My mom has suffered from constipation for a long while now...she's about 55....she eats pretty healthy...she's a vegetarian...only eats seafood....
she eats alot of fruits and vegetables...and she eats stuff with fiber....
what's good for constipation? or at least good to help relieve temporary constipation?
I'd suggest a Psyllium Husk Fiber like Metamucil daily, and a Cascara Sagrada supplement several times per week.
Cascara Sagrada are stimulant laxatives? I think she might have tried those....is there something else perhaps? Don't those laxatives start to have a rebound effect? or doesn't your body start to get dependent on them?
Don't those laxatives start to have a rebound effect? or doesn't your body start to get dependent on them?
I think that one capsule three times per week at first would be effective, then she could go down to twice then once per week. Of course, it's meant to try to correct the problem and not cause dependence. Another option for her is a stool softner such as Colace.
PS: A daily dose of Coconut Oil or Flaxseed Oil may also help.
__________________ "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
Well something isnt right if she is eating lots of fruits and veggies and lots of stuff with fiber..... How much water does she drink... if she is eating lots of fiber and not drinking enough, she will get constipated... Natural... eat alot of prunes and apples, In the hospital we use to give prune juice and a big cup of hot coffee, for some the combo seemed to work the best. How much exercise does she get... a thirty minute walk will usually also help.... I keep smoothmove tea at the house at all times. I want to say its made by traditional medicinals or something like that....When I remember, I take a coloncleanse (thats the name of it) I try to take one daily... I have noticed that the less processed carbs I eat, the less constipated I get.... Its really hard to stay away from processed carbs, but we would be so much better off if we did
__________________ God is and all is well
~John Greenleaf Whittier~
The suggestions made here are great. She may also want to try eating some dried apricots or prunes. Is she drinking 1/2 her weight in ounces of water (150 lbs = 75 oz) each day and avoiding caffeine? Probiotics, an enema or colonic may also be helpful.
I agree with naturally unbridled on the probiotics. If you have thriving friendly flora, you will not have diarrhea and you will not have constipation. The problem may be that she is taking something that may be challenging to the probiotics. Or she may have some other bacteria that may be overwhelming the probiotics and not allowing them to thrive.
Another problem may be that the liver is too challenged to produce bile. Bile is essential for digestive health.
I would try Dr. Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1. It is a wonderful herbal product!! I also use enzymes and betaine hydrochloric acid for great stomach digestion. I would think that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables your mom would be getting lots of enzymes. www.herbdoc.com
i take a supplement called digestzymes, which is made from digestive enzymes and aslo includes betaine. I know that really helps. If i don't take it for the day i have problems.
All it usually takes for me is a hand full of raisins. Cooking isn't necessary but raisins or prunes steeped, covered, for a few minutes with a small amount of water are good with breakfast, But don't over-do it! A few prunes go a long way!
It seems that a cleanse is in order. I'm not a fan of using liquids and I've done body detox's to help increase my regularity and the product I've used worked great both times (I've only done it twice). Here's what I used:
I've used the Ultimate Cleanse a long time ago, and also tried using Dr. Natura's Colonix twice. I'm not impressed with the results of these cleanses, I think they're pricey and don't stand up to all the hype.
__________________ "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
My mom has suffered from constipation for a long while now...she's about 55....she eats pretty healthy...she's a vegetarian...only eats seafood....
she eats alot of fruits and vegetables...and she eats stuff with fiber....
what's good for constipation? or at least good to help relieve temporary constipation?
Whole wheat toast for breakfast (and I mean real whole wheat bread from a health food store, not wonder brand) Make sure she has a gl;ass of water after eating it. Also, for dinner, a big bowlful of organic corn, followed by a glass of water.
I use aloe vera juice successfully for this in addition to walking and vegetable jucing in general.
Aloe: An Old Friend With A New Purpose
"Aloe vera has been used medicinally for thousands of years by many cultures. It is most popular as a topical treatment for burns, cuts and other skin conditions, but aloe has also been used by indigenous cultures as a laxative.
The Mayo Clinic reports that there is “strong scientific evidence in support of the laxative properties of aloe latex (found in the plant's leaf)." This is thanks to the relief given by the anthraquinone glycosides found in the aloe leaf.1 These same findings are also reported by the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine.2
What's more, the Health and Wellness Resource Center, an online resource published by the Gale Group, cites extenisive scientific pharmacological research showing that the anthraquinones in aloe act by stimulating the colon, and possibly by also softening the stool."