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Bookmarking: This 2-Ingredient Drink Is The Best Natural Constipation Cure We've Heard Of

Author:

Liz Moody

Expert reviewer:

Abby Cannon, J.D., R.D., CDN

October 03, 2019

Author & Podcaster

By Liz Moody

Author & Podcaster

Liz Moody is the host of the top-rated The Liz Moody Podcast, author of bestselling books "100 Ways to Change Your Life," "Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships," and "Glow Pops," and a popular online content creator who has helped millions of people transform their lives. A regular speaker, panelist, and podcast guest, Liz shares her own deeply personal anxiety journey that led her to where she is now as well as actionable, fun, and science-based ways for everyone to live their best lives.

Expert review by

Abby Cannon, J.D., R.D., CDN

Registered Dietitian

Abby K. Cannon, JD, RD is an attorney turned dietitian who lives a very low waste lifestyle. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in psychology and received her law degree from Brooklyn Law School cum laude. She graduated from Queens College and became a registered dietitian in 2016.

October 03, 2019

If you've ever experienced the frustration of constipation, you know how desperate you are for something—anything!—that will ease the discomfort. Luckily, Melanie St. Ours, a clinical herbalist and the author of The Simple Guide to Natural Health, says that the solution is actually far more simple than you might think. With only two simple ingredients (and one of them is water!), you can make what St. Ours calls "the safest and most effective stool softener I know."

Reset your gut

The secret? Flaxseed. "After steeping [flaxseed in it], water becomes a gel that can lubricate and soothe your large intestine so that you can have a comfortable bowel movement," St. Ours explains. "If your constipation is mild, you may have a bowel movement within eight to 12 hours of your first dose. If not, continue drinking the remedy twice per day until you're consistently having satisfying bowel movements on a daily basis." Flaxseed also has a number of other health benefits, including aiding in cardiovascular function 1 (due to its high quantity of ALA) and helping potentially balance hormone-related issues, via its lignan content 2. Just make sure that the flaxseed you’re consuming is ground, as our bodies can’t access the nutrients in whole flax!

One caveat: St. Ours notes that you shouldn't rely on this remedy for more than two weeks without consulting a medical professional.

Flaxseed Stool Softener

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole flaxseed
1 cup room-temperature water

Method

Add flaxseed to a water glass and cover with water.
Stir gently so that all of the seeds are submerged in water. Cover and let sit on the counter or in the fridge at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
To serve, stir once or twice and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, nut milk bag, or cheesecloth into a glass. Reserve the soaked seeds for another recipe if desired. Drink immediately, and use any reserved flaxseed within 24 hours.
The resulting flax water is the medicinal substance. Drink it. After drinking one glass, start another batch. Continue making and drinking the flax water twice per day until you're having regular, comfortable bowel movements.