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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Healthy Living / 5 Strategies to Combat Constipation Naturally

5 Strategies to Combat Constipation Naturally

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Why Fiber is NOT the Best Constipation Remedy
  • Natural Remedies for Constipation
  • Exercise (rebounding)
  • Cleansing Herbs
  • Probiotics
  • Vegetable Juicing
  • Enemas+−
    • More Information

Five natural and beneficial techniques for resolving issues with constipation without added fiber that can actually damage the colon over the long term according to the book Fiber Menace.roll of toilet paper with constipation written on it

Constipation is a dangerous condition that slowly poisons and ages the body with toxin overload.  It is especially dangerous for babies and children.

Given that the diet of most Americans is composed primarily of processed foods and that eating these types of  foods contributes greatly to the problem, it is no wonder that over the counter constipation remedies are some of the best selling at pharmacies and grocery stores.

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As many as 15-20% of Americans suffer from chronic constipation. Millions more have intermittent issues with it.

Some folks have little hope of going to the bathroom on any given day without their morning dose of Metamucil or a bowl of All Bran.  This is a very unhealthy situation indeed!

Why Fiber is NOT the Best Constipation Remedy

Eating more fiber as suggested in conventional circles as a remedy for constipation is not a wise move. Fiber eaten in the quantities recommended can seriously damage the colon over the long term. Think of using fiber to resolve constipation as the “roto-rooter’ approach to solving the problem.

OUCH.

Konstantin Monastyrsky, author of Fiber Menace, warns that high fiber diets produce large stools that stretch and damage the intestinal tract as well as upset the natural balance of beneficial bacteria. The end result of years of eating a high fiber diet as a band aid approach to constipation is more severe constipation, Crohn’s disease, IBS, hernias, colitis, and ironically, even hemorrhoids. Incidentally, he also warns against getting a colonoscopy which tends to do more harm than good!

Mr. Monastyrsky writes that it is simply unnecessary to consume fiber such as psyllium seed husks (the main ingredient in Metamucil) in order to have normal stools. In fact, many healthy traditional cultures ate diets that included little fiber.

Fiber from grain based foods is the most damaging of all. Consider yourself warned. The result of the USDA endorsed high fiber diet is long term digestive distress far and beyond the annoyance of constipation!

Natural Remedies for Constipation

As one gradually transitions from a high fiber to a low fiber, traditional diet, care must be taken to eat plenty of whole animal fats and bone broths that strengthen the intestinal environment. In addition, any temporary issues with constipation can easily be handled with the no fiber strategies outlined below.

Tip: As you are working to resolve slow moving bowels, witch hazel on a cotton pat will sooth and shrink the tissues to help heal rectal irritation, swelling or hemorrhoids.

Exercise (rebounding)

Exercise has long been known to relieve constipation and promote regular bathroom habits. If jogging or being a gym rat is not your thing, however, it is easy to exercise in the comfort of your own living room with a simple rebounder or exercise ball.

Rebounding stimulates lymphatic activity extremely well and gets things moving very quickly. 

Even better, if your kids have a trampoline in the backyard, spend some quality family time with them and tone up your colon at the same time by spending a few minutes bouncing with them each day!

Cleansing Herbs

There are many herbs that assist with elimination problems. Triphala and Slippery Elm are probably my two personal favorites, but in lieu of becoming an herbal expert, it is easier to just pick up some detox tea from the healthfood store. These teas have a number of different herbs in them and work brilliantly for that occasional colon sluggishness.  

Taking a few detox teabags with you when you travel is also a good way to keep things moving when the stress of travel, changing of time zones, and sitting for long periods on airplanes or in cars can throw bathroom habits off schedule.

Probiotics

A good balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut is essential to a healthy colon that eliminates regularly and without straining.  These probiotics are best consumed on a daily basis in frequent, small doses in the form of lacto-fermented foods and raw, grassfed dairy but when this is not possible, a probiotic supplement can be used instead.

Not all probiotics are created equal, however, so be sure to always go for quality. Check out my Resources page for probiotic brands I have personally vetted.

Vegetable Juicing

A glass or two of fresh veggie juice can work wonders with softening up the stools and making elimination a breeze. Be aware that V-8 juice or any other type of vegetable juice in bottles is not helpful at all.

The juice must be fresh, ideally made no more than 20 minutes before consuming. As a result, vegetable juicing and refrigerating to drink later is not a good idea either.

Also use caution when drinking plain veggie juice on an empty stomach particularly if it is heavy on carrot juice which is high in sugars.  Stirring in a bit of cream as traditionally done in France will significantly slow down the blood sugar spike from drinking fresh juice on its own and assist with absorption of the wonderful colloidal minerals from the vegetables.

Enemas

When all else fails to relieve constipation, the tried and true enema works fantastically well.

The enema has been used since Biblical times and was even advocated in the Essene Gospel of Peace (from the Vatican library). Used to flush the colon of impurities and assist with regularity, this safe home remedy has been all but abandoned in recent decades in favor of over the counter drugs.

Many alternative cancer treatments make liberal use of the coffee enema to detoxify and cleanse the colon. However, a plain water enema is simple, fast, and highly effective at treating an occasional bout with constipation.

Enema bags can be purchased at the drug store for about $10. Even easier, ready to use, saline enemas are available for about the same price. Be sure to get one without chemical additives, however!

What a simple, fast, and easy at-home answer to a series of high priced colonics with a hydrotherapist! These professional treatments can cost upwards of $75 each putting it beyond many people’s budgets and squeezed schedules.

Nothing literally illustrates the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” better than the old fashioned enema!

roll of toilet paper in a bathroom

More Information

Relieving Baby Constipation Naturally
Squatty Potty Review
Chiropractic for Constipation

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Category: Healthy Living
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: the bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her eBooks Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (83)

  1. Amy mapother

    Dec 11, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    Are the remedies trip gala tea and senna safe for a two year old? Thanks!

    Reply
  2. DivorcedMom

    Jun 5, 2017 at 3:58 pm

    I read about garlic enemas to reduce a fever in book Prescription For Nutritional Healing.
    They work!
    Also mentioned in that book is you can give a catnip tea enema for fever reduction too.

    When mine were younger I used the small enema bulb syringe. Do not recommend using the “ear syringe.” Buy a child’s enema bulb syringe.

    Now older, I give enemas with the 2 quart red rubber enema bag.

    Some say using the red rubber enema bag will leach chemicals into the enema water. I have found no proof of this.

    Also go to OptimalHealthNetwork dot com. Kristina has many health articles there. She sells the enema bag, bucket and bulb.

    Always consult with your doctor before taking or giving an enema. This is not medical advice. Only what I have done.

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    Mar 4, 2017 at 9:22 am

    awesome article. I hope everyone who needs to follows your leads, the constipation problem is complex, and you are on all of the right tracks. Thanks

    Reply
  4. Emma

    Sep 13, 2016 at 5:59 am

    Hello I’m Emma I’ve been suffering badly how do I fix it? I’ve done a lot of things but it still won’t work! I need some advise or information to tell me what is good to eat or drink to get it out.

    Reply
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