Consuming refined foods, a number of dairy products, alcohol, even stress can cause constipation or hardening of the stool. It can last anywhere from a day to a number of weeks if not treated properly. Laxatives are somewhat of an immediate treatment; however, taking laxatives regularly can disrupt your body's natural process of digestion and expulsion of waste. There are things you can do to get relief.
Step 1
Drink only water as a beverage with meals and between meals for one to two days. Because water does not contain sugar, flavoring or chemicals that provide color it it absorbed faster and works quickly to promote peristalsis (contractions) in the intestines. Consider having some warm water with lemon, which acts as a diuretic.
Step 2
Avoid eating refined foods, especially bread. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. If at all possible, avoid meat as well because it takes the body longer to process the protein.
Step 3
Take herbal supplements like cascara sagrada, liquid chlorophyll or acidopholus. Cascara sagrada and acidopholus come in capsule form. When taken with water, the contents of the capsule disperse into the intestines to promote digestion.
Step 4
Take a hot bath. The warm water will relax your muscles and increase your body temperature which aids in digestion and expulsion of waste.
