What Are Laxatives?

What Are Laxatives

The question of what are laxatives is easy for anyone to answer, because we’ve all had to think about what is means to be constipated. Laxatives are usually thought of a being any substance you take into your body which causes bowel movements.

It’s not just what are laxatives, but what are the best laxatives?

Most people think of medicines, and over the counter products from the pharmacy when they think of laxatives, but it’s important to know that some foods are actually laxatives, as well as great tasting and nutritious.

In examining the question of what are laxatives we find laxatives aid in the elimination of waste products, and can be food, or medicines, or supplements.

Many constipation sufferers use laxative medicines regularly, but don’t know enough about them to use them to their best advantage. Constipation sufferers help themselves by understanding all the best options available in laxatives, so they can pick the best one for the situation, and avoid creating more problems for themselves.

When they use laxative products, many folks don’t realize how a laxative does its job, and they don’t know the various side ieffects of pharmaceutical laxatves, and added benefits of some natural laxatives.

It’s a good idea to learn enough to make a good, healthy decision, because this problem of constipation is more important than you may think.

Different laxatives work in different manners with the eventual goal being to stimulate peristaltic movement of the gut, and thus eliminate waste.

What Are Bulk Producing Laxatives?

Bulk in the intestines can be increased by bulk producing laxatives. These may stimulate the beginning of peristaltic movement. Laxatives of this sort absorb water in the gut and increase in volume as they do so.

The stool becomes soft due to having more water, and the volume increase itself makes the gut want to move.

Many natural products work by increasing bulk, including flax, chia seeds, fruit, and many veggies, and can be taken everyday. Indeed, they should be because they’re simply good for you.

Many drug store versions of bulking agents have far too many additives, cost too much, and are very high in sugar. The natural, food agents are less expensive, and more healthy, and work as well, or better.

Lubricant Laxatives Answer The What Are Laxatives Question For Some People

These types of laxatives are mostly oil, and make feces slippery so that it can easily be expelled. Castor oil is a good example. Castor oil can be taken occasionally to clean the entire digestive tract, but a small amount of a good, healthy dietary oil really can help on a daily basis.

This means just keeping it simple, and adding a tablespoon of olive oil to your giant dinner salad, or gently stir frying veggies in olive oil.

Stool Softeners

Stool softener laxatives are usually thought of as medicines, taken with a large amount water. But, water itself is a stool softener, and water added to bulking foods is a stool softener.

People suffering from hemorrhoids find stool softeners very helpful. Obviously, the natural versions of these substances can be taken daily, and should be, but the drug store brands are only okay for occasional use, unless directed by a physician. Over time, natural laxatives will usually work great for most people, and hemorrhoids become a thing of the past, along with constipation.

Chemical Laxatives – Watch Out

Another common solution is medical laxatives which contain chemicals which irritate or stimulate the bowel, making it contract, thus leading to elimination. Long term use of these medicines can produce lots of problems, including reduced bowel function to the point of all bowel movement having ceased entirely.

There are plenty of laxative horror stories, and you don’t want to be one.

Once you really understand the issues when it comes to the question of what are laxatives, you’ll see that you want to increase your dependency on food, water, and exercise as laxatives, and decrease your use of drug store products.

Lifestyle changes including exercise, more water consumption, and a balanced diet with a heavy emphasis on vegetables and fruit answer most of the what are laxatives questions most people are likely to have.

Read More About: Best Laxatives