Easy Home Remedies for Constipation Relief

Cream of Tartar

Posted by Nat (Brooklyn, NY) on 11/22/2022
★★★★★

Cream of Tartar helps against constipation. Taking a small amount, about a third or a half teaspoon together with a small amount, about a half teaspoon of Milk of Magnesia, might be enough to help. Since taking magnesium as a laxative regularly, will eventually stop working and even make the original problem worse, it is recommended that the Milk of Magnesia should only be used not more than around once a week. Whether the same applies to Cream of Tartar is not known.

In any case, taking even a teaspoon of Cream of Tartar every day seems to cause weight gain for some people. And taking large amounts can cause heart issues. This is because of Cream of Tartar's high potassium content. (It is reported that someone who took several tablespoons to help constipation ended up in the hospital.)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570668/

In the above mentioned link, Cream of Tartar is also mentioned as being used in a suppository combined with Bicarbonate of Soda and polyethylene glycol.

Epsom Salt

Posted by Science (Cyprus) on 03/07/2022 21 posts
★★★★★

I am a researcher. Epsom salts for constipation. Simply the best curement. Ask Epsom Salts for human consumption AND NEVER BUY EPSOM SALTS THAT IS NOT MADE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Two to three times a week one tablespoon per day, will work excellently. Do not take 7 days per week, since we do not know yet the long term effects on the body.

Rhubarb

Posted by Zara (Batley) on 07/23/2020
★★★★★

Rhubarb root is a cure for chronic constipation.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin C

Posted by Nita (Mineola, Tx) on 03/04/2020
★★★★★

For Constipation:

2 Tbs of Bragg apple cider vinegar, 1 packet of Emergent C, half glass of water, every morning for years now. Works.

Epsom Salt

Posted by Gord 235 (Vancouver, Canada) on 03/24/2019
★★★★★

I've used epson salt as a remedy for constipation. I mixed 1 tsp. with a cup of warm water, stirred and then drank it, then followed up with two more cups of warm water. I found it to be very effective but it's wise to be near a toilet after taking as it can produce a fairly rapid response.

Epsom Salt

Posted by Gord235 (Vancouver, British Columbia) on 04/30/2018
★★★★★

I take one heaping teaspoon mixed into one large cup of warm water, then sit back and wait. Within an hour I can feel my bowels starting to rumble and once I feel my sphincter starting to tighten I make sure I am positioned on the toilet. Soon there is a big woosh and relief arrives; maybe a couple of wooshes but in any event the problem is gone. I have tried several of the common fibre laxatives and have found Epsom salts to be the cheapest, fastest and best solution. It is great for those times when you long for a total evacuation after a few days of not going. I purchase it at my local drugstore, store it in the cupboard and only use it when the usual remedies don't work. Caution: make sure you are close to a toilet when using.

Coconut

Posted by Rw (Southwest Virginia) on 12/17/2017

P.S. Just be aware that if you have candida, this can kill the candida and cause unpleasant die-off detox symptoms. Maybe go slow with it until you know and if you have symptoms, back off a little.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Dan (Seattle) on 03/17/2017

Uh, there's no aluminum in baking soda. It's sometimes in baking powder however...

Cabbage

Posted by Dawn (Calgary, CA) on 02/02/2015
★★★★★

I suffered from constipation for a long time until I found a home remedy. I made fermented cabbage drink at home which I drank 2 glasses everyday which by the way is probiotic drink. Now I also eat probiotic yogurt everyday, I was also lactose intolerant, not anymore. Lactose intolerant people should try cabbage drink first then slowly introduce yogurt to your system. For cabbage drink, one can find recipe on the you tube, it is basically chopping 1 cup of cabbage and add 6 cups of water and leave to ferment for 2 days in an air tight jar. It tastes a bit sour. I wish I had known about this earlier, I suffered for many years.

Mango

Posted by Marisa Bell (Detroit, Mi) on 02/01/2014
★★★★★

I was on a low carb, high protein diet for a while, about a year. During the course of that year, I developed really bad gas. IT always happend at night and I had NO IDEA why it was happening. Come to find out, my stools had hardened and I was having chronic constipation! It was horrible! I first used magnesium as a supplement, but that gave me terrible gas! Then I started trying to do more grains and oats and that made the constipation worse! I tried prune juice which worked, however, gave me really bad gas. So finally I did some research for high fiber fruits and came across mangoes! They have been a life savor. I now eat half a mango twice a day and have been regular finally! It has really helped me with no side effects of bad gas or loose stool. AS with anything youre using to fight constipation, you have to play around to see how much your body needs to be regular. But try it!

Apple Juice, Warm

Posted by Pat (Oakville, Ontario) on 09/21/2013
★★★★★

I have been feeling very plugged up lately, so much so that my bra was too tight to wear! I read about drinking a warm cup of apple juice and thought, why not? I heated about 6 oz in the microwave and sipped it after dinner. About a half hour later I felt a slight urge to go to the bathroom and with little effort and no discomfort I had a very rewarding bowel movement! I eat a fairly good diet, with lots of fibre but I can be lax in my consumption of water so using apple juice to move more fluids to my lower bowel was perfect! I will try to increase my daily consumption of water but also include warm apple juice too!

Castor Oil

Posted by Milos (MA) on 12/12/2020
★★★★★

Wow, this, for me, has been the best method. I have tried all the previously mentioned methods to no avail. And you are right -- stay close to the commode. lol. Castor oil is best. I did 4 tablespoons today and will reduce to maybe 2 tomorrow.

Dry Mustard in Water

Posted by KT (The Usa) on 05/30/2013
★★★★★

Constipation: I had read an old "grandma" recipe of 1/2 tsp of dry mustard in 1/2 Cup cool water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, before breakfast, would get things moving. It worked great for me and I thought I had posted that here, on EC, but could not locate it so I'm posting it again hoping it will help someone else.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Kathy (the USA) on 04/05/2013

AMEN to your report on wheat. My husband is affected the same way. He doesn't believe it but maybe if I show him your post it'll give him something to think about! THANKS!!

Prune Juice

Posted by Bilja (Toronto, Ontario) on 03/10/2013
★★★★★

Prune Juice for Constipation... Not personal experience, but family member, having constipation as taking many different medications and pain killers treating other issues. Tried acv, and olive oil w/ lemon juice, slow results. However drinking glass of prune juice gave relief in shortest possible time, very smooth and easy experience with bowel movement as never before in last 10 days. Just want to share with all.

Fiber

Posted by Traveler (Houston, Texas) on 01/12/2013
★★★★★

I am a 29 year old female who's had issues with constipation since I was a teenager. In the past 8 or so years I've gotten into alternative health and have tried a bunch of different things. I found that blackstrap molasses was really great for the constipation right before my period, and also eased my bleeding a bit and my cramps. When I'm desperate, I've happily chugged from the bottle though it tastes very nasty to me.

Lately, I've been dumpster diving a lot. I started for other reasons and only after seeing how much food was wasted, that was wrapped up in plastic and put in boxes not even touching anything I considered "dirty" have I started "rescuing" food. Anyway, because of this, I have two freezers and a fridge full of vegetables and fruit that were ripe enough to have at home but I guess too ripe to keep in the store with fresh stock coming in. Or, vegetables with the mildest blemish on it. I've noticed that because I'm eating so much in the way of vegetables and fruits, that constipation is no longer an issue. Even last year when I was going to the store and relying on foods that had a longer shelf life, like beans or lentils, I found that if I got 25-30 grams of fiber, mostly from "real" foods, it was actually a joy to go to the bathroom. Plus, I find that I get cranky if I'm not going regularly and this effects different parts of my life negatively.

I highly recommend finding delicious ways to get fiber into your diet. Currently my three favorite recipes are mashed cauliflower, mushrooms madera, and each morning I make myself a big bowl of bananas, blueberries, and sometimes grapes (all rescued and delicious) with a tiny bit of fiber cereal (also rescued unopened) and either some milk, or yogurt mixed in.

I'm currently experimenting with trying to hit 60grams of fiber per day to see how (or if) that affects weight loss when not really focusing on calories. In any event, people need 25-35 grams of fiber PER DAY. Don't rely on over the counter fiber supplements-- go to foods even if you have to buy them, that have vitamins, minerals and a high water content so you don't have to have the worry of the fiber supplements working against you and making your constipation worse.

Fish Oil

Posted by Myoho (NYC, NY) on 03/04/2012
★★★★★

3 in am and 3 in pm fish oils high dha combined with 200 mg of mag citrate 3 in the am and 3 in the pm.

this has knock on wood been helping my infinite constipation due to my eating disorder on my GI Doctor's sound advice. I was on amitiza and it did not help, so we switched.

Epsom Salt

Posted by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 01/22/2012
★★★★★

For severe constipation, the best remedy is epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) because magnesium in high doses is a natural laxative. If you don't get relief from the constipation it merely means that you have not taken enough epsom salts. I would not take sea salt as something to relieve constipation.

As I said, if the epsom salts are not working just keep increasing the dosage (in not too large increments) to see the amount needed to induce a bowel movement.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Catrina (Waldorf, Maryland/usa) on 10/22/2011
★★★★★

Four weeks ago, I cut out all dairy substituting almond milk instead of cows milk and began eating a vegan diet. I have been having a bowel movement everyday with no straining! For 47 years, I suffered from chronic constipation, IBS, chronic pain and bloating. I've tried conventional and non-conventional remedies. I am writing to say I have found something that works. Try cutting out all milk products or items that contain diary and see if it makes a difference. In the beginning, as my body adjusted to my new diet, I had gas pains for about one and a half weeks. Three weeks ago, I began acupuncture treatments and after two sessions, my gas pains are gone and I am not as bloated. I have four more acupuncture sessions to go to complete the series, but I attribute the bowel movements to the lack of dairy in my diet.

Position

Posted by Angela (Bloomfield,, New Jersey) on 10/05/2011
★★★★★

I have suffered from constipation in a very bad way for a very long time. I don't know what this exercise is called but a friend of mine recently told me to kneel down then sit on the back of my legs as though I was sitting on a chair and wait for the sensation that I want to go comes. It works like a charm. The first few times took about 15 minutes. After that, it happened in about 5 minutes. Works every time. If the floor is too hard, sit on the bed or sofa. Can't wait to hear your experiences.