about a lot more than just beefing up on your magazine subscriptions. A healthy digestive system means eliminating at least once per day and ideally after every meal. And if you’ve ever gone a few days without any bowel movements, you know it can be downright miserable.
Chronic constipation causes gas, bloating, weight gain, acne, headaches, and low back pain, just to name a few…..And chronic constipation can lead to more serious diseases like colon cancer and even Parkinson’s disease.
The good news is that there are some pretty straightforward remedies to your clogged plumbing, and most of them just involve some simple tweaks to what you’re eating and drinking. We see it over and over again in our cleanses, and it’s just as true in our daily lives: easy changes can have dramatic results.
Following are a few changes you can try that will help you, ahem, eliminate the problem, rather than just treat the symptom.
Now it’s your turn. Don’t be shy! Do you struggle with constipation? Let us know how these tips work for you in the comment section below.
Here’s to a happy and healthy digestive system,
P.S. If you liked this article, share it!
Top 10 Tips to Get Things Moving
- Take a high quality probiotic. You can find high quality products at your natural grocery store. Just make sure it’s gluten, dairy, egg and soy free!
- Drink more water. One of the most common reasons for constipation is dehydration. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces per day. Try frontloading your water in the beginning of the day so that you’re not trying to play catch up in the evening (which will just have you to peeing all night).
- Add 1-2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds to your smoothie. This trick works like a charm! Flaxseeds add more fiber to your diet, which help to bulk up your stool so that you can eliminate easily. Think of flaxseeds as the new and improved Metamucil.
- Chew your food. It’s easy to snarf down a quick lunch, but chewing is part of the digestive process. Take the time to slow down and enjoy your meal!
- Consider that you might have a food allergy. Foods like gluten, dairy, and soy commonly cause digestive problems and constipation. Try removing them from your diet to see if that does the trick. Consider joining the Conscious Cleanse to more accurately identify the foods that are causing you problems.
- Drink a green juice. Fresh vegetable juice is filled with live enzymes, vitamins and minerals that help aid in digestion and elimination. Add some ginger or turmeric to your juice for an extra digestive boost!
- Stop eating. Give your digestive system a rest so that it can process the food already in your body. If you’re hungry grab a green juice or have a large cup of hot water with lemon, which has a natural laxative effect.
- Move your body. Walk, run, dance or do some yoga. Check out our newest Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow class designed to improve elimination and aid in detoxification. Exercise stimulates the natural contraction of intestinal muscles.
- Take a warm Epsom salt bath. This is a great ritual to add to your daily routine. The warm water relaxes your body as the Epsom salt aids in a gentle detoxification. Soak for 20 minutes for best results.
- Add magnesium citrate into your daily routine. We like to take Natural Vitality’s magnesium citrate packets at night to help us relax, as well as keep our digestive systems runnin’ like a champ.
With everyone on the GREEN JUICE bandwagon, many doctors could be out of business this year !!!
:)
I’ve tried all of these and am still having chronic constipation to the point where it shows up on x-rays. Any more suggestions?
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Have you identified any food allergies? Think about the foods you love or crave the most. Have you tried eating fermented veggies with every meal? Keep us posted. We’d love to help so be sure to check out our next online Cleanse starting April 6. xoxo Jules
I do everything from Flax seed, smooth move tea, mirilax twice a day, I drink water with lemon all day, I take suppositories and enemas, I exercise, I’ve added extra fiber to my diet, I’ve done the 7day cleanse, and I am at a loss. I have chronic constipation and absolutely nothing helps me. It is so bad to the point of my body throwing up from not being able to go. Sure I get a little relief here and there from all I do but nothing can sustain a regular movement and it’s frustrating not to mention so horrid constantly being sick from not being able to eliminate. I maybe go once every two weeks if I am lucky. I need help! What Can I do because I literally feel like giving up….but I can’t because it’s hindering my life.
Oh no! That sounds so very uncomfortable and frustrating. Have you tried our Conscious Cleanse? We work with a lot people with extreme constipation.
I wonder if Miralax and maybe other manmade laxatives are making things worse and undoing some of the benefits from natural measures. Have you researched the side effects of Miralax and other manmade digestive aids?
Consider candida. Doctors don’t check for candida. Candida causes constipation. I am doing a Candida cleanse to specifically eliminate the candida buggers. With constipation, the liver is not producing bile. Have you tried taking a T. of olive oil with 2 tsp. lemon juice at night? This is very mild, and will probably not have a big effect. There are also some great Ayurvedic blends that can help. Check out LIFESPA.com, hosted by world famous Dr. John Doullard. He helped me with extreme constipation several years ago.
Thanks Connie. I love Dr. Douillard….glad to hear that he’s helped you!
Hey guys even i’m having the same problem as yours. I’m from India. I use castor oil for a temporary relief of constipation. if you can manage to get Castor oil, take 2 spoons of it with milk after dinner. I’ve tried this. It releases the previously stored one’s. It helped me.
Hi Mona, Thank you for sharing your experience. XO, J&J
I am having bad constipation any suggestions!!!!!!!!! I already tried all of these
Hi Lalalala, We’re so sorry you’re constipated and none of the above are working for you. We would probably need to dive into this further. You can write into us at connect@consciouscleanse.com.
I have chronic Constipation Like crazy So what can I take To make me feel better I had tried everythingAnd nothing seems to workSo please help me out
Hi Amy, We’re sorry you’re feeling so horrible! Have you tried everything above? Feel free to write into us at connect@consciouscleanse.com so we can ask more probing questions. XO, J&J
Liquorice root decoction has helped many people I know. You’d want to get organic, dried liquorice root from a reliable source and then soak it in water, simmer it for 20 minutes, strain and drink. Do that regularly and it should help. But check with your doctor because liquorice can react with some prescription medications. If you have high blood pressure don’t use it.