Constipation is something almost everyone will experience at some point in their life. In fact, an estimated 63 million Americans suffer from it every year. The most common causes include unhealthy eating habits, dehydration, lack of regular physical activity, and poor lifestyle choices.
While there are countless medications, herbs, and natural remedies that promise quick relief, the real challenge is knowing which ones are actually safe and effective.
Many people look for an instant solution and turn to laxatives. Unfortunately, while these may provide short-term relief, they can also cause more harm than good in the long run. For this reason, it’s best to avoid relying on over-the-counter laxatives.
What to Avoid During Constipation
Certain things can worsen constipation or create further health issues, so it’s important to know what to steer clear of:
1. Overuse of Laxatives
Although laxatives can temporarily ease bowel movements, they often strip the body of essential vitamins, minerals, water, and electrolytes. This imbalance can trigger serious health problems such as:
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Sudden confusion
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Muscle weakness
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Seizures
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Irregular heartbeat
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Chest pain
There are three main types of laxatives, each with their own drawbacks:
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Osmotic Laxatives: Pull fluid into the intestine to soften stool but may lead to diarrhea, dehydration, cramping, bloating, and electrolyte imbalance.
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Bulk-Forming Laxatives: Add mass to stool to make it easier to pass. However, this can worsen blockages and cause painful bowel movements, impaction, or even anal bleeding.
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Stimulant Laxatives: Force unnatural contractions of the colon lining, which can cause severe cramping, bloating, dehydration, and long-term dependence (lazy bowel syndrome).
2. Too Much Fiber
Fiber is often praised for promoting healthy digestion, but overconsumption—especially of isolated or “functional” fiber—can backfire. Excess fiber can make stool harder, bulkier, and more difficult to pass, leading to:
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Gas and bloating
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Hemorrhoids
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Anal tears
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Painful straining
It’s best to stick to the recommended daily amount of fiber, preferably from whole foods, and avoid going overboard.
3. Unhealthy Foods
Highly processed and low-nutrient foods can worsen constipation and disrupt digestion, making natural relief harder to achieve.
Is Constipation Dangerous?
Constipation itself isn’t usually life-threatening, but it can make you feel bloated, uncomfortable, and drained. If left untreated, it may prevent the body from properly eliminating toxins, which could increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems, including colorectal cancer.
Keep in mind that every body is unique—what works for one person may not work for another. Remedies should generally be used for only a few days at a time (2–4 days) and not longer than two weeks without medical advice.
Natural Home Remedies for Constipation
Here are some simple, natural remedies that may help relieve constipation and support healthy digestion:
1. Magnesium:
We all know that magnesium is an important electrolyte that is essential for proper functioning of the bones and body cells. It regulates the muscles, bowels, immune system, and heart rhythm. It exhibits some laxative effects that relax your intestinal muscles and attract water back into the colon.
Don’t use more magnesium than the recommended dosage (or use it as your daily bowel regulator) why because the abundance of the electrolyte can cause some serious disruptions in the body. Mostly the magnesium interferes with certain medications like chemo drugs, diuretics, calcium drugs, and antibiotics. Also, people suffering from kidney problems should avoid taking these supplements, as it is excreted through the kidneys.
Method to use Magnesium for Constipation:
Consume a magnesium supplement of 300 – 400 milligrams daily at night before bedtime with water and have a nice sleep to have a bowel movement by the morning time. Make sure to consult your doctor before taking this magnesium supplement.
2. Oils:
Oils such as virgin coconut oil, castor oil, extra virgin olive oil or almond oil can be widely used to treat constipation. These oils help to lubricate the digestive tract and thus make a smooth passage of stool through the colon due to its texture and consistency.
They also provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and omega – 3 fatty acids that aids in proper digestion, stimulate the gallbladder to release bile and thereby regular bowel movements. Try to take pure organic oils rather than oils which have a mix of pesticides, artificial agents, chemicals and fillers of other cheaper oils.
Method to use Oils for Constipation:
Consume 1 – 2 teaspoons of the oil for once or twice daily. You can drink it on an empty stomach either by mixing it with water, coffee, juice, smoothies or sprinkled over salads. Also, mix oil in the flaxseeds but not take flaxseed oil because it doesn’t have high amounts of dietary fibers (as seeds have).
If you have a sensitive stomach then try not to use this oil on an empty stomach, as it results in slight stomach pain, queasiness. For treating constipation (or gas pains) in babies, you can mix 2 teaspoons of coconut oil with homemade formula and feed them to get rid of the problem.
3. Probiotics:
Probiotics help to clear constipation naturally due to its rich content of intestinal flora (good bacteria). This good bacteria helps to keep the stool loose and retains moisture in the intestine. In many times, we wipe out good bacteria accidentally by taking antibiotics, diarrhea, surgeries, colon cleanses, too much intake of fiber, protein deficiency, etc.
Intake of commercial yogurts will not be a good substitute for probiotics, as they undergo high – heat sterilization process during their manufacturing to get longer shelf life and thereby the active bacteria will be lost by the time we eat it. Probiotics are a safe remedy for treating constipation in pregnant ladies.
Before taking any probiotic supplements, you have to test them for live bacteria.
Testing Probiotic Pills – Toss 1/2 cup of milk in a container and pour the contents of 2 – 3 pills into the milk. Stir well and wait for overnight (8 – 10 hours). The live bacteria in the pills will make the milk to form as curdles or clumps.
Testing Yogurt – pour 1 part of yogurt and 2 parts of milk in a container. Wait for overnight (or 8 – 10 hours). The live bacteria in the yogurt should cause the content to grow and multiply in quantity.
4. Organic Blackstrap Molasses:
Molasses has low sugar content and high nutritional value along with high doses of potassium and magnesium, which are essential to fight against constipation. It hardens the poop by drawing fluids into the bowels and thus moistens the hard stool.
It is alkaline in nature that makes the intestine to form stools by regulating digestion. It has other essential nutrients iron, manganese (regulate the nervous system), copper (clears cancer-causing free radicals), calcium (remove waste and toxins from the colon), and vitamin B6 that relieves you from constipation.
Method to use Blackstrap Molasses for Constipation:
Consume 1 – 2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses directly or mixed with warm water, juice, organic ACV or simply use it as your sweetener for food. Always use organic molasses to get best results. Continue the intake of this remedy for few weeks at a time.
For treating constipation (or gas pains) in babies, then mix 1 teaspoon of molasses in 1 ounce of cooled boiled water and feed them 3 times a day (prefer right before regular feedings).
5. Water to Flush the System:
Drinking 2 full glasses of water as soon as you wake on empty stomach will help to stimulate the bowel movement. There should be a gap of 20 – 30 minutes to take your breakfast after drinking water. While we are asleep, everything will slow down and water is the only thing that stirs up and enhances your sleepy bowels.
Also, remember that the intake of too much water will result in dehydration and constipation with a simple logic that the more water we drink the more of essential nutrients (like calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.) will be flushed away with the urine.
So, drink enough water to prevent the imbalance of electrolytes in the body and thereby it causes digestive disorders, dehydration, and constipation. It is shown in some study conducted in Japan that constipation is not caused due to low water intake or fiber intake but it associated with low intake of water from foods and low magnesium intake.
6. Acupuncture/Massage:
The Acupuncture/massage is a Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) effective technique recommended for treating constipation. In general, the blockage is caused by the reduction in the flow of Qi, excess hot or excess cold in the body.
Qi (vital energy) is influenced by two life forces – Ying and Yang. Whenever these forces are blocked or interrupted, then it affects the overall health. So, consult a reputable acupuncturist or masseuse and ask them for a specialized treatment for proper digestion and constipation.
7. Never Delay When Nature Calls:
Never ever delays or hold the stool in the colon. If you have the urge to go to the bathroom then simply go and clear the problem. If you hold it then the fluids from the stool are reabsorbed by the colon and make it hard to pass after a time.
If you’re in a position that not having any access to go bathroom throughout the day, then it’s better to train your body to have a bowel movement at the same time every day like having your bowel movement daily at the beginning or end of the day.
8. Positions:
The position also helps to enhance your bowel movements. However, the invention of modern flush toilets is new and causes more strain to poop. Most of the experts are saying that squatting reduces the strain, anal fistulas, constipation, and hemorrhoids, as squatting opens up the puborectalis muscle and thus allows for complete emptying of your bowel movement.
Method:
Place a stepping stool under each of the foot while sitting on the toilet. Then prop your legs up as high as possible to mimic a squatting position. You can also try using a squatty potty to make most natural and comfortable squatting position.
These squatty pottys comes in different heights that range from beginners – level squatter to a more experienced squatter, which is placed underneath the toilet seat and out of the way.
Final Word:
Constipation can be a sign that something is not running right and it is an underlying warning to the bigger issue. It is not fixed overnight but with these natural remedies, you will definitely felt happy for regular bowel movements in a few days.
