Dr. Angela Agrios, ND
My very talented Naturopathic Doctor
She treats a wide variety of conditions
Office & phone appointments available
Los Angeles, CA (Pacific Palisades)
Constipation
Naturopathic Medicine Treatment Interview with Dr. Patti Kim, ND
I’d like to share with you some natural medicine therapies for treating constipation. Unlike over-the-counter or prescription laxatives that only treat the symptoms, natural medicine can get to the root cause of the problem so that your symptoms don’t return. One of the most important things to consider is what you eat: it’s important to increase fiber in your diet in the form of whole, organic fruits and vegetables, and these can be found in the produce section of your health food store store. In addition to that, some foods have natural laxative properties like beets and prunes. You also want to avoid foods that are processed—these are foods that come in a box, can, or from the fast food restaurant. Another great natural therapy for constipation is exercise. Exercise gets energy moving in the body and also has the added benefit of reducing stress.
Pure filtered water is also a great natural therapy. You can try drinking a full glass of water immediately upon waking in the morning. You should also be drinking about half your weight in ounces of water every day.
I also recommend that you take a probiotic supplement—probiotics are friendly bacteria that are found in our gut, and they help with our digestive function and with our immune system. You can find probiotics in the refrigerated section of your local health food store.
I also have a couple herbal recommendations for constipation: one is psyllium husk, which is a natural fiber, and can be found at your local health food store in the form of a powder. Another is the herb dandelion—this helps detoxify the liver and can be found in the form of a capsule or tincture. I also recommend taking raw organic apple cider vinegar: you can take about half a teaspoon to a teaspoon in some water, about 15 minutes before meals. This helps detoxify the body and improve overall digestive function.
Another supplement I recommend for constipation is magnesium: magnesium helps secrete more water through the colon through osmosis; it also helps relax smooth muscle, which helps the colon to let go.
Finally, I recommend keeping a sense of routine in your life. This means going to bed, waking up, and eating meals at the same time every day. This establishes a sense of rhythm in your body and helps establish healthy digestive cycles.
If you follow my guidelines for treating constipation, you should see some improvement. But if you don’t I recommend that you see a naturopathic doctor who will be able to provide a comprehensive and individualized treatment plan.
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Natural Medicine Constipation Treatment - Lifestyle · Eat whole organic food
· Try beets and prunes (natural laxatives)
· Don’t eat processed foods
· Drink pure filtered water, often
· Create a routine
Natural Medicine Constipation Treatment - Supplements · Probiotics
· Psyllium husk
· Dandelion, an herb
· Apple cider vinegar
· Magnesium (relaxes muscle, loosens stool)
Natural Medicine Constipation Treatment - Naturopathic Doctor If you try the above recommendations and don’t have relief from your constipation after two weeks, visit a Naturopathic Doctor to get a thorough evaluation and treatment plan.
