Your best gentle constipation reliever
When you’re feeling bloated and backed up, you know drugstore remedies can get things moving. But you don’t like how, um, dramatic their effects can be. And you worry (with good reason) that your body could become dependent upon them. Luckily, safe, natural cures can quickly get things moving— just find the one right for you
BEST HERB: Triphala
Do you wake up in discomfort? Constipation doubles your risk of sleep-sabotaging abdominal pain since your intestines can spasm as they try to keep stool moving. Triphala, an herbal remedy popular in India, can provide relief by morning and lessen the odds of nighttime cramping by 67% if you take 1,000 mg. at bedtime, Canadian scientists say. It gently stimulates intestinal walls while also calming pain nerves. To try: Now Foods Triphala (iherb.com).
The right-now Rx
A 20-minute stroll cuts bloat and cramps by 58% and provides complete relief in as little as 1 hour, Chinese scientists say. Moving the large muscles in your hips and thighs stimulates nerves that tell your intestines it’s time to “go”!
BEST JUICE: Aloe vera
If you’re sometimes constipated and other times have diarrhea, it may be IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Research in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility suggests that taking 2 Tbs. of aloe vera juice daily cuts constipation risk by up to 59%. Aloe’s gentle laxatives also ease diarrhea-triggering intestinal inflammation.
BEST FOOD: Mangoes
Always constipated? Enjoying 1 cup of mango daily can double the number of bowel movements you have each week. So say University of Connecticut scientists, who found that mango’s gallotannins prod your intestines to release Gi-regulating hormones.
BEST NUTRIENT: Magnesium oxide
For occasional constipation, try magnesium oxide before bed. A Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility study found this mineral helped GI muscles contract, improving bowel function in 8 hours (results better than OTC laxatives). To try: Oxy-powder ( Walmart.com).
— Brenda Kearns