Warm Water & Apple Cider Vinegar For Constipation

Everyone gets constipated now and again but if it's a chronic problem, your health could be at risk. Certain medications, diseases, and dietary habits contribute to your likelihood of experiencing constipation. And while laxatives and stool softeners are one option, some opt for a warm water and apple cider vinegar tonic to cure this kind of digestive trouble. Even so, you should see a doctor if you deal with constipation regularly.

Constipation

Constipation can be defined as having less than three bowel movements a week that are dry, hard, brittle, and often small, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Though a common condition, it can contribute to unpleasant symptoms like gas, abdominal pain and even hemorrhoids from excessive straining.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a household staple used in cooking, salad dressings and other preparations. According to The Vinegar Institute, it contains acetic acid, pectin, potassium, iron, calcium and sodium. The acetic acid is thought to be the most healthful ingredient and even showed to reduce blood pressure in a laboratory study on rats, according to "Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry." Unfortunately, no studies have been done to test apple cider vinegar's ability to cure constipation.

Function

According to "Dr. Earl Mindell's Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar," by Earl Mindell, M.D. drinking a combination of warm water and apple cider vinegar is supposed to improve digestion and act as a bulking agent. Specifically, the pectin in apple cider vinegar is supposed to bulk up feces and stimulate the intestines to encourage bowel movements.

Precautions

While vinegar is harmless to most people, drinking it as a supplement regularly could cause problems including throat burning and pain, enamel erosion on the teeth, heartburn, and stomach upset, according to Health Services at Columbia. If you take medication for diabetes or high blood pressure, do not drink apple cider vinegar and consult a doctor for a proper constipation solution.