Constipation: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention & Natural Remedies:

Constipation is a common digestive complaint affecting both adults and children. While it can be uncomfortable—and sometimes painful—most cases can be relieved with simple home treatment and lifestyle changes.


What Is Constipation?

Constipation refers to difficulty passing stool, often accompanied by:

• Hard, dry stools
• Straining or pain during bowel movements
• Cramping
• Occasional bright red streaks of blood on the stool (usually from small anal tears)

Many people worry that they should have a bowel movement every day, but this is a myth. A normal bowel habit ranges from three times a day to three times a week. If stools are soft and pass easily, you are not constipated.


Constipation in Babies and Children:

Just like adults, the frequency of bowel movements varies widely in children:

• Newborns may have several loose stools a day—or only once a week.
• Breastfed babies often have more frequent stools.
• As children grow, stool frequency decreases and stool size increases.

Straining does not always mean constipation in babies. If a child is passing soft, comfortable stools, there is usually no cause for concern. However, some children experience chronic constipation, where stool withholding becomes a cycle. This can lead to large, painful bowel movements and ongoing difficulty.


Causes of Constipation:

Constipation can be triggered by many everyday habits. Common causes include:

1. Low Fibre / Low Water Intake

A diet lacking in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains is a major contributor.

2. Withholding Stools
Especially common in children who:

• Don’t want to stop playing
• Fear unfamiliar toilets
• Feel stressed during toilet training
• Experience anxiety or oppositional behavior

3. Lifestyle Factors

• Travelling
• Lack of exercise
• Diet changes
• Eating too many processed foods

4. Medical Causes
Though less common, constipation may be linked to:

• Haemorrhoids or anal fissures
• Medication side effects
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Endocrine disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism)
• High calcium levels
• Neurological conditions (e.g., spinal cord issues, Hirschsprung’s disease)
• Chronic lead poisoning
• Overuse of laxatives


Symptoms of Constipation:
Constipation symptoms may include:

• Difficulty passing stool
• Cramping or rectal pain
• Bloating or nausea
• Reduced appetite
• Reduced interest in activities
• More frequent urination (pressure on the bladder)
• Stool leakage or soiling (encopresis in children)
• Alternating constipation and watery diarrhoea
• Bright red blood from small anal fissures

How to Prevent Constipation:
Preventing constipation is easier than treating it. These diet and lifestyle habits help keep stools soft and regular.

1. Diet for Healthy Bowel Movements

Eat High-Fibre Foods
Increase fibre slowly to avoid gas or discomfort.
Great fibre sources include:

• Whole grain cereals (3 g+ fibre per serving)
• Bran or unprocessed wheat bran
• Raw and cooked vegetables
• Fruits (apricots, pears, prunes, peaches, figs, raisins, dates)
• Whole grain crackers
• Nuts and seeds
• Popcorn
• Pulses (beans, lentils, peas)

Avoid high-fat, high-sugar, high-dairy diets, as these can worsen constipation.

Drink Plenty of Fluids
Fibre works best when paired with water.
• Aim for 1.5–2 litres of fluid daily
• Drink 2–4 extra glasses of water in the morning
• Prune juice is a helpful natural laxative

Drink hot water: Warm drinks can stimulate the digestive tract, especially first thing in the day. Before you have your morning coffee, try drinking a hot cup of water, you can also add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to it.

For Babies and Young Children
• Breastfeeding protects against constipation
• Ensure formula is mixed correctly
• Offer a little extra water to infants
• From 6 months: prune, pear, grape, apple or cherry juice (small amounts)
• Limit excessive dairy intake in toddlers

2. Exercise
Movement helps stimulate the digestive system. Even a simple daily walking routine is effective.

3. Healthy Bathroom Habits
• Encourage relaxed toilet time, especially after meals (post-breakfast works well)
• Don’t ignore the urge to go
• Use a footstool to help children maintain a comfortable, natural position


Home Remedies for Constipation:
Most occasional constipation can be treated at home:

• Follow a high-fibre diet
• Drink more water
• Try bulking agents like psyllium or bran (with plenty of water)
• A warm bath with baking soda can help relax the anal sphincter in children
• Encourage gentle exercise

Warning Signs to Watch For: Seek help if any of the following occur:

For Infants
• Constipation lasting more than 24 hours, especially under 3 months

For Adults and Older Children
• New constipation lasting more than one week
• Rectal pain that lasts longer than a week
• Increased abdominal pain
• Increasing or persistent blood in stools
• Uncontrolled stool leakage
• Changes in stool size or shape (possible sign of bowel disease)
• Chronic constipation that is worsening
• Inability to have a bowel movement without laxatives

When to See a Doctor Immediately: Contact your healthcare provider if:

• Bleeding is more than light streaks
• Blood is dark red, brown, or black
• Blood is mixed with the stool
• Pain lasts longer than 30 minutes after a bowel movement
• Constipation comes with severe abdominal pain or bloating
• Stool leakage continues (possible encopresis)
• Constipation persists despite home treatment

Natural Remedies for Heartburn and Acid Reflux


Lifestyle and Dietary Causes of Heartburn and Acid Reflux:

Fatty, spicy, or acidic foods – like fried foods, citrus, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chilli.
Caffeinated drinks – coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks can relax the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES).
Chocolate and mint – both can weaken the LES, allowing acid to rise.
Alcohol – increases stomach acid and also relaxes the LES.
Overeating or lying down soon after eating – can push acid upward.
Smoking – relaxes the LES and reduces saliva (which helps neutralize acid).

Physical and Medical Factors:

Being overweight or obese – adds pressure on the stomach.
Pregnancy – hormones like progesterone relax the LES and growing uterus puts pressure on the stomach.
Hiatus hernia – part of the stomach pushes up into the chest cavity, making reflux more likely.
Stomach ulcers or H. pylori infection – can disturb normal acid balance.

Other Contributing Factors:

Certain medications – such as ibuprofen, aspirin, some muscle relaxants, and blood pressure drugs.
Stress and anxiety – can worsen symptoms by affecting digestion and increasing acid sensitivity.


How to Ease Heartburn and Acid Reflux Yourself:

Do

Eat smaller, more frequent meals – large meals increase pressure on your stomach and can trigger reflux.
Eat healing fruits, like apples, papaja and bananas
Drink Aloe vera juice before eating
Ginger tea - speeds up stomach emptying, this helps prevent acid from lingering in the stomach and pushing back up into the oesophagus - its natural anti-inflammatory compounds can soothe the stomach lining and calm digestive discomfort and ginger also ease nausea and bloating.
Maintain a healthy weight – extra pressure on the abdomen can push acid upward.
Find ways to relax – stress can make symptoms worse, so try deep breathing, meditation, or gentle walks.
Sleep with your upper body raised – lift the head of your bed by 10–20 cm using extra pillows, wood blocks, bricks, or sturdy books. Keeping your chest higher than your waist helps prevent acid from rising.

Don’t

Avoid foods and drinks that trigger your symptoms – such as coffee, chocolate, alcohol, fatty or spicy foods, and citrus.
Don’t eat within 3–4 hours of going to bed – give your stomach time to empty.
Don’t wear tight-fitting clothes – especially around your waist, as they can put pressure on your stomach.
Avoid smoking – it weakens the muscle that keeps stomach acid down.
Limit alcohol – too much can relax the lower oesophageal sphincter and increase acid production.

See a GP if:

-lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping your heartburn
-you have heartburn most days
-you also have other symptoms, like food getting stuck in your throat, frequently being sick,
or losing weight for no reason.

Headache Balm...

I know I already touched on the headache issue, but I just love the use of natural remedies and essential oils. I truly believe in the power of natural remedies and wholeheartedly stand behind their use.

If your headache is so intense that you feel as though your head is about to explode, this balm comes to the rescue to help soothe the pain. This balm is recommended for: throbbing, pounding, or nervous tension headaches.

-3 tbsp shea butter, refined
-1 tbsp jojoba base oil
-15 drops each of the following essential oils: peppermint; rosemary; Roman chamomile
-10 drops lavender essential oil
-5 drops sweet marjoran essential oil

In a saucepan over low heat or in a double boiler, warm the shea butter and the base oil until the shea butter is just melted.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, stirring a few times.
Add the essential oils and stir again.
Store in a glass or plastic container and cap.
Place in the refrigerator to harden overnight.
The finished product will have a pastelike, buttery consistency.

Note:

Once melted, shea butter can remain liquid for many hours, even for days. The shea butter doesn't
thicken into a solid balm if left at a warm room temperature overnight, so best to refrigerate it.
By morning the texture is pleasantly firm. You can then remove the jar from the refrigerator and allow it to warm to room temperature to get the perfect buttery texture.

No refrigeration is required, but for maximum freshness and potency, please use within 1 year.

Application:

Massage a small amount of balm wherever your head hurts or you feel painful, muscle tension, temples, forehead, back of neck, or shoulders. Use not more than 3 times a day.

Natural Home Remedies for a Sore throat...

A sore throat can be very uncomfortable. Symptoms such as pain and a scratchy throat can make swallowing uncomfortable. A sore throat is part of the body's immune response to viral or bacterial infections.

A natural immune response leads to inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes in the throat, but here is a few natural remedies before popping in at your GP.

1. Warm or Cold Drinks

Staying hydrated is very important, to heal mucous membranes.
Sip on warm drinks like herbal tea, ginger root tea or chicken broth — or try cold liquids like ice water, sucking on popsicles or drinking chilled herbal tea. Warm liquids help loosen mucus and clear the throat. They may also reduce coughing by soothing the back of your throat. Cold liquids, on the other hand, can ease pain and inflammation. Try both warm and cold to see what works best for you.

2. Honey

Honey naturally coats and soothes the throat, easing irritation. It also has antibacterial properties, and its sweetness helps calm throat nerve endings to reduce coughing.

Try honey in:
Hot tea with ginger
Warm water with lemon and ginger
If you prefer, you can take a spoonful of honey on its own for a stronger coating effect.

Note: Honey should never be given to children under 1 year old due to the risk of infant botulism.

3. Salt water gargle

Dissolve ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Gargle (but don’t swallow) every few hours.
This helps reduce swelling, soreness, and mucus buildup — providing a natural, gentle cleanse for your throat.

4. Steam or Humidity

Take a hot shower or use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. Steam helps loosen mucus and moisturize your throat, reducing dryness and irritation — especially if you breathe through your mouth at night.

5. Rest

Sometimes, the best remedy is simply rest. Get plenty of sleep and avoid straining your voice.
If lying flat worsens congestion, try elevating your head with extra pillows or sleeping in a slightly upright position.

6. Avoid

Cigarette smoke, strong cleaning products, and other airborne irritants that can worsen throat discomfort. Alcohol and Caffeine, these can dry out your throat and slow recovery. Spicy or acidic food, these may further irritate an already sore throat.

When to Seek Medical Attention

The pain is severe or lasts more than a few days. A fever lasting more than a day or two.
The sore throat is accompanied by swollen glands, difficulty breathing, or trouble swallowing fluids.
In children, watch for signs such as excessive drooling, inability to swallow liquids, difficulty speaking, irritability, or stiffness in the neck.

Saltwater gargles are not recommended for children under 6, and hard candy or lozenges should not be given to children under 4.

Natural Remedies for Nausea:

Feeling queasy? Whether it’s from motion sickness, indigestion, or a mild stomach bug, nature offers several gentle ways to ease nausea and calm your stomach.

Ginger

One of the most effective natural remedies for nausea.
Sip on ginger tea or chew on fresh ginger.
Try ginger candies or supplements if you prefer.
Ginger helps soothe the stomach and supports digestion.

Peppermint

Cooling and calming, peppermint can help relax the stomach muscles.
Drink peppermint tea.
Inhale peppermint essential oil for quick relief.

Lemon

Fresh and zesty, lemon can cut through nausea and refresh your senses.
Drink lemon water.
Inhale lemon essential oil or suck on lemon slices.

Bland Foods

When your stomach’s sensitive, keep it simple.
Eat small, frequent meals of crackers, toast, or plain rice.
These foods help absorb excess stomach acid and settle your gut.

Stay Hydrated

Nausea can quickly lead to dehydration.
Sip on water, clear broths, or electrolyte drinks.
Take small sips often, especially if you’re struggling to keep fluids down.

Deep Breathing

Calm your body and ease nausea by practicing mindful breathing.
Inhale slowly through your nose, letting your abdomen expand.
Exhale gently through your mouth.
This helps relax your nervous system and reduce the queasy feeling.

Fresh Air

Sometimes, all you need is a breath of fresh air.
Step outside or sit by an open window.
Avoid stuffy rooms or strong odors.

Avoid Irritants

Stay away from triggers that make nausea worse.
Skip oily, spicy, or greasy foods.
Avoid strong smells like perfume, smoke, or cooking odors.

Also distract yourself, for example: listen to music, watch a film, paint or draw, do anything you like to take you mind off the discomfort.