Hi, :wave:
I was wondering if anybody could let me know about how a natural product or herb could help with constipation. It's pretty bad and very frustrating, thanks. :) I was taking triphala but it isn't working anymore, and sometimes it takes too long to work. I tried drinking senna but it ends up being diareea and bad cramps.

I have heard that Psyllium Husk powder (or capsules) work well. Maybe that would help?

Like the previous poster said, Rsyllum Husk powder. Also, try drinking more water and adding a couple of heaped tablespoons of ground flax seed with your oatmeal or cereal. Or, how about some prunes?

How is your diet?

While training for her nursing degree my friend worked in a colon ward and some people there hadn't pooped for weeks. However, they lived on potatoes, pies etc - no water and no veggies.

It could be your diet that is causing it.

That's the funny thing cause my diet is real good. I eat flaxseeds almost everyday, bean soup, apples, brocolli, grapes, cereal, and still nothing. Well, I probably go about every 3 days, unfortunately, I know I can go more but I just can't,lol. My cereal contains 10 g of fiber in it alone, and the soup I eat has about 12g for the whole can. I'm going to try psyllum(sp?), any recommeded brand. Thanks guys. :)

Pysillum Husk is excellent but you have to drink a lot of water throughout the day and night otherwise it can keep you constipated. It needs water to soften the sludge in your colon and eliminate it. If you do not drink enough then you can remind even more constipated!
Also be cautious with herbs like senna which are in many natural formulas for constipation. It is effective but should only be use once in awhile since it is very invasive and harsh on your intesties and colon.
Most brands of psyillum are good, just make sure it is the whole husk.
Another to try is not an herb but a mineral, magnesium. It relaxes the bowels. You can take it before you go to sleep. Best to combine it with calium citrate- equal amounts ( 1,000 mg. each).
Works like a charm and also relaxes you and aids in sleep.

Probiotic supplements. The most common one is acidophilus. Check out the "bowel disorder" thread.

Yes, armadillo pie is right. Psyllium is good!!! But you MUST drink plenty of water while taking it b/c it will cause constipation. Otherwise, great stuff!! Try an enema, too. That may help get things going.

I know this is not natural, but have you tried stool softeners? I take those everyday but not the kind w/the laxative in it. I just get the walmart brand. They really help me!!

That's the funny thing cause my diet is real good. I eat flaxseeds almost everyday, bean soup, apples, brocolli, grapes, cereal, and still nothing. Well, I probably go about every 3 days, unfortunately, I know I can go more but I just can't,lol. My cereal contains 10 g of fiber in it alone, and the soup I eat has about 12g for the whole can. I'm going to try psyllum(sp?), any recommeded brand. Thanks guys. :)

hmmm....thats weird.

Oooh, every 3 days is ROUGH!! I go once or twice a day.

Are you eating a very small amount? Maybe you're not even eating enough to need to go once a day??!

Xylitol is a natural laxative--And amazingly, xylitol is good for your teeth! It reduces growth of that yucky-smelling plaque. It's available online at Homesteadmarket and some health food stores carry it. --It tastes like sugar (but with fewer calories) so I just sweeten tea, etc. with it to prevent constipation. Diabetics can use it as a sweetener. Just don't consume more than 1 or 2 ounces per day or you'll get the runs. But I think a doctor could give you better help than we can. Hope you're more comfortable soon.

A very good (for me anyway) remedy that is home made is cultured cabbage juice. It contains soooooooo much good bacteria. It is mild and will not shock your system.

Hope this helps :)

A magnesium oxide capsule along with a 500mg vit. C tablet taken every night is excellent for constilation. I do this every night and never have a problem.

Wow, you guys are great! :bouncing: WHere can I get cabbage juice, is it yucky? And I do have calcium citrate tabs from twin lab but they only suggest 2 capsules a day and both capsules equal 150mg of mag and 300mg of calcium. Should I take more? It equals to 30% of my daily value for calcium and 38% dv for magnesium. I do eat about 2 servings of low fat dairy a day. And veggie girl, I eat about 1500-1800 calories a day, do you think that's too low? I'm at a good weight for my height and weight. Not trying to lose weight, however, 5 less pounds would be nice. I also have some days where I eat about 2000 calories too. And kerry, would yogurt count as being enough "healthy bacteria?" I also eat some cottage cheese with acidipholus and others, oh and the yogurt has it too. Maybe the whole thing is dairy, lol, cause some people have problems. I just love low fat yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk I can live without. :)

And kerry, would yogurt count as being enough "healthy bacteria?" I also eat some cottage cheese with acidipholus and others, oh and the yogurt has it too. Maybe the whole thing is dairy, lol, cause some people have problems. I just love low fat yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk I can live without. :)

Plain, organic yogurt "counts", yes indeed. It has lots of good bacteria in it (read the fine print just to make sure, because it can be cultured with different types). Don't get the sugary, sweetened, fruity yogurt - get it plain-plain-plain. If it's too plain for your taste, add your own fresh fruit and maybe granola.

I would definitely avoid milk and cheese if you're constipated.

Plain, organic yogurt "counts", yes indeed. It has lots of good bacteria in it (read the fine print just to make sure, because it can be cultured with different types). Don't get the sugary, sweetened, fruity yogurt - get it plain-plain-plain. If it's too plain for your taste, add your own fresh fruit and maybe granola.

I would definitely avoid milk and cheese if you're constipated.
Thanks, I bought soy milk tonight but I like cheese once and a while....arrrgh, I like to put a little dash of low fat mozz cheese in my bean and veggie soup. Oh well, I'll try one thing at a time. Thanks!

Hi Jessicca, sorry I completely forgot to include the link on how to make it yourself. It's very quick and all you need is a blender and something to strain the mixture with ..and of course the cabbage, hehe :)

Oh and it actually doesn't taste all that bad ... When my dad was younger he used to just drink it because he liked the taste of it ... but then again, my dad is an odd one! haha :) I hope it helps.

I have found that cayenne capsules help me. I usually take one with each meal if I am constipated. You will get a "warm" feeling inside, but it isn't unpleasant, just weird until you get used to it.

Also, as the others said with psyllium, if you eat that much fiber in your diet and don't drink enough water, it can cause constipation.

I know how frustrating this can be because I struggle with it as well. Good luck!

Sidnee

My husband and I owned a health food store for the last 8 years. I have had this probelm myself and the best I've ever found was Christopher's Quick Colon Formula Part I or Dr. Richard Schultz's formula #1. They are both based on the same formula, though Dr. Schultze's is a little stronger than Dr. Christopher's. They can be gotten or ordered through a health food store.

HTH

Thanks, I bought soy milk tonight but I like cheese once and a while....arrrgh, I like to put a little dash of low fat mozz cheese in my bean and veggie soup. Oh well, I'll try one thing at a time. Thanks!

Jess, you should try vegan cheese. Theres a brand called Soyco and they make this brown rice cheese (cheddar flavor) that is AMAZING!! A lot of the fake cheeses out there are horrible but Soycos one is so freakin' good!! If you'll try it you'll be pleasantly suprised.

Prune juice with pulp is another easy way to relieve constipation. Drink a glass or two each day and it works like a charm ( also tastes good to).
Or soak some prunes in a little glass of water overnight and drink it in the morning. That is what the Swedes do and my family lived there for many years and never had any problems with bowel movements.

Dr. Schulz products are great too. He has a store in my city so I go there for various things= liver detox, kidney detox, cold and flu detox, women formulas, etc.

Hi Veggie girl and others!

Are you vegan? My husband and I have been almost totally vegan for about 15 years. ('almost' because we do use honey which some people consider not being true vegan) I don't feel I am missing a thing without meat or dairy.

By the way, Jess, meat is quite constipating, too, as is anything without fiber, especially white flour.

Lots of good advice here. This is a great place!

Hope things are moving for you!!

Hi Veggie girl and others!

Are you vegan? My husband and I have been almost totally vegan for about 15 years. ('almost' because we do use honey which some people consider not being true vegan) I don't feel I am missing a thing without meat or dairy.

By the way, Jess, meat is quite constipating, too, as is anything without fiber, especially white flour.

Lots of good advice here. This is a great place!

Hope things are moving for you!!
I eat VERY little meat, like maybe one small serving 4 times a week at dinner. I also eat a lot of bean soup with veggies by Westbrae, and a protein supplement. I won't go ahead and say I'm a semi-vegitarian, but I hardly ever eat meat. I just switched to soy milk, but I still eat low fat yogurt and organic cottage cheese with the healthy bacteria in it which is also a good source of protein. Thanks! :cool:

lol..Jess..are you still constipated..??? might wanna revise your whole diet..I still think it might be the wheat..how much wheat are you having..its proly the frozen dinners you'r eating..change over your diet.. :)

Lots of good advice here, so Ill just add one more. My brother swears by noni fruit capsules and aloe vera. Another is powdered magnesium......

lol..Jess..are you still constipated..??? might wanna revise your whole diet..I still think it might be the wheat..how much wheat are you having..its proly the frozen dinners you'r eating..change over your diet.. :)
Hey Losec,
I took colace last week and I also did an enema and I've been pretty regular this week. :) LOL, but I'm always going to try to stay away from wheat as much as I can cause I know it causes problems. And, the frozen dinners I eat are gluten free and the name is Amy's...I'm sure you've heard of Amy's products. They make the BEST enchiladas with beans and rice, haven't you ever heard of AMy's? Oh and they are GLUTEN FREE!! :bouncing: You have to try it. :D

Jess, you should try vegan cheese. Theres a brand called Soyco and they make this brown rice cheese (cheddar flavor) that is AMAZING!! A lot of the fake cheeses out there are horrible but Soycos one is so freakin' good!! If you'll try it you'll be pleasantly suprised.
Veggie girl, I'm going to try that cheese, sounds good! :D I see you try to eat organic whenever possible too, that's great!

And everyone else, I'm going to try EVERYTHING so I don't have to take that colace again, THANKS ALOT!!!!! :)

Are you taking any kind of medication? What about vitamin suppliments. Sometimes that can cause constipation. Eating bran cereal helps me.

Annie

Are you taking any kind of medication? What about vitamin suppliments. Sometimes that can cause constipation. Eating bran cereal helps me.

Annie
No, I'm not on any meds but I do take suppliments w/o any iron. I eliminated cows milk from my diet and now drink soy milk and I've cut down on wheat products almost entirely.

I had great success with the Dr. Schulze products. I used the Intestinal Formula that you take nightly and got very good results. I have recently changed my diet, no sugar or carbohydrates and now I don't need his products anymore. It seems I have an overgrowth of Candida, and possibly that has been causing the constipation.

Herbs -cascara sagrada, GARLIC!! MSM also helps (as well as any arthritic pain).

Aloe Vera Juice is a non-harch laxative. It is also good for your reflux and digestive problems. You can get it at Walmart.

Me.

Aloe Vera Juice is a non-harch laxative. It is also good for your reflux and digestive problems. You can get it at Walmart.

Me.

I was just about to suggest aloe vera! We have it in capsule form, however, it doesn't really go bad that way. It works fairly quickly, but is definitely more gentle than any over-the-counter laxative. Also, if you are breastfeeding, it goes to the baby, which might normally be a bad thing, but was great for me when my DD was constipated.

Also, epsom salts are very chap and do the trick. It's the magnesium in it that does it, but it's just about the cheapest form of magnesium you can buy.

I've recently read that KEFIR is the wonder-food of the 21st century (even though it's been around for centuries). It's like liquid yogurt, I guess, but much better because it actually colonizes your intestine with good bacteria, the stuff that digests your food and gets rid of constipation!! You don't have to drink too much of it. I haven't tried it yet because I'm doing a candida cleanse first.

Cabbage juice doesn't have to be drunk plain! You can add other veggies & a slice of apple to make it more palatable. My favorite recipe: a bunch of carrots, a handful of spinach, some parsley, half an apple, all fresh - juiced together it tastes refreshing. If you don't have a juicer, go to a health bar and ask them to do it for you.

Hi there. I just joined this message board and this was the first place I visited because it listed my problem .... constipation. Just yesterday I told mu husband how tired I was from feeling this way. I go once a day but such a small amount you couldn't find it in the bowl if you tried. I bought a fleet and not much happened. I have to say I tried the Pusillum Husk and you "Armadillo Pie" are correct about the water. I learned that the hard way. I'm going to try the mag/cal next. I too eat healthy, no meat and lets of vitamins. I must be doing something wrong, I just don't know what it is yet. If the mag/cal dposen't work, someone told me about high colonics. I might try that.

I've recently read that KEFIR is the wonder-food of the 21st century (even though it's been around for centuries). It's like liquid yogurt, I guess, but much better because it actually colonizes your intestine with good bacteria, the stuff that digests your food and gets rid of constipation!! You don't have to drink too much of it. I haven't tried it yet because I'm doing a candida cleanse first.

Cabbage juice doesn't have to be drunk plain! You can add other veggies & a slice of apple to make it more palatable. My favorite recipe: a bunch of carrots, a handful of spinach, some parsley, half an apple, all fresh - juiced together it tastes refreshing. If you don't have a juicer, go to a health bar and ask them to do it for you.
Thanks for the advice? What is the candida diet? Is it something like no fruit, wheat and dairy? Correct me if I'm wrong. Right now I'm not eating wheat, or milk but I am eating organic cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, veggies, little meat, psyllium husks 2tbs a day(by the way, it took 3 days to work and I actually feel way better today if you know what I mean), brown rice bread and kamut cereal w/ soy milk....just a little infor about my diet. Btw, where can I get Kiefer?

Hi there. I just joined this message board and this was the first place I visited because it listed my problem .... constipation. Just yesterday I told mu husband how tired I was from feeling this way. I go once a day but such a small amount you couldn't find it in the bowl if you tried. I bought a fleet and not much happened. I have to say I tried the Pusillum Husk and you "Armadillo Pie" are correct about the water. I learned that the hard way. I'm going to try the mag/cal next. I too eat healthy, no meat and lets of vitamins. I must be doing something wrong, I just don't know what it is yet. If the mag/cal dposen't work, someone told me about high colonics. I might try that.
Hi Saybrook,
I've been using psyllium husks for 3 or 4 days now and it finally worked real well today. :) I've been drinking a lot of water though and I know I have to go more cause I can feel it and my stomach is bloated. What happened when your tried the Psyllium husks and you didn't drink enough water? It took quite a few days for it to work for me, along with drinking TONS of water. I don't know if it will continue to work but I hope it does. I just made an appointment this morning to see my doctor on thursday about this and wouldn't you know right after I hung up, I had a bowel movement(sorry) and felt a lot better! So, if the success continues, I'll tell my doc what I'm doing and go see him anyways. Do you eat a good diet, and did you ever try eliminating wheat and milk from your diet to see if that's the problem? Although, I don't think wheat and/or gluten is my problem because I wouldn't have needed to take this supplement(psyllum) in the first place because it's been quite a while since I've eaten wheat.

Is metamucil pysllium husks? I take 4 pills a day and have about 6-8 glasses of water. Is that enough water? It is not working. How much is a ton of water?

You need about 2-3 liters of water every day. Soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc. do not count.

Drinking about a .5 liters of water immediately on waking up in the morning is an excellent way to help stay regular.

If one is constipated at the moment, then nothing beats a plain water enema. In less then a hour you are feeling good again. To keep from getting constipated, drink at least a glass a water first thing in the morning, then make sure you get 2-3 liters of water a day. Your fiber intake should be 25-35 miligrams every day.

It may take the body a while to adjust to higher levels of water and fiber. This may include loose stools and a little gas for a few days. If you have loose stools for 2 days then back off the fiber just a bit until things settle down.

Jessica, When I tried taking the husk pills I myself felt bloated and and it seemed as though nothing was happening. Actually, I felt even more constipated. I tried them awhile ago but I do remember that I finally tossed the rest of them. Quite possibly I didn't drink enough water. I think that I'll try staying away from wheat & milk. Someone at work suggested that to me as well. I'll let you know how it works out. Also, my doctor had perscibed a bottle of powder that started with "M". The name escapes me right now, but that seemed to help. Since they don't want you to get used to it, after two refills they couldn't give me anymore.

MrOwl, I tried the plain water fleet, but nothing happened. I waited about 5 minutes like it said but still I expected some great evacuation, but that wasn't the case at all. I guess I'll try some other ideas that have come my way. For example no wheat or dairy. Some did say to try Kefir. I'll have to look into what that is exactly and how much to take.

I do not think any fleet is plain water. It may look like water but is not. It is a strong bowel strong chemical that trys to draw water from the body into the colon.

A plain water enema involves between 1 pint and 2 quarts of tap water that is just about body temperature or maybe just above. You need a fountain syringe or the like to take one. They "always" work, and you generally feel great afterwards.

Oh by the way, drinking senna may not be what you want to start with. Senna is a cathartic, it usually works within 8-12 hours. If it's too strong, then try a laxative, or aperients. Like licorice (for the entire intestinal tract), or cascara sagrada (spefically the large ontestine).

I read that senna usually it should be administered in the morning or between meals on an empty stomach. Again, senna is a little stronger, so try something else. There are so many herbs for the bowels. Good luck.
Upshutter

Jessica, I remember the name of the perscription, it's called "Myralax". Good Luck.

Hi
I used to have real bad bowels, once in 3 days would be good! I take slippery elm capsules every day now with food, 2 capsules twice a day, and Im regular as anything. You can take slippery elm with anything else, it doesn't interact with anything so you could add it to what you are already taking.
Hope that helps, Id say its definately worth a try.