One to three bowel movements a day is healthy. Once every 2 days is still normal. Once every 3-4 four days, you are definitely constipated.
Constipation is a condition characterized by infrequent bowel movement that is often difficult and painful. Individuals suffering from frequent constipation may be at risk to major colorectal disorders, such as enlarged hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer.
So, how do you get your bowels moving regularly without the aid of store-bought laxatives that may be harsh on your tummy?
1. Add healthy oil in your diet. Infrequent bowel movement with hard, painful stool is a sign that you have not been eating very well or hydrating yourself well. Stimulate your digestive system by adding healthy oil in your diet. Oil helps get things moving in your colon and, when taken regularly, prevents constipation.
You can take a tablespoon of pure olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach. You can also eat fruits and vegetables rich in natural oil, such as avocados, nuts, soybeans and flaxseeds.
2. Cleanse your tummy with a warm cup of lemon water. Squeeze 1 lemon in a 1 glass of warm water and drink it first thing in the morning. The citric acid in lemon juice can flush out toxins, loosen hardened stool, and eliminate undigested materials that may have built up along the walls of your colon.
3. Eat foods rich in insoluble fiber. Waste buildup in the colon can lead to toxin buildup and may cause hardened stools and bouts of constipation. Insoluble fiber can work as a cleaning agent for the intestines and “scrub” leftover feces and other residual materials in the colon. So, eat lots of fiber-rich foods every day, such as whole grains, wheat bran, pineapple, carrots, raisins, onions, walnuts and peanuts.
4. Avoid raw food. Raw foods are harder to digest and take longer time to process, dampening and weakening digestion. The longer foods are break down and the slower they passed through the intestine, the more they lose water. This results to hard stool that’s difficult to pass.
5. Hydrate properly. Drinking water at the right time can aid in digestion and improve bowel movement. Water therapists recommend drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before meal and 1 hour after meal to allow your body to absorb the nutrients.
Constipation is a minor health issue that can seriously impede day-to-day life. Thankfully, it can be treated naturally at home.