Easy Home Remedies for Constipation Relief

If you have a stubborn case of constipation there is nothing like Vitamin C in a larger quantity.Something like a good teaspoon to however many it takes of powdered sodium ascorbate stirred into orange juice or another beverage will do the trick.I think it is less sour than plain powdered ascorbic acid, but you can use it as well.This is usually the bowel tolerance level when you cut back on how much you take for other ailments, but it works for constipation very well.You May feel a bit of rumbling inside and I advise staying close to the bathroom because it really works.

Thank you so much Cindy for posting your results with MSM! I found it searching for a "mineral water" recipe thinking that my city tap water is probably "dead" of minerals. And that maybe I would feel better if I made my own mineral water. I just bought a little MSM last week, and thought maybe that was helping. But I only took about 1 tsp a day. Now I know I can take more! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Resistant Starch such as Potato or Corn Starch w/Wheat Bran in Water for Constipation

Taking a little (start with a quarter teaspoon, then gradually increase the amount) potato or corn starch in water once or twice a day helps to increase good bacteria in the colon. This should be taken with some other fiber, such as wheat bran.

Studies have shown that taking this starch/water mixture increased the good bacteria in the colon. Still, the good bacteria weren't propagating throughout the whole colon. Adding a little (wheat) bran together with the starch effected that the good bacteria spread throughout the whole colon.

Senna works for chronic constipation. I use a senna compound in table form. There are many to choose from (I use prunelax). One and half tablets a night along with 3 capsules of magnesium oxide works reliably. I also bought one of those "squatty potties."

All of these inexpensive remedies together work work wonders. I feel so much better now and don't worry as much about my diet.

I recently had a bad episode of constipation and trapped gas. It was really painful.

I first got a colonic which got a lot out. I highly recommend them, perhaps even every few months if you have digestive issues. They clear the junk out from years and decades ago along with shedding the related emotional baggage. I always feel incredibly lighter. Honestly, I think they should be an addendum to therapy!

After the colonic, I still had some trapped gas which hurt. I drank triphala tea along with herbal teas for a couple of days without eating much food.

But what did the trick for me was a tbsp of castor oil with the triphala tea at night. Early the next morning I was able to release everything.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories. This site is super useful!

I started experimenting with 1/2 Tablespoon castor oil, working my way up to 1 Tablespoon. it works when nothing else does, but takes 2-3 hours. It is a stimulant laxitive -i also like to take it with coffee to get things moving. Only caution is if you take too much it may cause slight tummy ache. I found the following info online (not sure if it applies to ingested castor oil, but I assume it should):

"Oftentimes, the gut contains pathogenic bacteria wrapped in biofilm. Biofilm is the gross, slimy protective layer bad bacteria can produce. Harmful bacteria produce biofilm to protect themselves from being eliminated or destroyed, making it hard to achieve balance in the microbiome.

However, castor oil can break down the biofilm barrier, allowing harmful bacteria to be eradicated from the gut and beneficial bacteria to survive. Since 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut, a balanced gut microbiome is key to a healthy, regulated immune system. This makes gut health the most important factor in healing and reversing autoimmunity."

I have had success with 1 kiwi and 1 or 2 tablespoons of yogurt right before I go to bed. It is the last thing I eat. When I wake up in the morning, I feel relief.

Grapefruit for Constipation

I eat a few slices of grapefruit and some grapefruit juice with my breakfast in the morning.

Hope this helps.

Just a quick comment regarding baking soda and aluminum: There's no aluminum in baking soda. It can be found in baking POWDER, but not baking soda. :)

I have a feeling the reason lemon might work for you is because sour taste stimulates the liver, and a congested liver or liver stagnation is a key cause of constipation.

In others however, lemon might make things worse, as it's sour/astringent nature could cause constipation.

"Die off" refers to when a "pathogen" (the broad word to describe any microbe, worm, candida, mold, etc.) is killed. often that pathogen will be a host to other pathogens, so when the host is killed, the pathogens that it supported will die and all these dead pathogens have to be removed by our body. Sometimes this can make us feel sick, flu like. Our kidneys and liver have to work hard to cleanse our body of all this yucky waste. It helps ALOT if we drink extra water and remain "regular" in the bathroom by whatever means necessary (enema, fiber pills, even laxatives for a short time). as always, try to "put the good stuff in (healthy food) and get the bad stuff out". Thank you E.C.!! This sight is refreshing and helpful.

I have been suffering from chronic, severe constipation and hemorrhoids lately as a result from eating too many sugary foods all at once, a switch in thyroid med/dose, and stress, as well as (possibly) a lack of fiber (I've been afraid it will make me more constipated)...After a miserable morning where I finally did go, but it was so hard and dry and I thought I had a blockage and was going to need to go to the hospital! After I finally cleared out, I was terrified of that happening again, as I've been struggling with constipation for the past almost 2 weeks! I tried ground flaxseed (which I ground myself and keep refrigerated in a glass jar) mixed into water yesterday. (I used 4 tsps in about 16-20 ounces of water.) I let it sit for a while to let that gel-like substance come into the water and I drank that throughout the day. I like the taste of flaxseeds (nutty) and had a soft, painless bowel movement for the first time in many days yesterday afternoon! Then had to go again in the evening (mostly diarrhea, but welcome that right now over constipation and further hemorrhoid irritation)! I also had a smooth poo this morning.

Grapefruit Seed Extract, Ume Plum Vinegar, Coconut water for Constipation

Taking around 20 drops of Grapefruit Seed in about two or three ounces of water in the morning (and sometimes again in the afternoon) helps for Constipation.

Also, it is beneficial to take it with about a half tsp of Ume Plum Vinegar. (ingredients: ume plum, sea salt, beefsteak leaf-shiso. Both an America and a Japanese company sell the vinegar. Using presently the plum vinegar from the American company.)

Sometimes it is beneficial to take a mixture of around a tsp of ume plum vinegar in a cup of water or coconut water 10-20 minutes later and another tsp of ume plum vinegar in another cup of water or coconut water another 20 minutes later. The very salty vinegar and the coconut water both give benefit. A few shakes of cream of tartar powder can also be added to the water.

I've had a terrible time with constipation. A friend suggested to use a 7” toilet stool. I was amazed at how fast it worked for elimination. Proper posture is the key.

It also helps to take a single 200mg magnesium citrate gummy last thing at night and use the toilet stool in the morning. I also make sure I walk at least 30 minutes a day. I drink plenty of liquids like water, tea, and coffee.

Metamucil powder 1x a day in 12 oz. of water, stirred well, also helps me. If I decide not to take the magnesium gummy, I fix the Metamucil in the morning to drink.

Good Luck.

I found that spot and I had instant relief from the pain of constipation as well as bloating. I think the two pressure points from the crease of elbow which is easy to find is all you need to massage and it stops pain.

I have been eating walnuts for the past few months. I have discovered a cure for my constipation. I have tried EVERYTHING. I have seen the Dr.I have taken so much advice from friends on organic juices, this and that. But I love walnuts and bought a bag in bulk at Sams Club. I work from my car so I literally eat handfuls of them. I am cured of constipation. But I also find if you eat too many in one day, you will almost live on the toilet.

I have read that rice contains a lot of arsenic. I find it alarming because it is in so much dog food.

Castor oil has been around for a very long time but use with caution and do not overuse. Castor beans and the leaves are very toxic and poisonous to animals.

I have recently started drinking a tea...for lack of a better word, of boiling water and bay leaves with lemon juice, I keep it on warm all day in a teapot and sip it all day, I was doing it as an immune boost and wonders never cease. It has relieved my chronic lazy bowel and I now have perfect BMs.

I'm using 1/2-1 tsp baking soda every morning on an empty stomach and wait about an hour before eating. Now, after a lifetime of constipation, I finally have quick relief... Baking soda doesn't raise blood pressure as some believe and it's ok to take every day, in fact, it's beneficial to do so!

Cream of Tartar helps against constipation. Taking a small amount, about a third or a half teaspoon together with a small amount, about a half teaspoon of Milk of Magnesia, might be enough to help. Since taking magnesium as a laxative regularly, will eventually stop working and even make the original problem worse, it is recommended that the Milk of Magnesia should only be used not more than around once a week. Whether the same applies to Cream of Tartar is not known.

In any case, taking even a teaspoon of Cream of Tartar every day seems to cause weight gain for some people. And taking large amounts can cause heart issues. This is because of Cream of Tartar's high potassium content. (It is reported that someone who took several tablespoons to help constipation ended up in the hospital.)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570668/

In the above mentioned link, Cream of Tartar is also mentioned as being used in a suppository combined with Bicarbonate of Soda and polyethylene glycol.

Senna leaves tea for immediate relief from constipation. It is so strong that if you overdose on it, it could turn constipation into diarhhea. Here, in the Philippines senna tea is available from pharmacies and supermarkets (brands: kankunis, biguerlai).

Hi Nat...I take senna leaf tea every once and a while, been doing that for many years. For me, if I drink senna tea in the evening then I will definitely have a substantial poop the next morning. My poop urgency isn't that huge and the poop itself comes out soft and quick but not explosively.

On the other hand when my wife drinks the senna tea then she will have a stronger poop urgency then me (yup, she runs to the toilet! ) and will have between 3 to 5 poops the next morning and they can be rather explosive. So my wife is quite sensitive to senna's effects in the intestines, whereas I seem to have few problems using the senna tea. Horses for courses, I guess.

I've also read that you must never take senna everyday because doing so will harm the liver. But once in a while is OK. I also like using senna because -- from all the research -- it also kills a wide variety of bad bacteria and parasites in the intestines.

I must also disagree with what you said about magnesium supplements in general in this thread. I've been taking magnesium chloride -- at a higher dosage -- twice a day for about 15 yrs. I also use mag chloride combined with DMSO for tired or aching muscles and I can confirm that it works a treat!

Ted is also quite correct when he says that we eat far too much calcium in our supermarket diets. All the grains, bread, corn flakes, sports drinks etc that you buy in the supermarket are all over-fortified with too much calcium and no magnesium. That's why I take magnesium chloride regularly, which helps to balance and regulate any excess calcium in the body.

And for sure you better be very careful what you are led to believe about RDA dosages from the FDA. About 50 years ago the advised dosage for magnesium supplements was only about 200 mgs per day. The RDA dosage that the FDA now recommend is between 350 mgs and 420 mgs per day, which I think is still way too low -- it's just a clueless guessing game for the FDA because they really don't give a single hoot about proper mineral nutrition for the body. That's also why, on some days, I take much higher dosages of magnesium. And if you take too much magnesium the worst that can happen to you is that you get loose stools or diarrhea. And the intestines and kidneys will always act to self regulate proper electrolyte levels(including magnesium) in the blood.

I'm 72 y.o. and I've been taking high dose magnesium chloride(and Borax) regularly for about 15 years. And that's probably why I have no arthritis, rheumatism or any other aches and pains in my body right now. And there are more than a few days when my combined magnesium intake is probably above 1000mgs per day. That gives me soft stools with no other noticeable side-effects. But I'm not you. So it's like I said, horses for courses. That means that you should always find the best dose for yourself. Call it your own, personalized, orthomolecular dose if you like...that's the way to do it because your body always knows best.

Senna leaf is only for very short-term use, or for use from time to time.

To a lesser extent, the same applies to Magnesium Citrate and other supplements that have a stimulant action on the body.

When people use senna leaf over a long period of time, they will keep needing more and more of it. And then it will stop working. (This could take even a year. First, they won't notice how they keep needing more and more of it. and then they will suddenly notice that it is no longer effective.) And when they stop using it, their constipation will be worse than ever. For natural peristaltic action will no longer work. The same thing happens with long-term use of magnesium citrate and other supplements that have a stimulant action on the body.

If anyone needs more help finding the area, the acupressure point is called 'Large Intestine 11' or 'LI 11'. Do a search for either of those terms and you can find images and/or videos showing where it is located.