You hate the doctor’s office and like drugs even less. Here are seven great ways to beat constipation without them.
- Exercise for leisure. Engaging in a regular exercising can keep your digestive system healthy and your bowels in normal function and movement. A simple workout often stimulates the movement of the bowels and gets rid of any discomfort. Dance, garden, walk briskly around the block, play with your grandkids – exercise any way you want and as often as possible. Besides all the other ways it makes you healthy, breaking a sweat also helps you get regular.
- Schedule a home appointment. Establish a pattern for your bowels by sitting on the toilet at the same time every day. Bowels work best in the morning and after a meal, so pick a time 10 minutes to one hour after breakfast. Spend several minutes in the bathroom, but don’t strain. Propping your feet on a small step stool may ease bowel movements.
- Don’t miss a chance. A history of ignoring your bowels’ urges may contribute to constipation. This is one interruption you should welcome. It’s a chance to feel better.
- Drink six to eight glasses of liquids a day. Water will help keep your stools soft. And remember, caffeine and alcohol will cause you to lose water, so they will make you more constipated instead of less.
- Massage your belly. Some natural healers recommend massaging your lower stomach in a clockwise motion.
- Fight constipation with relaxation. Remember to meditate or do something relaxing each day. If you’re not sure what to do, try this. Sit in a quiet, comfortable room and focus only on your breathing. Repeat one word of your choice, “peace” for example, every time you breathe. Do this for 15 minutes, and you’ll flush out stress and worries. That may be enough relaxation to unwind your cranky insides, too.
- Put yourself over the top. Drink one or two more glasses of water each day and replace a couple of servings of meat or cheese with a serving of fiber-rich food such as fruits. You may be just shy of getting enough fiber and water to end constipation. If that’s the case, this small change may be all you need.
- Finally, visit your chiropractor. A chiropractic treatment can restore the overall function of your nervous system which promotes general health and well-being.
Don’t give up on these measures too early. Give yourself several weeks of making all these changes before you call yourself a hopeless case. Very, very rarely does someone need surgery for constipation.