The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Chia Seeds
Posted by Deb (Lebanon, Oregon) on 12/04/2014
Having grown up with chronic constipation (a small amount once a month) I have been trying to remedy it for the past 20 years (I'm now 57). I've tried all the recommendations. A number of years ago I discovered powdered magnesium and I kept increasing the amount until I had results. Two tablespoons would keep me regular. Concerned about taking this much I kept searching but always would default back. Then I found chia seeds. I soak a tablespoon over night and put it in a 3 fruit smoothie for my breakfast every morning. It has been working for a year now with daily regularity (sometimes twice a day).
B1 (Thiamine)
Posted by Elaine (Edmond, Oklahoma) on 09/05/2014
★★★★★
As many of us with hypothyroid know, constipation is one of the symptoms of the ailment. I am one of those that has suffered for years with hard, rocky stool. Then I read about how if you are deficient in Thiamine or vitamin B-1 it can cause a "miscommunication" between the thyroid and bowels. I began taking 250 mg of B-1 everyday a couple of weeks ago and no more cement factory poops. It just may be coincidence. But, so far sooooo very good. I am actually not dreading to go do number 2. It's worth a try. I just hope my situation remains, eh hem, smooth sailing.
Castor Oil
Posted by Jay (Orlando, Florida) on 08/01/2013
★★★★★
For constipation, I finally found relief by taking a spoon full of cold-pressed castor oil in the mornings along with my cup of tea. I now only need to take the oil about once a week or less.
I started with a strong cleanse (4 tablespoons) initially using the castor oil and gradually reduced the amount over time. Warning stay close to your commode!!!!!
The oil I use is 100% certified organic cold pressed Castor oil.
Raw Rice
Posted by Ed2010 (Oakville, Canada) on 02/04/2013
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I should warn regarding this. Rice is my staple food. And I come from ethnic background where rice is cultivated vastly and it is the staple diet from morning to evening.
You should not eat raw rice. It will cause Anemia. This what my mother and grand parents will say when we try to eat raw rice in the childhood. We will boil rice until it is cooked and mix it with sambar, rasam, saarus, curd or curries and eat it. The boiled rice is called Anna, Annam, Soru, Saadham in different South Indian Languages.
I will tell another fact: In our farms we don't give raw rice particularly parboiled rice to goat or sheep. If you feed your goat with at least 1 pound of parboiled raw rice and give water to drink. The goat will die the next day, The died goat will have bloated stomach.
Try anything, but with some reference.
Good Health
Acidophilus
Posted by Lydia (Miami, FL) on 12/06/2006
★★★★★
I have been constipated for the past thirteen years due to meds and my years of suffering from anorexia and especially bulimia. I only eat healthy food and I HAVE tried everthing and wasted a lot of money to help my situation between doctors' visits, medicines and supplements. Lately the thing that is proving to be helpful is acidophilus (in the millions), All brand fiber cereal (I find it delicious) and magnesium (750mg/day) I have accepted mine as a hopeless case; however, this may help somebody out there!
Carrot Soup
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 01/13/2025
★★★★★
Carrot Soup for Infants and Adults with Acute or Chronic Intestinal Disturbances
Medical Council – A Monthly Journal for the Physican and Surgeon. Volume 15,1910
For infants suffering from acute or chronic intestinal disturbances, E. Moro highly recommends a soup prepared as follows : Five hundred grams of carrots are peeled, mashed and boiled out with water, until 375 grams remain. The mass is then rubbed through a very fine sieve and added together with 6 gm. Of salt to 1 liter of broth. This soup was given to infants from two weeks to six months old with the best results. In acute cases the vomiting and diarrhea will cease in from one to three days and the fever and general symptoms of marasmus will rapidly disappear. In the chronic affection and in infants suffering from atrophy the result is no less prompt, and a rapid gain in weight can be noted . The stools are soft, very copious, and yellow or reddish-yellow. One of the most pronounced results following feeding with carrot soup is retention of water within the system of the infant.- Muench . Med. Woch.
Carrot juice every day helps clear up constipation, premote loose stools, relief from piles, and kills worms in the intestinal tract. Kitchen Clinic Home Remedies for Common Ailments Pub. 2011
Flaxseed
Posted by Nancy (Albemarle, NC) on 08/25/2021
★★★★★
The best thing for constipation is flaxseed. I tried otc drugs, supplements, magnesium, nothing worked. One teaspoon of flax seed ground works put in coffee or tea or Sprinkle on food.
Kiwi
Posted by Adrienne (Gold Coast) on 06/15/2015
★★★★★
I have suffered from constipation for years and have used many products including the best digestive enzymes and acidophillus available - I am also a nutritionist so I eat well and take heaps of the best supplements. I've also had colonics and massage to help.
The thing that has worked wonders for me without question is kiwi fruit. first thing on an empty stomach I eat 3 kiwi or blend them with another fruit and some chia seeds, and I have absolute success every time.
I think kiwi have the right ph for your gut health, are full of enzymes and also are slippery.
Try this and share!
Chia Seeds
Posted by Yellowbird (Portlandia) on 09/11/2013 10 posts
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
SIDE EFFECTS: Caution with Chia Seeds (and Flax & Primrose Seeds) for those with
HYPOtension (very LOW blood pressure)...
These seeds are known for their ability to reduce blood pressure via vasodilation- a good thing for folk with HYPERtension (=High BP), but the quick reduction can be dramatic- even dangerous- for those who live with very low blood pressure already.
Much as I loved them, I had to stop using chia becoz of this effect. Everytime I tried them, within minutes my allready low blood pressure would fall thru the floor: veins overly dilated, throbbing sensation in neck vein, dizzy, faint, anxious, knot in chest, breathless, fluttery heart, skipped beats, light & dark spots before eyes. Classic signs of blood pressure plunging too low, too fast.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Polly (London, England) on 04/05/2013
★★★★★
Not a remedy as such for constipation but in my experience giving up EVERY type of wheat (especially whole wheat) cured my constipation.
It gives my husband IBS and bad tempers. So we buy pure rye, Kamut and spelt bread and have felt great relief!!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Janine (Cerritos, California, USA) on 01/12/2013
★★★★★
I rarely see anything mentioned about diet when it comes to constipation. Believe me, if you're having problems and you don't factor in what you're eating, you are making a mistake. If you are really backed up, natural methods take time to act and even then - if you're a difficult case you may have to bring out the big guns (senna, etc.) to resolve the problem in the meantime. Your body wants to be on a schedule. In brief, no matter how you resolve the problem stick with a program. Avoid dairy (until resolved), eat at least three meals a day, use sprouted grain bread, some raw and cooked (lightly) vegetables, healthy fats, probiotics (natural or supplement), enzymes (natural and/or supplements), water, exercise regularly, sleep 8 hours, meditate. To avoid laxatives look for natural solutions like flax seed and chia seed. I use Kombucha and ACV in my diet but usually not both in the same day. Natural methods will work but only if you pay attention to the big picture. You could be taking enzymes, probiotics, ACV and still be constipated if you're diet is low in fiber and fat. Don't be afraid of protein but don't overload. Grass fed beef, milk and cheese is much lower in saturated fat than what we've typically been using and raw milk and cheese are friendlier for the gut. Too much of the non raw variety of milk will cause constipation. Do your homework.
Baking Soda
Posted by Kelly (Seattle) on 09/06/2023
Just a quick comment regarding baking soda and aluminum: There's no aluminum in baking soda. It can be found in baking POWDER, but not baking soda. :)
Coconut Oil
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Luzon, Philippines) on 02/22/2010
★★★★★
I had candida, and one of my symptoms was constipation -- I was lucky if I had BM or went to toilet once in 4 days. And my stools were painful, dry and hard. As part of my own protocol to both kill the candida as well as to get rid of my constipation, I took 1 tbspns virgin coconut oil 3 times a day in my coffee or raw. I also alkalized at different times daily, using Ted's baking soda alkalizing remedies.
The effect of the coconut oil and baking soda can be explained like this. When the ingested coconut oil moves from the stomach to the duodenum, the pancreas squirts out its enzymes for digestion in bicarbonate solution into the duodenum. The bile from the liver breaks the coconut oil down into small droplets and the excess alkaline bicarbonate from the pancreas combines with the coconut oil to make a form of "soap" that greatly aids in passage of faeces down the intestines. But if you are lacking in bicarbonates stored in your pancreas or the food you eat is too acid, then you will need to increase your bicarbonate intake to increase this store.
I would normally take the coconut oil directly before or directly after meals. I would take the Baking soda remedy (any will do from this site), either one hour before or 2 hours after meals.
This had quite an effect, my stools soon became smaller and much softer as a result, and after a few months of this protocol, I became regular again, with BM every day.
It was, therefore, a combination of both taking coconut oil and increasing my bicarbonate intake(Baking Soda) that helped cure my own constipation problem.
Flaxseed
Posted by Christine (Doncaster, Yorkshire) on 08/30/2009
★★★★★
I have suffered constipation for years, not anymore. I take flax seeds every night so does my friend since I recommended them to her, about 3tbls swollowed down with plenty of water.
Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Posted by Grace (London, Uk) on 11/16/2012
★★★★★
Thank you for posting this! This remedy works well. I just took 1 tsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp olive oil on an empty stomach and had some immediate relief! I shall persist with this. I had tried a fiber plus probiotics and prebiotics supplement, senna tea and aloe vera, all of which probably did no harm but I saw no results. Lemon and olive oil works a treat!
Popcorn
Posted by Katzie (Canada) on 01/02/2022
★★★★★
I have found that one big bowl of buttery popcorn (w/salt & vinegar shaker seasoning, ! ), and a big bottle of water at night works every single time the next day. Happy munching!
Acupressure
Posted by Natural in NY (NY) on 03/30/2021
★★★★★
I did not really Susan's post about acupressure on the arm from 2008 would work for me, but decided to give it a try. When I first pressed on the spot on my left arm, I could feel something in my stomach area. That was encouraging and so I kept switching back and forth for a bit. I still did not think it would actually work. However, within about 10 to 15 minutes from starting, I had the result I was looking for! I highly doubt this was by chance. To be fair, I did lightly massage my abdomen just below my belly button once. However, I really think it was the points on the arms described by Susan. I also was not sure I had the spots right and just kept rubbing in the general area, trying to cover enough ground to get it to work. I guess you don't have to be perfect. Thank you Susan and earthclinic!
Celery
Posted by Don (Michigan, USA) on 12/23/2019
★★★★★
This Holiday Season you may become “irregular“ from festive meals. Don't waste money on harsh chemicals like Miralax which is pretty much antifreeze. First thing in the morning on a empty stomach juice, blend or eat 2-3 ribs of celery with a large glass of water and in no time you will be your regular self.
Quit Caffeine
Posted by Jennifer (Napa, Ca) on 06/23/2018
★★★★★
Re a post about caffeine curing constipation -
Just the opposite! Quitting caffeine CURES constipation. If you stop drinking all forms of caffeine, you will cure your dreaded constipation. Being an avid coffee drinker for 20 years, I always believed coffee was the only thing that would make me “go”, albeit only 2 times per week(so unhealthy). I read about curing constipation by eliminating all forms of caffeine, which I swore I would never do, but then I read about so many other healthy side effects like deeper sleep, clearer skin, in addition to bowel movement regularity, and decided it was more than worth a try after dealing with constipation for as long as I can remember. I weened myself off caffeine and by Day 4 I started having regular bowel movements every day. I also slept better than I have my entire life by Day 6.
Looking back to my teenage years and in my twenties, I drank a lot of Diet Coke and had no idea how that caffeine was effecting my health. When I stop to think about all the things constipation kept me from doing all these years, it sickens me. Getting off caffeine takes a couple weeks but it's so worth the effort. I used to have dark circles under my eyes and they are now gone, and I've only been off caffeine for a month! Another awesome side effect? No more nasty hangovers!
That's right, I work in the wine industry and always thought the wine was giving me hangovers, until I quit caffeine and discovered I could drink wine and feel fine the next day! It was the caffeine withdrawal that compounded the dehydration that always caused my hangover, not to mention the pesticides in coffee, etc.
