how to improve bowel function for constipation at home, effective remedies for constipation

You work remotely, prepare home-cooked meals, and don't have to ignore your body's natural urges, as can sometimes happen during hectic office days or during long trips. What then are the causes of constipation and what to do about them in the current situation?

Emptying should occur at least once a day. “Lazy bowels” are emptied no more than once every three days, and some doctors believe that it’s okay, you can go through a couple of days without a bowel movement if the person is comfortable.

But food that lingers in the intestines poisons the entire body - after all, the toxins it secretes spread with the blood to all organs and tissues. As a result, signs of intoxication appear - weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, poor health.

Regular daily bowel movements are important for both men and women also because the process of natural bowel cleansing removes excess estrogen from the body. Each new “portion” of estrogen, formed in the body, must work only once, and then be immediately eliminated - this is the rule.

Still, constipation is more of a problem for women, because we are more susceptible to stress and unregulated fluctuations in cortisol levels, and in addition, we often deliberately restrain the urge due to the physiological and psychological discomfort that is caused by the need to defecate outside the home.

Women also more often limit themselves to certain foods necessary for good peristalsis (by the way, completely in vain), and are more fond of fast carbohydrates (also in vain). Finally, the length of the female intestines is greater, it is more curved and tortuous - which means that it is more difficult for the food eaten and digested to get out!

Constipation in adults and children

Why do intestinal dysfunctions occur? There are several reasons for this:

poor quality or stale food;
drinking poorly purified water;
eating semi-finished products and fast food;
eating only thermally processed foods;
proliferation of pathogenic microflora in the intestines;
long-term use of medications, especially antibiotics;
parasitic diseases;
lack of water - many people do not drink it at all, replacing it with juices, tea and soda;
nervous and mental stress.

The most common consequence of a malfunction in the digestive system and disruption of intestinal microflora is constipation. Some people don't think much of it, but infrequent bowel movements can be very dangerous. It leads to a deterioration in the absorption of nutrients, a lack of vitamins in the body, causes inflammatory processes in the intestines and can even cause the development of cancer. Who is most likely to experience constipation?

Abnormal bowel movements occur especially often in older people. Feces accumulate in their intestines, which impedes the passage of food and promotes the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. In addition, lack of movement weakens the intestinal muscles, impairing its function. Metabolism also slows down. All this leads to constipation, which is difficult to cope with without medications.
Frequent constipation occurs in pregnant women. Due to the increased volume of the uterus, blood circulation in the intestines is impaired. Peristalsis is also reduced in order to prevent muscle contraction and prevent the loss of the baby. The question especially often arises of how to normalize stool after a cesarean section or after a normal birth. After all, weakened muscles and sutures interfere with normal bowel movements.
In children, constipation occurs less frequently and mainly for functional reasons. For example, due to developmental pathologies, endocrine diseases, allergies or iron deficiency anemia. Constipation can occur when you change your diet, for example, when switching to artificial feeding. Parents are often interested in how to normalize their child’s stool after they have forcefully potty trained him. At the same time, the baby develops a fear of the process of defecation.

Before you start drinking chemicals, you can try to regulate your bowel movements using natural remedies. In folk medicine, there are many proven effective recipes to combat constipation.

Aloe juice normalizes stool very effectively, and also helps to cope with other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. You can buy it at the pharmacy or prepare it yourself. You need to drink 50-100 ml of juice per day.
It is often recommended to take a solution of apple cider vinegar to restore intestinal microflora. But it must be natural, and not flavored vinegar essence. 2 tablespoons should be diluted in a glass of warm water. This drink is drunk three times a day before meals.
Grind flax seeds and peeled sunflower seeds in a coffee grinder. The resulting powder should be taken 2-3 times a day, after diluting it with water.
How to normalize stool in an adult with the help of herbs? Various bitters are effective in cleansing the intestines of parasites and stimulating the production of bile. These are decoctions of wormwood, dandelion, yarrow and others. There are also herbs that have a long-lasting effect and effectively normalize stool: buckthorn bark, licorice, hay, nettle, anise, chamomile.
A very healthy and tasty medicine for normalizing stool can be prepared from dried fruits. To do this, grind prunes, figs, dried apricots and raisins in a meat grinder. Add honey and a little lemon juice. This mass should be eaten on an empty stomach.
Brew a tablespoon of flax seeds with a glass of hot water and leave. You need to eat them before bed and drink the resulting infusion.

It is easy to get rid of constipation forever; it is enough to eliminate its causes. Most people suffer from intestinal disorders due to poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and emotional stress. These factors can be adjusted without much difficulty.

There are other causes of the symptom:

Antibiotic therapy, taking medications.
Surgical interventions.
Disease of the endocrine system.
Pregnancy.
Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
Neoplasms in the intestines.

Stool retention often occurs in older people and women during menopause. In a girl, the appearance of consolidation is due to hormonal imbalance during gestation. Consolidations occur from excessive consumption of fatty and fried foods.

Short-term episodes of constipation may be associated with changes in everyday life, diet, and lack of comfortable conditions for visiting the toilet (for example, a trip to another city or country). The cause may also be stress, pregnancy, decreased physical activity, incl. forced bed rest.

At the same time, there is also chronic constipation, in which symptoms last for several months or more; it can be primary (or functional) and secondary. What is their difference?

With functional constipation, the cause of stool retention is a violation of intestinal motility (peristalsis). In this case, quite often there is a decrease in the motor activity of the intestine, less often - increased, but uncoordinated peristalsis. All this leads to a slow passage of feces through the intestinal tube, i.e.

In a number of patients with functional constipation, the movement of feces through the intestines is normal, but there is a problem with the act of defecation (i.e., bowel movement) due to uncoordinated work of the pelvic floor muscles.

The group of people with functional constipation can also include patients with the so-called irritable bowel syndrome. But in addition to constipation, they also experience abdominal pain.

As for secondary constipation, their cause may be a mechanical obstruction to the passage of feces (intestinal tumors, abdominal adhesions), the presence of inflammation in the intestines, anatomical features (long intestine) and a number of other diseases, and not necessarily intestinal diseases. Diabetes mellitus, deficiency of thyroid hormones, depression, multiple sclerosis are just some of the diseases that lead to constipation.

In case of chronic constipation, whether it is functional or a symptom of another disease, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist and undergo an examination. Modern diagnostic methods - colonoscopy, blood and stool tests - in most cases make it possible to clarify the cause of constipation.

How to improve bowel movements for constipation and normalize bowel function

Constipation is a consequence of intestinal dysfunction, as a result of which a person experiences difficulty in bowel movements. With constipation, pain during defecation, false urges, bowel movements in small portions, and hard stool are observed. This problem is well known and very common.

The frequency of bowel movements is individual for each person and depends on the characteristics of the body. The normal number of bowel movements is 1-2 times a day. Constipation is considered to occur if there are no trips to the toilet for more than three days. Signs of constipation, in addition to the frequency of bowel movements, are:

feeling of incomplete bowel movement;
forced strong straining;
stomach ache;
decreased appetite;
the appearance of belching;
feeling of fullness in the stomach;
fatigue, poor health;
yellowness, sagging skin;
brittleness of hair and nails.

Causes and types of constipation

Possible causes of the disease can be determined depending on the type of constipation.

Spastic

Occurs when spasms of intestinal smooth muscles occur. Accompanied by acute pain, bloating, and stool retention for several days. After a couple of days, you may have dry, hard stool. Lack of sensation of complete bowel movement. Often occurs in case of emotional stress, stress, smoking.

Atonic

Accompanied by painful bowel movements and large amounts of hard stool. As a result, anal fissures often form due to mechanical damage during defecation. With this diagnosis, people often complain of a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach.

The main cause is usually unbalanced, insufficient nutrition; as a rule, an inadequately selected diet has a bad effect. The reason may be excessive use of enemas and laxatives, which are addictive and impair intestinal motility.

Insufficient fluid also prevents the body from cleansing the intestines on its own.

Neurogenic

With this type of constipation, the person himself suppresses the urge to defecate, resulting in chronic bowel dysfunction.

The reasons for holding back urges can be different - being in an unusual environment, rushing, the inability to adjust the rhythm of life to the natural needs of the body.

In addition, suppressed desire can be caused by the fear of going to the toilet due to hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, or damage to the anus. Accompanied by a feeling of abdominal distension, dull pain in the intestines, and the release of hard feces in small quantities.

Nutritional

Just like atonic constipation, it occurs as a result of poor nutrition and poor drinking. In this case, sweet and flour dishes predominate in the diet. An insufficient amount of plant fiber and fiber prevents the body from performing its functions normally. Rare bowel movements and hard feces are observed.

Mechanical

Constipation occurs when the movement of feces is impeded by tumors, enlargement of nearby organs, or problems with the colon. A decrease in stool frequency is accompanied by acute painful sensations during bowel movements.

Hypodynamic

Most often it occurs in pregnant women, the elderly, or those who work primarily while sitting. Since it occurs as a result of low activity.

Proctogenic

Applies to patients suffering from hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Impaired bowel movements occur due to retention of feces in the rectum. It is accompanied by sharp pain in the anus, bleeding, and prolapse of hemorrhoids.

Spicy

Occurs due to inflammation inside the intestines, subsequently colitis or infections of the colon. It is caused by sudden retention of stool and may be accompanied by intense abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Endocrine

Occurs as a result of thyroid diseases, hormonal imbalances, and diabetes. In this case, the patient experiences pain during bowel movements, infrequent stools, general lethargy, and the skin becomes dry and thin. Initially, it is necessary to treat the diseases that cause intestinal dysfunction.

Medication

Some types of medications can cause constipation. This usually occurs when drugs reduce the amount of fluid in the intestines. Antidepressants, sleeping pills, antispasmodics, and painkillers have these properties. The pathology goes away on its own when you stop taking the medications.

How to normalize bowel function with constipation

To improve bowel movements, you must first identify the cause of constipation and eliminate it.

If the illness appears as a symptom of another disease, for example, diseases of the endocrine system, contact a specialist for examination and treatment.

Taking laxatives will help solve the problem only temporarily. If constipation is chronic, you should immediately consult a specialist.

In case of occasional distress as a result of physical or psychological stress, take time for calming procedures and breathing exercises. If you can’t cope on your own, start taking pills for nerves and stress.

To normalize digestion, it is necessary to adjust your diet. Give preference to light foods that do not irritate the intestines. Eat boiled foods and include more vegetables and fruits in your diet.

Try to chop plant foods before consumption. Don't forget to include vegetable oils in your diet, they will help relieve intestinal spasms.

Avoid cocoa, strong tea, rice porridge, and jelly - they have an astringent effect.

Eating fiber in the form of bran will help restore good health. Drink bran with plenty of water. Follow your diet, avoiding long breaks between meals. Eat 4-5 times a day in small portions every 2-3 hours.

To improve intestinal function, try to maintain a water-drinking regime by drinking at least 1.5 liters of water per day. Water, drunk on an empty stomach in small sips, has a laxative effect, washing all internal organs. Don't wash down your food. You need to drink no less than 30 minutes and no later than an hour after eating.

A common cause of constipation is dysbacteriosis. To restore microflora, consume fermented milk products more often; you may need to take probiotics and prebiotics. Eliminate fast food, flour, sweets, smoked and pickled foods from your diet - they are harmful to the microflora.

To restore stool, monitor the frequency of bowel movements. Don't hold back your natural urges. Try to feel the period of time during which the desire to defecate arises and adjust your schedule according to this time.

Normal stool is possible only with an active lifestyle. Go in for sports, swimming, aerobics. When working sedentarily, try to do a short warm-up every 2 hours. Abdominal massage will be useful. Gently kneading in the morning and evening will help improve peristalsis. Avoid taking medications that affect digestion.

Folk remedies for constipation

All of the above methods are effective against constipation, but a positive result does not occur immediately. Folk remedies will help you quickly and safely cleanse your intestines:

Senna decoction is very effective against constipation. The leaves of the herb contain a substance that causes a laxative effect, suitable for adults and children. Senna collection is sold in pharmacies. It is better to take it before bed, the effect occurs 8 hours after taking it.
Vegetable oil helps soften stool in the intestines. It is necessary to take one tablespoon of olive, flaxseed or sunflower oil orally on an empty stomach.
Drinking castor oil before bed will help empty your bowels. After two tablespoons the next morning the urge to defecate appears. The drug is contraindicated in case of cholelithiasis.
An enema will help you empty your bowels quickly. You can use various decoctions or simple boiled water. It is important to remember that frequent enemas lead to habituation of the intestines.

If the use of folk remedies does not solve the main problem, contact a specialist to conduct tests and prescribe a stronger medicine.

Prevention

To achieve an ideal stool and never face the problem of constipation, you need an active lifestyle, normalization of nutrition, drinking and sleep. Also, after constipation, a few simple recommendations help improve the condition.

Eat foods high in fiber. Cabbage, corn, soybeans, lentils, wheat bran, beans, flax seeds will help your intestines work properly.
Don't prepare ahead of time. The longer the food has been stored, the worse the stool.
Drink fresh ginger tea. Ginger contains many useful vitamins and microelements that have a positive effect on the functioning of the body. It stimulates peristalsis, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and normalizes intestinal motility.
Include vegetable oils in your food. It has a beneficial effect on the body and is good for digestion.
Be attentive to your body's reactions to the food you eat. Eliminate foods that cause congestion.
Season your dishes with spices. Many seasonings contain a storehouse of beneficial properties necessary for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Don't overload yourself with food. Before you eat, wait until everything you ate earlier has been digested. Wait at least 2-4 hours between meals. The more you eat, the longer the break should be.
Protect yourself from stress and empty worries. Be positive and the body’s recovery will not take long!

Source: https://GastroTract.ru/simptom/zapory/kak-naladit-stul-pri-zaporah.html

Features of intestinal microflora

For the intestines to function correctly, you need to know how to restore the microflora. To do this, it is recommended to cleanse the digestive tract of accumulated waste, toxins and feces twice a year. It is best to do this with vegetable salads, juices or dried fruits. The functioning of all organs, strong immunity and normal stool depend on normal intestinal microflora.

When the functions of the gastrointestinal tract are impaired, medications containing beneficial bacteria or substances to stimulate their reproduction are often prescribed. These microorganisms are natural inhabitants of the intestines and help digest food. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria prevent the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, participate in the production of vitamins and enzymes, and normalize the activity of the digestive tract. What drugs are there for intestinal microflora?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are a normal part of the intestine. They are contained in the following drugs: “Bifiform”, “Linex”, “Lactobacterin”, “Acipol”, “Trilact” and others.
Prebiotics are substances that help beneficial bacteria survive and reproduce.
Complex preparations containing both bacteria and substances for their nutrition. This is “Hilak Forte”, “Bactistatin”.
Read also: Laxative teas: names, how to drink, reviews

What to do if you are constipated

1) Lifestyle correction.

There should be no morning rush; you need to set aside enough time to go to the toilet before school or work.
Sometimes a hearty breakfast is a kind of stimulus for the appearance of stool. The generally accepted ideal time to go to the toilet is 15-30 minutes after breakfast.
It is very important that you go to the toilet at the same time and regularly, this way we accustom the intestines to normal stool.
Try to create conditions for a comfortable stay in the toilet, ask your relatives not to disturb you for a certain time, not to rush you.
If the urge to defecate occurs during the day, do your best to go to the toilet.

2) Exercises to activate intestinal motility.

Self-massage the abdomen with a circular motion of the palm in a clockwise direction before and during visiting the toilet.
Before going to the toilet: imitate cycling, exercise the abdominal muscles (for example, inhale air, drawing in the stomach, and then “throw” the stomach forward as you exhale).

3) Nutrition correction. Eating regularly 3-4 times a day, consuming enough liquid (1.5-2 liters of drinks and liquid meals per day in the absence of contraindications), consuming enough fiber are important steps to normalize stool. It is known that residents of our country eat on average 16-18 g of fiber per day with a norm of up to 30-35 g, while in order to maintain this norm, you need to consume at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day.

In the absence of contraindications, it is preferable to consume vegetables and fruits raw, while in case of increased intestinal motility, heat treatment of vegetables (cooking, stewing) is mandatory.

Stimulation of stool can be facilitated by the consumption of fermented milk products, dried fruits, vegetable oil, honey (in the absence of contraindications), and the addition of coffee to the diet. By the way, drinking a glass of cool drink (water or juice) in the morning on an empty stomach often has a laxative effect. You can also use some mineral waters as recommended by your doctor.

In the modern world, where the Western type of diet predominates, with a large amount of refined foods and easily digestible carbohydrates, it is sometimes very difficult to maintain such a varied diet, so the high prevalence of constipation is not surprising. It is not for nothing that it is considered a disease of civilization. And by the way, another possible cause of constipation associated with modern civilization is the widespread use of toilets.

How are these related, you ask? Look: when sitting on the toilet, the pelvic muscles squeeze the rectum, making it difficult to empty. The most physiological way is to defecate while squatting (as people did at all times before), otherwise it is called the “eagle pose.” In this case, our hips and pelvis create an angle of approximately 35 degrees, there is no pressure on the rectum.

What to do?

If nothing helps with constipation, perhaps the cause lies in some diseases, in which case you need to consult a doctor. He will conduct the necessary research and prescribe treatment.

Severe constipation can be caused by eating too much meat the day before. Such food, devoid of fiber and dietary fiber, lingers in the intestines for a long time, forming a lump.

Note! If you eat meat products, then along with them you need to eat two-thirds of the vegetables of the meat serving. Protein products, in particular meat, take a long time to digest and move poorly through the intestines, causing constipation.

Intestinal constipation is most often caused by poor diet. If you consume enough fiber, which is found primarily in vegetables, fruits and greens, then constipation will not occur.

Another important condition is to drink enough water. Fiber, like a sponge, absorbs water and promotes peristalsis and the movement of feces through the intestines.

Very severe constipation can occur both due to poor nutrition, that is, lack of plant foods in the diet, and due to psychological reasons - stress, moving, traveling.

Seventy percent of people suffer from constipation on the road and in a new place in an unusual situation. In this case, mild plant-based laxatives help. They are selected individually - what helps one person cope with constipation may not suit another.

Consequences of constipation

Constipation is always a symptom of disorders in the body, so diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Dangers of regular constipation:

development of an imbalance of intestinal microflora (dysbacteriosis), which provokes a decrease in local and general immunity, disrupts digestion processes, and causes deficiencies of vitamins, microelements, and nutrients;
dysfunctions and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, inflammatory processes, etc.);
intoxication of the body due to prolonged presence of feces in the intestinal cavity;
formation of polyps, intestinal tumors;
intestinal obstruction.

The only correct solution for constipation is to contact a gastroenterologist to exclude serious diseases, examination and correction of the condition.

Useful tips

At the initial stage, when constipation has just become apparent, it is not recommended to immediately use laxatives. Their uncontrolled and regular use further disrupts the intestinal microflora and can cause addiction and other side effects. How to normalize stool using simple steps?

Regularly give the body feasible physical activity. It's better to start doing gymnastics every morning. Walk more, swim in the pool, do yoga or dance.
It is better to cope with constipation during pregnancy or in children with the help of microenemas or special suppositories. Enemas can be done with herbal decoctions - chamomile, sage, yarrow, or you can buy ready-made ones.
You can relieve muscle spasms during spastic constipation using thermal procedures. A warm bath or heating pad on the lower abdomen will relieve pain and facilitate bowel movements.
You need to regularly drink at least 2 sheets of clean water. This is in addition to tea and other liquids. After all, constipation often occurs due to dehydration. Therefore, you need to make it a rule to drink a glass of water every morning and half an hour before each meal.
You cannot delay the urge to have a bowel movement. If you often endure it for a long time, constipation develops.

Treatment in a clinic setting

If hard feces do not pass within several days, there is nausea, weakness, a feeling of fullness in the abdomen, accompanied by pain, you should immediately consult a doctor. Often such symptoms indicate the presence of fecal stones, which can only be removed mechanically in a clinical setting.

The proctologist removes hardened feces using a finger or special instruments through the anus. The procedure does not require anesthesia. The patient is asked to lie on his side, after which the anus is smeared with Vaseline and manipulations begin. Fecal stagnation is removed until patency in the rectum is completely restored.

Diagnosis and treatment of constipation at the EXPERT Clinic

What and how can we help you?

Consult with a competent specialist - our gastroenterologist will examine you in detail, if necessary, prescribe additional consultations with related specialists and monitor the treatment process, from the first visit to the result.
To identify the cause of constipation - we have all the necessary expert-class equipment and highly qualified diagnostic specialists to conduct a detailed examination - tests, ultrasound, endoscopic examinations.
Save you time and money - to find out why your intestines are refusing to work regularly, we have created a free conversation with a gastroenterologist to schedule an examination. If you are concerned about your symptoms, but you don’t know where to start, during the conversation you will be prescribed the necessary range of tests.

A strong and reckless belief in laxatives is harmful. A couple of Guttalax techniques help a person out quickly and easily, he decides that the problem is under control - and takes the first step into the middle of the vicious circle of “addicted to laxatives.”

Why is too much laxative dangerous?

Our body is amazingly intelligent. When we actively but artificially stimulate the function, the body will get used to the dose and will require it to be increased. Or it will protect itself from the interference of the most aggressive stimulant by ceasing to respond to it.

Excitation - inhibition. This is how the body works. The more we whip, the deeper the body goes into irresponsibility. This “addiction” syndrome is especially pronounced when the whip is a synthetic medicinal substance.

What is our task?

Avoid constant use of medications, at least until it becomes clear that only regimen measures are unsuccessful.

Therefore, an effective regimen for treating constipation and choosing a medication has certain stages.

Do no harm! - the main commandment of a competent doctor. Selecting a laxative for constipation begins with searching for ways to improve bowel function at home without medications:

First, they correct lifestyle flaws: increase the volume of fiber and water. A significant portion of people say goodbye to the problem of constipation after 4 weeks of regular routine activities.
If stable emptying is not achieved by nutritional methods, the second step is taken: a laxative is selected to retain fluid in the bolus. The active substance prevents the absorption of liquid, the lump remains loose and voluminous - it is easier to move it.
The third step is to add a medication that irritates the intestinal wall. The irritation reaction includes increased peristalsis: the food bolus moves faster to the exit. This stage is the fate of difficult chronicles, who have already been well examined over a long period of observation by a doctor. Most often, such people are diagnosed with serious organ pathology, leading to constipation.

To improve intestinal function through nutrition, we have a wide range of gentle natural techniques in our arsenal:

Fruit block in the morning;
Gymnastics in bed immediately after waking up;
Self-massage of the abdomen, harmonizing peristalsis;
Breathing techniques to strengthen the abs and active peristalsis;
Oat, wheat and other bran (psyllium).
As well as glycerin suppositories and herbal preparations from traditional medicine recipes.

We will describe in detail how to use these effective means.

If there are no stones in the gall bladder, we select the optimal dietary choleretic drug in the morning. This is how we stimulate the flow of bile. This will increase peristalsis and bring the urge closer to emptying.

Another nice alternative for coffee fans.

An aromatic drink, like strong tea, is part of the list of fixing products. However, the amount and timing of consumption are critical.

We achieve a pronounced choleretic effect if we drink a cup of coffee 10-15 minutes before breakfast - hot or cold (contrasting temperature is important!). For breakfast we eat a rich salad, which contains a lot of dietary fiber and vegetable oil. The recommendation is suitable for those who are practically healthy, cannot imagine the morning without coffee, do not have gallstones and do not suffer from stomach or pancreas problems. You should not drink coffee for the rest of the day.

To start defecation, you can use glycerin suppositories - up to 2 weeks: ½ suppository immediately before a full, juicy breakfast or a food choleretic agent.

If you do not have inflammatory gastrointestinal disease or gallstones, you should try a fruit morning block. In the evening, soak 6-10 prunes in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and wash the dried fruits with your hands. Fill with clean drinking water and leave overnight. In the morning we drink the infusion and eat the berries.

What are the benefits of a fruit block?

Provides a harmonious flow of bile, a high content of dietary fiber and a sufficient volume of liquid for these fibers to swell.

In any season we have access to:

Popular cleansing salad “Brush” - cabbage, carrots, beets;
Soft “Brush” - carrots, apples, celery;
Raw beet salads (we talked about them recently);
Cabbage salad (kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, well-shredded cabbage);
Any recipe with cauliflower and/or broccoli.

Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small pieces, sprinkle with chopped herbs and nuts, pour in the dressing and let sit for 10 minutes. Dressing - olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce in equal proportions. To taste, add your choice - cucumber, tomatoes, apple.

Softening enemas

Using an enema is another effective method for softening stool with persistent constipation. The procedure can be performed at home using saline, oil and hypertonic solutions.

For salt enemas, sea or table salt is used. The solution is prepared at the rate of 20 g of salt crystals per 1 liter of warm water. The liquid is poured in using a syringe or an Esmarch mug. In the latter case, you will need the help of another person.

Softening of hard feces is achieved by retaining fluid in the large intestine. Liquefied feces are evacuated 15-20 minutes after administration of the solution.

Enemas based on oils have a softening effect: linseed, sea buckthorn, vaseline or sunflower. The plant liquid is injected lying on its side into the rectum using a bulb, having previously lubricated its tip. The required amount of oil for 1 procedure is 100-200 ml.

Before doing an enema, it is recommended to warm the liquid to a temperature of +37 degrees.

You can achieve softening of stool during constipation using a hypertonic enema. The treatment solution is prepared from 30% magnesium sulfate. The required amount of product for 1 application is 50-100 ml. The solution should be at room temperature. A hypertensive enema helps effectively liquefy hard stool. The laxative effect occurs within half an hour after administration of the solution.

The use of saline and hypertonic enemas is contraindicated for the elderly, people suffering from hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Traditional recipes for normalizing intestinal function

The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract directly depends on how a person eats. Frequent on-the-go snacks and dry meals, improper eating patterns, an abundance of preservatives and other additives in foods - all this leads to constipation or diarrhea. It is very important for people who are faced with such a problem to know how to normalize digestion and stool with the help of proper nutrition.

First of all, you need to change your eating habits. It is better if the meals are fractional: 5-6 times a day, but in small portions. When a person fills his stomach with a large amount of food 1-2 times a day, this is a very large load on the digestive system. It is advisable to eat at the same time, eating more high-calorie and nutritious food in the first half of the day, and the last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime.
While eating, you need to give all your attention to this process, and not to watching TV or reading a book.
It is not advisable to eat during times of severe nervous tension or stress. Food taken in this state will not do any good, and may, on the contrary, disrupt the functioning of the digestive tract.
You need to give up foods that slow down intestinal motility: coffee, chocolate, cocoa, black tea.

Unfortunately, most modern people consume unhealthy foods rich in artificial additives. These are semi-finished products, canned food, fast food, coffee, carbonated drinks, and confectionery. Such nutrition leads to the fact that sooner or later a person faces the question: “How to normalize stool?

The most important thing the digestive tract needs is fiber. It is not digested, but stimulates intestinal motility and effectively removes toxins and food debris. The main source of fiber is vegetables, especially spinach, cabbage, carrots, beets, whole grain products - black bread, oatmeal, bran, as well as fruits: plums, apples, grapes, figs. It is recommended to eat at least a kilogram of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, only then can you satisfy the body's need for fiber.
Few people know how to normalize stool in an adult with the help of garlic. This product effectively improves intestinal motility, thereby facilitating the passage of food and making bowel movements more frequent. Garlic has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, normalizing microflora. But in order for these qualities to manifest themselves, it must be consumed fresh, adding to already prepared food.
Instead of tea and soda, you should drink water with lemon juice. Moreover, for constipation, warm water works best, and the juice should be fresh. You need to drink this remedy several times a day.
Honey is very useful for any disturbances in the digestive system. But it should only be consumed raw. When heated above 50 degrees, all the beneficial substances in it are destroyed. Therefore, you need to either eat it pure or dilute it in warm water. To normalize stool, you need 2 tablespoons of honey per day.
Fermented milk products help restore microflora. This is the best environment for the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
Oil effectively helps with constipation. It is recommended to drink a tablespoon of olive oil, or preferably flaxseed oil, before each meal.

How are constipation and stress related?

Constipation can be a sign of health problems, or simply a consequence of circumstances, be it a long trip or stress. Our intestines in general are very dependent on circumstances, and on our mood. And we should not think that we can consciously regulate these processes.

I remember one friend’s little daughter: you could take the one-and-a-half-year-old baby with you anywhere without any diapers and be completely confident that “big trouble” wouldn’t happen. Mom was proud of this fact for a long time until she found out that it was not a matter of the baby’s consciousness, but that the nervous system of her intestines simply could not cope with the abundance of emotions and impressions and could not relax enough to do all her business outside the home. It was as if the intestines were saying: “The situation is unusual, it’s not clear what’s happening, we need to wait.”

The best drugs for constipation

Many people do not make a problem out of the question of how to normalize bowel movements. If they have any difficulty in bowel movement, they immediately take a laxative. But this approach is fraught with danger: the intestines get used to the action of stimulants and soon will not be able to work without them. Therefore, it is best to try to cope with constipation without medication.

The best medications are those based on lactulose. They are prescribed even to small children. They do not cause addiction or side effects. These drugs stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria, which leads to the death of pathogenic microflora. They restore intestinal motility and promote rapid emptying. These are the following medications: Duphalac, Lactusan, Prelaxan, Maxilak and others.
For a single bowel movement, drugs are used that stimulate the receptors of the intestinal mucosa. They cannot be taken for a long time due to the risk of electrolyte imbalance and atrophy of nerve endings. These are the following medications: Senadexin, Regulax, Guttalax and others.
Osmotic drugs help empty the intestines after 8-10 hours by retaining water. It softens stool and promotes its movement through the intestines. But such drugs cause flatulence, bloating and pain. “Fortrans”, “Forlax” and others have this effect.
Often, to normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to take enzyme preparations. They improve the digestion process, relieve pain and facilitate the passage of feces. Pancreatin-based drugs work best: Mezim, Festal, Panzinorm.

The list of such drugs is not so long. Prebiotics are mainly found in complex preparations. They are a source of food for beneficial bacteria, therefore stimulating their growth and activity. Inulin, lactulose are all prebiotics. Drugs, the list of which is quite wide, effectively normalize stool in adults and children. The most effective among them are:

"Duphalac" based on lactulose.
"Redugaz" containing inulin.
"Eubicor" contains dietary fiber.

Effective traditional medicine for constipation

We list the most effective, safe and even delicious options:

Brush salad = white cabbage, carrots, beets. All vegetables are raw, chopped on a coarse grater. Season with olive oil. You can add an apple. Eat for breakfast or dinner in the amount of 150-200 grams.
A mixture of prunes, raisins, figs and dried apricots . Grind in equal proportions in a meat grinder, add olive oil, eat with kefir at night in an amount of up to 3 tablespoons.
Bran - wheat and oat. These are different types of dietary fiber. They can be taken with a relatively healthy digestive tract, accompanied by liquid. Start with 2 teaspoons, increasing to 1-1.5 tablespoons, over 7-10 days with similar breaks. Reception options - with yogurt, simply steamed with a glass of kefir, as part of a mixture of dried fruits, in the form of a swollen pulp in fruit juice. Caution: If you are taking medications, remove them from bran foods for 2 hours.
Herbs - buckthorn bark, hay, anise and others . If constipation is accompanied by hemorrhoids, add chamomile and oak bark to the mixture. Important: herbs are essentially the same laxatives from the doctor’s arsenal, which require dose selection and serious side effects with long-term use.