Feeling a Little Backed Up? 3 Ways to Naturally Become Regular Again
Filed Under: Susatainable Living on August 5, 2009
Constipated? No matter what you’re doing, that backed up feeling makes it uncomfortable. I won’t describe the whole feeling to you, you already know what it’s like. No point in my describing the stuffed, uncomfortable, can’t sit flat, lower abdomen ache that is constipation.
I remember when I was a kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old, I got backed up really bad. I don’t remember the reason, but I recall it involved a large quantity of food the day before. Cheese, probably. That’s always been one of my weaknesses. Anyway, I had that over-stuffed feeling you get and was trying to figure out what to do. Without telling my parents, of course. I had a real fear of sickness, since my father was an anesthesiologist and everything he did to fix things seemed to involve needles.
So I told my friend Robby about it. He thought that maybe a horse ride would work. It didn’t. So we tried a few other things. Then someone (him or me, I don’t recall) got the idea that maybe punching me in the gut would work. It didn’t, but it hurt like hell. When I got home, I didn’t eat dinner so my mom knew something was wrong. I never missed meals. I broke down and told her what had happened.
The fix? The dreaded castor oil. Straight. No fancy drinks to pretty it up. Have you ever had castor oil? Nasty stuff. Demon snot probably tastes better. It worked, though. I remember my sisters pounding on the bathroom door trying to get ready for bed.
When most people get this way, they usually reach for an over-the-counter laxative. Maybe it’s the pink stuff or the nasty pills. These are likely to work, but at what cost? They’re fixing the constipation, sure, but what caused it to begin with?
Usually, it’s stress-related. Our jobs, our lives, our relationships, or something else is stressing us out and keeping our bowels uninterested in regular performance.
So the first step is to treat the root of the problem. Regular exercise, stress-relieving activities, and a well-balanced diet with lots of green vegetables and fiber are the key. Even with great diet and a relatively stress-free life, though, some of us are going to get plugged up occasionally.
Don’t worry, for those occasions, there are still natural alternatives to the drugs at the pharmacy!
Castor Oil
Your grandma’s old stand-by, castor oil, is one of these natural alternatives. I should know. Take a tablespoon full and stay near the bathroom. It can be mixed with tea or non-citric juice (citrus will react with the castor, giving you a stomach ache). It will take an hour or two to work in most cases. Contrary to what you’ve seen on the Little Rascals, it’s not a good idea to use this remedy on small children.
Flax and Linseed Oils
The fresh stuff is best. Use either in small quantities of a tablespoon or so. These can be taken directly, mixed with light tea, or with water. This takes a few hours to work, usually.
Olive Oil
This is a popular remedy and works for small children and adults. It’s extremely mild, but it can take some time to operate. Take a swig of olive oil (a couple of tablespoons) and let it do the rest. You can mix with just about any juice, tea, etc. if you wish.
Other Information
Of course, anyone who’s spent a day at the orchard picking and overstuffed with fruit knows that this can make you decidedly non-constipated. Fruits like apples, grapes, plums, prunes, etc. all do this. Probably not recommended, but it’s up to you.
In normal amounts, fruits like bananas (slightly over-ripe is best), apple juice, and of course prunes are all good things to ad to any of the above oils to solve the problem. A couple of prunes and a spoonful of castor oil can clear you right out. And quickly.
Most people with a good diet and regular exercise don’t have many problems with constipation. Of course, I’m not a doctor and if your constipation lasts longer than a day or so, you should seek medical help.
