How to Treat Constipation, Naturally

If you want to enjoy clear, healthy skin it is extremely important to have regular bowel movements. This is because the bowel is responsible for eliminating toxins and waste hormones. If you don’t ‘go’ at least once a day, toxins can end up being eliminated through the skin, causing irritation and sometimes breakouts. In addition, waste hormones often end up being recycled, making hormonal imbalances worse. This can have a direct and negative impact on skin conditions.

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7 Natural Techniques to Get You Going

Chronic constipation can be difficult to address, but there are good habits and techniques you can introduce to support healthy bowel function.

Try the following techniques BEFORE you increase fibre in your diet. Once you get the bowel moving, increase your intake of daily fibre in the form of vegetables, fruit and leafy greens.

1. Drink more water

Dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation. We need at least eight glasses of water a day. Fun fact: sparkling water has shown to be more effective than tap water at relieving constipation.

2. Exercise regularly

Brisk walking is the best option and can help to stimulate movement in the bowel. Results can vary from person to person, but it is worth a try to see if this helps to get things moving. Of course, there are many positive health benefits to be gained from regular exercise, so keep it up either way!

3. Eat Prunes

Prunes contain sorbitol, which has a natural laxative effect.  Have a small handful of prunes each day until your bowels move more easily. It is best to avoid this technique if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

4. Relax

We have two nervous system phases, fight and flight or rest and digest. One or the other of these phases can operate at one time, but not both.  Because our digestive system can only work when we are in the calmer, rest and digest nervous system phase, avoid jumping out of bed and racing around in the morning. If your mornings are busy, try waking a little earlier so you can have a more peaceful start to the day. This can help immensely to promote healthy bowel function.

5. Make Time to Go

Have you ever noticed that you have rushed out the door and forgotten to give your body the chance to ‘go’? Sometimes it is easy to ignore the subtle signs that your body is ready to eliminate. Simply making time to go and sit on the toilet can help hugely, especially if you do it at a similar time each day. Our bodies love routine!

6. Use a ‘Stool Stool’

This is one of the handiest tools for promoting elimination. Toilet design does not support the bowel’s natural function well at all. In fact, the traditional sitting pose causes a ligament in our pelvis to put a kink in our bowel. This makes it much more difficult to have a bowel movement. Simply resting your feet on a low stool changes the angle of our hips sufficiently to create a more natural shape. This straightens out the bowel and making it easier to go with less strain.

7. Tummy Massage

Mild constipation can sometimes be relieved by gently massaging the lower abdomen. As long as the bowel isn’t irritated, this can be done up to three times a day. Combine one drop of peppermint or two drops of fennel oil with a warmed plant oil like jojoba or sweet almond. Gently work the oil into the skin. Start with small circles around the navel in a clockwise direction and gradually increase the size of the motions. If you are massaging children, use the plant oil only. Essential oils can be too strong for children.