Quick Constipation Relief Naturally (2024)

There are many simple ways to get real constipation relief fast naturally but too often we take laxatives that make constipation worse long term.

So in this guide I’ll take you through how to get constipation relief fast with natural constipation remedies :

1. Drinks to make you poop
2. Best food for quick relief
3. Herbal constipation remedies
4. Toilet positions that help (!!)
5. Simple relaxation exercises
6. Yoga exercises for constipation.

I will also share what to avoid with constipation PLUS the best natural laxatives for severe constipation.

Then I will help you really get to the bottom of what keeps causing your constipation and how to cure constipation permanently.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER

This post is not qualified medical advice. Constipation can be a symptom of serious illness. See a doctor if symptoms persist.

How Can I Relieve Constipation Quickly?

Constipation is not just about food. It is also about muscle tension, hormones and gut health.

So to relieve constipation fast pick at least one remedy from each group :

1. Best drinks for pooping
2. Best food for pooping
3. Herbal remedies
4. Quick relaxation exercise
5. Easy yoga poses

Then read up on toilet positions!!!

Drinks To Make You Poop

Staying hydrated is super critical for loosening stools. For fast relief have a small drink every half hour.

These are the best drinks for constipation as they combine fibre, gut bacteria, muscle relaxants and chemicals that lubricate our colon!!

• Warm fruit juice
• Herbal teas
• Warm milk
• Fizzy water

Warm Fruit Juice

Combine any of these high fibre juices with ginger and cinnamon :

• Apple
• Pear
• Plum
• Raspberry
• Rhubarb
• Prune

Freeze prune & rhubarb juice in ice cube trays for handy small portions.

Orange or lemon juice in water will help if that’s what you have in stock.

Herbal Tea

These herbal teas ease our muscles, gut & liver to relieve constipation :

• Chamomile
• Peppermint
• Ginger
• Dandelion tea

Warm Milk

A cup of magnesium rich warm milk at night resets muscles & hormones to help us poop in the morning.

Fizzy Mineral Water

Sipping fizzy mineral water can relieve constipation naturally as well as bloating and gas.

Baking Soda & Water

Dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda (bicarb) in a cup of tepid water and sip slowly to ease constipation.

What To Eat To Relieve Constipation Fast

Constipation isn’t just due to low fibre. It is also about unbalanced gut bacteria & mineral deficiencies.

So we need to eat food that puts our digestion back on an even keel. Laxatives don’t do this.

Good food to help us poop fast include high fibre fruit, veggies, pulses & grains plus fermented food:

High Fibre Fruit

• Apples
• Avocados
• Blackberries
• Dates
• Figs
• Oranges
• Pears
• Plums
• Prunes
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb

High Fibre Vegetables

• Acorn squash
• Beets (beetroot)
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Collard greens
• Eggplant (aubergine)
• Green soup
• Peas

Pulses, Grains And Seeds That Help Us Poop

• Black beans
• Chia seeds
• Chickpeas
• Flaxseed
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Oat porridge
• Pumpkin seeds – (good for worms)

More Good Food For Constipation

• Yoghurt
• Coconut oil
• Clear broth or soup
• Sauerkraut

Difficult bowel movements can be symptoms of IBS or gastritis triggered by excess fibre. Don’t double down if you already eat a high fibre diet.

A Simple Meal Plan For Constipation Relief

You can add them to a constipation relief meal plan simply like this :

• Breakfast : oat porridge with flaxseed, berries & pumpkin seeds
• Lunch : clear broth with a little spinach or green soup
• Snacks : figs, dates, prunes, plums
• Supper : have a little sauerkraut as a small side to your main meal plus natural yoghurt & stewed rhubarb
• Bedtime : have a cup of warm milk or chamomile tea and a small spoonful of coconut oil.

Eat slowly & sip herbal tea with meals rather than guzzling cold drinks.

Herbal Home Remedies For Constipation

These everyday herbs are all good natural remedies for constipation:

• Cumin
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Chamomile
• Fennel
• Turmeric
• Coriander
• Peppermint

Add them to meals as flavouring rather than bloat inducing salt and sugar that make constipation worse.

How To Relax To Relieve Constipation

Tension is a big cause of blocked bowels and these easy relaxation exercises relieve constipation fast.

Stomach Massage

Use this guide to massage your belly with lightly warmed oil for a few minutes. Then put a warm facecloth on it for a few minutes more.

Breathing Exercises

Breathe slowly via diaphragm to ease heart rate & blood pressure which relaxes muscles enough for easy bowel movements.

Yoga Positions For Constipation

Don’t worry if you’ve never done yoga before. These 10 yoga positions to relieve constipation are super easy and will give fast relief.

How To Relieve Constipation On The Toilet

These simple toilet habits truly do make pooping easier after using the quick constipation remedies above :

1. Give Yourself Time
2. Wait A Little In The Morning
3. Sit Properly On The Toilet

Give Yourself Time

Take 15 minutes once a day to relax on the loo and stop the straining that makes constipation worse.

Wait A Little In The Morning

Many of us need a good hour up and about before are bowels are ready to move. Get up earlier if necessary.

Sit Properly On The Toilet

Changing how we sit on the toilet can also relieve constipation :

1. Keep knees higher than hips using a foot stool or box if necessary
2. Breath slowly through diaphragm for a few minutes to relax
3. Bend forward resting elbows on knees (cushion on knees may help)
4. Hold back straight
5. Keep breathing deeply
6. Use your breathing to pressure bowels gently as anus opens.

For more help read these tips on best toilet positions for constipation.

Best Fast Acting Natural Laxatives For Constipation

If you cannot relieve constipation with the drinks, food, herbal remedies & relaxation exercises you can try fast acting natural laxatives.

But like all laxatives they can interfere with medication and should be taken with caution. Seek medical advice before taking.

Traditionally these natural remedies have all been used as laxatives:

• Psyllium husk
• Aloe vera juice
• Epsom salts
• Diatomaceous earth
• Senna
• Licorice
• Marshmallow root
• Yellow dock.

Always purchase natural remedies with care from reputable suppliers.

What To Avoid When Constipated

Diet aggravates constipation so there are foods to avoid when constipated.

But other lifestyle habits are also big triggers and should be avoided.

Foods To Avoid When Constipated

Five key foods should be avoided when relieving constipation :

1. Sugary treats of all sorts
2. All sodas including sugar free
3. Caffeinated drinks as they trigger adrenaline, stick to a small coffee
4. Too much alcohol
5. Highly processed carbohydrates e.g. white bread, pasta & rice.

Carbs are harder to process as we age. Personally, I found a lower carb diet helped cut constipation.

We are also often told to avoid red meat, dairy & bananas when constipated but it is not so simple.

Red Meat

If you eat lots of red meat on a Keto diet, lack of fibre rather than meat itself can trigger constipation. Add more fibre with these low carb sides.

Dairy

Milk rich in magnesium and yoghurt & cheese rich in gut bacteria, all help constipation. So yes, skip processed cheese and sugary yoghurt but you can enjoy dairy in a balanced diet.

Bananas

Bananas are tricky as the trigger constipation for some and ease it for others. Trust your own experience.

Bran

Big bowls of bran can relieve constipation quickly. But can also trigger severe stomach pain and gastritis by putting our digestion off kilter in the other direction.

A range of high fibre vegetables and pulses are typically a better way to balance digestion than bran.

Other Things To Avoid When You Are Constipated

Other lifestyle habits to avoid when you are constipated include :

1. Fasting
2. Pain killers
3. Too much exercise
4. Too much resting
5. Lack of sleep

Fasting

Try eating small, gentle meals to keep your digestive system moving.

Pain Killers

Pain killers and especially Ibuprofen are big triggers for constipation.

Too Much Exercise

Over exercise can trigger stress hormones which exacerbate constipation. Walk rather than run.

Too Much Resting

Constipation can make us feel sluggish and unwell but lack of movement makes it worse.

Lack Of Sleep

Good sleep is critical for bowel movements. Use these of often missed tips to sleep better.

What Causes Constipation

We’re commonly told that a low fibre diet is what causes constipation.

But digestion is part of a complex system connecting everything from our hormones and heart rate to posture and reproduction.

So the answer to why do I always get constipated will vary and we need to identify our own personal triggers.

Why Do I Always Get Constipated?

To work out why you always get constipated tick off any of the triggers below that apply to you :

Diet

• Eat lots of sugar
• Drink sodas
• Don’t eat much fruit & veg
• Don’t eat pulses
• Don’t eat fermented food
• Deficient in magnesium
• Eat lots of processed food
• Eat lots of carbohydrates
• Drink lots of coffee
• Often get dehydrated
• Following an elimination diet e.g. vegan, keto, low-fat
• Frequently switch diets

Movement & Posture

• Spend most of day sitting
• Walk less than a mile daily
• Have lower back pain
• Do little all body exercise e.g. no gardening, vacuuming, dancing, swimming, racquet sports

Stress & Hormones

• Outdoors less than an hour daily
• Sleep poorly
• Problems with inflammation e.g. joint pain, psoriasis
• Under high stress
• Grieving
• Do lots of high impact exercise
• Breastfeeding
• Pregnant
• Heavy menstrual cycle
• In perimenopause
• In menopause

Illness & Medication

• Take pain killers regularly
• Take anti-depressants
• On other long term medication
• Have high blood pressure
• Had a major dose of antibiotics

You can now use your check-list to focus on little power-habits that cure constipation permanently.

How To Cure Chronic Constipation Permanently

How Can I Stop Getting Constipated?

These lifestyle tweaks are super simple but do help cure chronic constipation permanently naturally.

Walk A Mile Daily

A walk daily eases stress, back pain, sleep, blood pressure & hormone levels which all impact constipation.

A Bowl Of Soup

Blend a bowl of quick soup every day to up your vegetable intake.

Freeze Fruit

Freezing fibrous fruit stops you going short. Add berries to smoothies or poach plum or pear halves to eat with gut healthy creme fraiche.

But go easy on fruit with acid reflux.

Time Blocking

Time blocking boosts productivity and stops us sitting for long periods. Short active breaks every 45 minutes speed up sluggish guts and ease the lower back pain – constipation cycle.

Power Naps

If good sleep is hard at night – e.g. as a new parent – take a 45 minute power nap post lunch at least once a week. It lowers stress hormones enough to reset bowel movements.

Get Outside More

More daylight eases inflammation fast and dramatically improves sleep. Both relieve constipation.

Empty Water Bottle Daily

Ensure you drink enough fluids daily by filling and drinking empty your water bottle daily.

A Calming Cuppa

A daily ritual of taking 10 minutes to drink a cup of herbal tea boosts gut health, reduces stress & blood pressure and releases bowels.

Go A Bit Nutty

A handful of magnesium rich nuts rebalances hormones – e.g. insulin, oestrogen, melatonin, cortisol & thyroid – that impact constipation.

Garnish Your Gut

Gently seasoning meals with constipation relieving and gut healthy herbs boosts gut bacteria and keeps bowels moving.

Quick Breathing Practice

Practicing diaphragmatic breathing for just 5-10 minutes daily – over a cuppa? – cuts heart rate, stress and tension making bowel release easier.

Sip Sip Slowly

Sip drinks slower so fluids combine with food waste in the bowels rather than just being peed out.

Fast A Little Longer

Eat your supper earlier and push breakfast back later so your digestive system finishes yesterday’s work before taking on another load.

Simple Stretches

Gentle stretching eases stress and tension. You don’t need a fancy routines. Just build simple stress relief activities into your day.

The Time Of The Month

If constipation rocks up monthly with your period swap high fibre low carb sides for normal carbs for 3 or 4 days before your period.

Big Pots of Yoghurt

Keep a big pot of natural, full fat, no sugar or additives yoghurt in your fridge and give everyone a dollop daily. Works wonders on guts.

And there you go a big guide to quick constipation relief naturally PLUS tips on constipation causes and curing chronic constipation permanently.

Let me know what works best for you.

And for more simple ways to improve gut health read these :

• Gastritis Treatments
• Acid Reflux Relief
• Urinary Infections
• IBS Relief Diet
• Sleep Better
• Reduce Inflammation

Original image sources : coriander, Yoga Position, Woman hand holding abdomen, Chamomile tea and Sliced Plums by Marco Verch, Pain killers, Rawpixel.com under Creative Commons 2.0