Constipation is a very common gastrointestinal problem, which everyone experiences it at some point in life. In this condition, the suffering person either has a very difficult bowel movement or it happens less than the normal. If a person has less than three times bowel movements in a week, then he/she is suffering from constipation. In such a condition, the bowel movement becomes extremely difficult as well as painful.
Constipation mainly occurs due to any change in the diet, less intake of fluid, due to some medication, excessive intake of iron and calcium, lack of exercise, etc. Also, during pregnancy most of the women face this issue of constipation more or less.
Constipation is not a life threatening condition but it makes your life extremely difficult as well as painful. Unclear bowel movement makes you feel uneasy and uncomfortable throughout the day. There are many OTC drugs that you can try to get rid of constipation but you cannot rule out their side effects completely. So in such a case, olive oil can give you much relief from the pain and suffering of constipation.
How Does Olive Oil Help Treat Constipation
Before trying olive oil for constipation, we should be clear about how olive oil can help treat constipation properly. Let’s find out!
Helps to Release More Bile, Our Natural Laxative: The consumption of olive oil helps the gallbladder to release more bile, which helps to digest the fat in the food properly. Apart from that the bile also maintains the moisture of the stool, so you will not face any difficulty and pain during bowel movement. It also irritates the gut mucosa, which stimulates the stool movement.
Reduces Dilation in the Intestine: The consumption of olive oil prevents the swelling, irritation and bloating of the intestine. This process, in turn, relaxes the intestine and allows the stool to pass smoothly.
Softens the Stool : The use of olive oil coats the fecal matter and gets soaked into it, which softens the stool and makes it easy for your body to pass it smoothly.
Stimulates the Digestive System: The use of olive oil stimulates the digestive system, which in turn digests the food properly. Proper digestion of foods means you will have a smooth and regular bowel movement.
Maintains the Overall Health of the Digestive Track: Olive oil is a rich source of Vitamin E and K, antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids which all together help to keep the digestive track healthy. A healthy digestive track helps to keep constipation at bay.
Best Methods To Use Olive Oil for Constipation
1. Olive Oil
This is one of the easiest ways of using olive oil to treat constipation. Following this olive oil home remedy will definitely help you to get rid of the constipation issue effectively.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 to 2 tbsp
Process:
- Consume 1 to 2 tsp of olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Do not drink water for 1 hour after taking the olive oil.
- Follow this home remedy till you cure this constipation issue completely.
- You can also give your constipated child 1 tsp of olive oil in the morning before any food to alleviate the issue of constipation.
2. Olive Oil and Lemon Juice
The high acidic content of lemon juice stimulates the digestive system. So the consumption of lemon juice helps the things to move from the digestive track smoothly. And when lemon juice gets combined with olive oil, it really works well to get rid of the constipation issue properly.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
Process:
- Take 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a cup and add1 tsp of lemon juice to it.
- Mix both the ingredients well and then drink it.
- Prefer to take this remedy every night before going to bed as olive will prevent the drying of the colon, which will ultimately promote smooth bowel movement.
- Following this method regularly will help to treat constipation successfully.
3. Olive Oil and Orange Juice
Orange juice is known as a good laxative. Its consumption creates a coating around the colon wall which promotes smoother bowel movement. Apart from that it is a rich source of fibre, which makes it a useful fruit that can help treat constipation effectively.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
- Fresh Orange Juice – 1 glass
Process:
- Take 1 glass of fresh orange juice and add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to it.
- Mix the olive oil in the orange juice properly and drink it.
- Take this olive oil mixed orange juice in the morning on an empty stomach to get the maximum benefits.
- For children, you can use ½ tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in 1 cup of orange juice on an empty stomach in the morning.
4. Olive Oil and Yogurt
Our body badly needs good bacteria as they help to keep us healthy by protecting our digestive system and making it work properly. A good amount of good bacteria makes your body strong and helps to treat constipation by reducing its severity. And to back your body with a good amount of good bacteria, you need to take a cup of yogurt daily. And when you combine it with the goodness of olive oil it will work wonders to treat constipation successfully.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Yogurt – 1 cup
Process:
- Take 1 cup of yogurt and add 1 tbsp of olive oil it.
- Mix the olive oil in the yogurt properly and then consume it.
- Have this olive oil 3 times a day, once in the morning on an empty stomach, once during your lunch and again before going to bed.
- Following this method regularly will soon help you to get rid of constipation properly.
5. Olive Oil and Banana
Banana is a rich source of dietary fibre and potassium, which are beneficial for the digestive system. The consumption of banana helps the digestive system work smoothly. Potassium plays an important role to smoothen the function of the muscles in the digestive track. The insoluble fibres in banana help the food to move freely through the digestive track. Including a banana in your daily diet not only prevents constipation but also cures other digestive problems like gas and bloating.
What You Need:
- Fresh Banana- 1
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
Process:
- Take a fresh banana and peel it.
- Cut it into thin slices and add the olive oil to it.
- Mix it properly and have the banana slices.
- Consuming this olive oil mixed banana slices 3 times a day till you get rid of constipation completely.
6. Olive Oil and Pineapple
Pineapple is said to be a natural potential remedy for constipation. It is a good source of natural plant enzymes that helps to improve the bowel movement and provide relief from constipation. It also works as a good natural laxative that helps to smoothen the bowel movement.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Pineapple Pieces – 1 bowl
Process:
- Take 1 bowl of pineapple pieces and add 1 tbsp of olive oil to it.
- Mix it properly and have it.
- You can also add a pinch of black salt to it.
- This remedy will help treat the constipation issue by improving the digestion process.
- Have this mixture twice a day for smooth bowel movement.
7. Olive oil and Coffee
Coffee contains a good amount of caffeine, which acts as a diuretic. Its consumption improves the digestive process and stimulates the colon by triggering the contraction of the colon. In this way, caffeine speeds up the movement of fluids in the digestive track. Apart from that the warm temperature of coffee also softens the hardened feces to move smoothly.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Hot Coffee – 1 cup
Process:
- Take a cup of hot coffee and add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to it.
- Mix it properly and drink it both in the morning as well as well as in the evening.
- This remedy will keep your digestive system lubricated and lessen the symptoms of constipation.
8. Olive Oil and Warm Milk
A glass of warm milk with olive oil also helps to treat constipation properly. The warm temperature of the milk along with olive will work well to treat the constipation issue.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Warm Milk – 1 glass
Process:
- Take 1 glass of warm milk and add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to it.
- Mix the olive oil in the milk properly and drink.
- Take this drink preferable on an empty stomach in the morning to get the maximum benefits.
9. Olive Oil with Fruits
You can take olive with some fruits that help treat constipation successfully. Fruits like prune work as a natural laxative that improves the bowel movement. Apples, pears, raspberries, peach are rich sources of fibre. And you know it well that fibre in food helps proper bowel movement.
What You Need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Medium Size Pear – 1
- Raspberries – 1 cup
- Small Apple – 1
- Medium Size Peach – 1
Process:
- Take all the fruits and clean them properly with water.
- Cut the apple and pear without peeling the skin.
- Cut the peach into small pieces.
- Take all the fruits in a medium size bowl and add the olive oil to it to make a fruit salad.
- Eat this fruit salad with olive oil every day to get rid of constipation successfully.
10. Olive Oil with Vegetables
You can take olive oil with vegetables that are rich in fibre and magnesium, such as beans, green peas, snap peas, sweet potato, broccoli, Brussels sprouts. The leafy greens that can alleviate constipation are celery, spinach, kale etc.
Note: To prepare the olive oil remedies for constipation, ensure to buy extra virgin, organic and cold pressed olive oil as this olive oil contains most of the vitamins and antioxidants.
Tips to Follow
It is well said that prevention is better than cure. Constipation is such a condition which just makes life difficult. So you need to follow certain things in your daily life so that you can prevent this issue from occurring once again.
- Refrain from eating foods that cause constipation or makes the condition worse. Do not eat food that contains more fats, such as cheese, red meat, white bread, hard boiled eggs, etc. Also, decrease the consumption of food with refined sugar, such as candies and cookies. Do not eat processed food.
- Do some mild exercises or yoga everyday to keep you active. This will promote a healthy bowel movement.
- Avoid taking stress as it is considered as one of the causes of constipation.
- Schedule your everyday bowel movement. This process will trigger your body to have a bowel movement at a particular time of the day.
- Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated. Most of the times insufficient water consumption causes constipation. Drink minimum 8 glasses of water per day. You can also take fluid in the form of fruit or vegetable juices.
- Stop consuming alcohol if you are suffering from constipation as it may worsen the condition.
- Include fruits and vegetables that are rich in fibre in your daily diet.
- Like fibre-rich food, Vitamin-C rich fruits also help to treat mild to severe constipation issues. So include fruits that are rich in Vitamin C like orange, guava, orange, grapes, papaya, and apple in your daily diet to keep constipation at bay.
- You can cook your food in olive oil, add it to your marinades, and use it in your salads to get the maximum benefits of olive oil for constipation.
Olive oil can cure mild to moderate constipation. So use these olive oil remedies to treat constipation for sure. But after using all these olive remedies if you do not get any benefit, then consult a physician to know the underlying causes of it to get better medication.
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