Hi, my name is Tori and I am doctor of physical therapy who specializes
in pelvic dysfunction which means part of what
I treat is bowel dysfunction—which includes issues like constipation.
I love offering natural solutions when I can, and one thing that I love to offer to certain
constipated humans is an easy, natural, at-home remedy that will hopefully help to soften stool
by drawing water into the intestines and also to get the bowels moving by encouraging peristalsis,
which is the rhythmic contraction of the intestines that moves stool/food through the
intestines and eventually propels said stool into the rectum for evacuation, aka for you
to have a bowel movement. In this video I will break down
the ingredients, how to make the remedy, how much of it to eat, and how often to eat it. Of course
I’ll give you a few other options for natural constipation management at the end of the video!
Now, this remedy is really helpful for someone who is dealing with constipation but is not
dependent on laxatives or having a ton of abdominal bloating. If you are someone who
is using laxatives to have bowel movements, especially stimulant laxatives like Senna
or ducolax, or you have a ton of abdominal bloating, you can try this solution to
help with bowel movements but you might find that it just makes you more bloated. If I am
describing you, you should check out my video on laxative dependence and laxative weaning,
I’ll link it at the end of this video and in the description :)
So, this remedy consists of three ingredients: prune juice, apple sauce, and oat bran.
Prune juice, which is actually plum juice since prunes are just dried plums,
is an ingredient because of its high sorbitol content. Sorbitol works as a natural osmotic
laxative—which means it draws water into your large intestines, which softens your stool but
also stimulates peristalsis, which again is the rhythmic contraction
of your intestines that not only moves food/stool through the intestines, but
also propels said stool towards your rectum for a bowel movement!
Apple sauce is an ingredient because of its high fiber content, specifically its
high soluble fiber content. If you want me to make a video about soluble vs insoluble fiber
I’d be more than happy to, let me know in the comments below—but for the sake
of the length of this video, trust me that soluble fiber is amazing at taking hard,
dry stool and making it soft and more of a gel-like consistency.
Finally, oat bran is an ingredient because of its high fiber content—this time not only for its
soluble fiber, but also for its insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber remains unchanged as it travels
through your intestines—so essentially it helps to bulk your stool, making it a little heavier and
easier to pass through the intestines, while also making your stool softer via its soluble fiber.
So we’ve got natural ingredients that essentially create a triple threat:
a natural osmotic laxative for peristalsis and stool softening, high soluble fiber
content for stool softening, and descent insoluble fiber content for stool bulking.
As far as how to make the remedy, you want to add all the ingredients in a 1:1:1 ratio.
I usually recommend using a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of each and mixing it together into a bowl, as you
may find that using a cup of each ingredient yields a very large supply of the remedy.
Once you have mixed all of the ingredients mixed together, they should keep well in
the refrigerator, just be sure keep them covered.
Your intestines love routine. If you eat a ton of this remedy, your bowels will not respond kindly.
Instead, what I always recommend is starting with 1 tablespoon before bed. Try this for at
least 4-5 days, and see what happens! If you don’t notice a change in your constipation,
try 2 tablespoons for 4-5 days, then 3 tablespoons for 4-5 days,
up to 4 tablespoons. I’d max out around 4 tablespoons, if the remedy isn’t working
for you by the time you get up to 4 tablespoons you likely need to explore some other options.
Other natural remedies for constipation that you can pair with the recipe and
do yourself that can be really helpful: Try moving after every meal if you can! Movement
is a natural stimulant of peristalsis—even if you are only walking for like 5 minutes after
a meal, the movement can be really helpful! Try intestinal massage either in the morning,
before bed, or after your meals—I made a video on how to do this yourself. I’ll link that at
the end of this video and in the description! Finally, make sure you are sitting on the
toilet properly when you do try to have a bowel movement! I also made a video about this—how to
sit and the toilet to poop and why! I’ll link that end of this video and in the description as well.
Thank you so much for watching. If this video was helpful, please give it a thumbs up and
don’t forget to subscribe to my channel! If you are watching this in January of 2019,
then I am currently celebrating 1,000 subscribers and I am offering a $50 giveaway in exchange for
feedback from my subscribers. If you’re subscribed and would like to fill out my
2 question survey for a chance to win, you can also find that link in the description below!
If you found this video, you might benefit from pelvic physical
therapy—check the description for a link to a directory to find a pelvic provider near you if
you live in the United States. Please feel free to comment questions below, or if you have a
topic that you’d like me to discuss please comment that below—I am very open to content suggestions!
Okay, again thank you so much for watching,
have a wonderful rest of your day, and I will see you next time! Bye!