Laxative Herbal Remedies for Constipation

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Herbal Remedy for Constipation:

Laxative Herbal Remedies for Constipation

Editor's Note: Do NOT try these home remedies without consulting a health professional to make sure they are appropriate for you.

When your body is too constipated, you may feel extremely bloated so you start looking for immediate sources of relief. Fortunately, there are many, completely natural ways to relieve constipation.

One of the best -- and cheapest and easiest -- is to simply drink some fruit juice. Grape juice or prune juice are excellent choices which often work very fast. There are also many herbs which can be used to help relieve constipation quickly as well.

Cascara Sagrada, for instance, is an herb used primarily as a natural laxative. It's been used by Native Americans for centuries. It's also known to some as "The Sacred Bark" and also the californian buckthorn.

This herb is known to help increase bile production in the liver, as well as secretions of the stomach, pancreas, and lower bowel. It promotes contractions of the bowel, or peristaltic action, which is what causes you have the urge to have a bowel movement.

Warning: Cascara sagrada is not believed to be habit forming by many herbalists. Most doctors and modern medical specialists will warn you about using herbal laxatives, though, because they assume the affects and dangers are the same as with prescription or over the counter medications. And while this can be true for some herbal laxatives, it's not always the case.

Senna is another strong herbal laxative, and it is a purgative. This herb is often taken in tea form, and it also causes peristaltic contractions. Many people swear by how well this herb works, but they also note that it can make you feel very sick, and that you shouldn't be away from the bathroom for a couple of hours after taking it. If senna makes you nauseous, adding a bit of ginger or cinnamon can sometimes help.

Slippery elm is another wonderful herb that works for both constipation and diarrhea, because it normalizes the stools while soothing and coating the intestinal tract lining. Slippery elm should be taken with lots of water to help move it through your system.

Any kind of bulk fiber supplement or food source will usually get your bowels moving fairly soon too. If you've been constipated for several days -- or weeks -- this approach might take some time.

A faster approach would be to take herbal supplements which are high in Chlorophyll content, such as parsley or alfalfa. Chlorophyll acts as a "broom" inside your colon, and helps get things moving fairly quickly after taking it.

Editor's Note: If you're looking for something more than water and fiber, but don't want to touch drugs or enemas, click here to read our review of the Ultimate Colon Cleanse, a natural detoxing colon-cleansing program we use and highly recommend.

Disclaimer: Throughout this website, statements are made pertaining to the properties and/or functions of food and/or nutritional products. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these materials and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.