So, you’d like to know the simplest way to relieve yourself and avoid constipation, right? You are in the right place to learn the do-it-yourself approach without using any medications.
Bowel movements tend to affect people due to various aspects such as age, exercise, health status, gender, and eating habits. Of course, there are no given times one should have bowel movements, but experiencing it more than three times within a week calls for immediate medical attention.
Constipation can lead to infrequent bowel movement that is hard and difficult to pass. This may cause excessive straining and many trips to the toilet. But if you are going through the issue, here is how you can get fast constipation relief.
Drink water
Water is important to your bowels and prevents you from hydrating. Take two liters of water per day, although levels of hydration vary. If you are engaged in intense physical activities, you need to drink more water.
Even as you consume another form of liquids, try to stick to water only. It’s helpful to drink warm fluids, especially in the morning, to awaken your digestion. So, it’s no issue to take a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. Also, if you prefer to go the juice way, it can help to stimulate your intestines.
Eat high fiber food
Make sure you eat food with high fiber to stabilize your bowels. Foods such as:
Ø Oats
Ø Rice and beans
Ø Whole-grain cereal or bread
Ø Fruits and fibrous veggies
Even as you take this rich fiber food, make sure you drink a lot of water. It helps to put pressure on your stool by pushing it through the system.
Take an osmotic
Osmotic laxatives do not work as stimulant laxatives. They differ and are designed to help push fluids in your colon. Here are some of the osmotic laxatives below:
Ø Magnesium citrate
Ø Polyethylene glycol
Ø Magnesium hydroxide
Ø Lactulose
When following your doctor’s prescription, you can get higher strength polyethylene glycol, in other words, known as PEG (Nulytely, Golytely).
Move around
Be active by moving around as that may move things around bowels. Engaging in a light exercise like taking a walk is effective in easing things up. Your gut is designed as a muscle, and its movement is very important. Spending around 30 minutes of exercise is advisable to improve your condition. Exercise causes the bowel to move and increases the blood flow in your abdomen.
Use stool softener
The main cause of constipation is dehydration, which can harden the stool. A stool softener can loosen things up in the abdomen and allow you to pass the stool with ease. A stool softener such as docusate calcium can help to moisten your stool by moving water from your intestines. So, you easily move the stool out of your body effortlessly.
Use squat position to poop
Next time you go to the bathroom, carry a small footstool when you feel like letting the poop out. Place your feet on top of a stool in the front part of the toilet when letting the poop out. This positions your body in a squatting angle instead of the normal seated position. This method is very effective in letting your stool pass without any strain.
Lifestyle changes
Adapting to a positive lifestyle can prevent constipation issues from happening to you. And here are fantastic lifestyle changes you can accommodate to get rid of constipation once and for all. Here are some of the lifestyle changes you can adapt and practice daily:
Ø Make it a habit of not holding your stool for so long.
Ø Try to avoid stress at all cost.
Ø Take a lot of fluid not only when in constipation but all the time. This allows keeping your bowel stable, and at least eight glasses of water are advisable or clear liquids daily.
Ø Eat fiber through things like fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Professionals advise every adult to eat at least 14 grams of fiber daily for every 1000-calories
Try an enema
There are various types of enema you can consider to see whether they’ll work for you. Enema works on your stool by softening it and triggers bowel movement. If you plan to go the enema way, these are types you can purchase. You can go for tap water enema, sodium phosphate, and soapsuds.
When to see a doctor?
Constipation may happen to anyone, and it can easily make you uncomfortable. But it does not pose any threat to your health, only that it interferes with the normal running of your daily chores or activities. Constipation should clear within one week, and when it fails to respond to all your natural approaches, go and see a doctor. If you start witnessing fatigue, spasms, dizziness, or cramping, seeking medical help can identify a treatment procedure for you.
Follow the tips shared above, but when home remedies fail; it’s time to seek medical guidance.