It is essential to have regular bowel movements for healing, and essential oils can aid in this process. When you suffer from constipation, or a condition where bowel movements are challenging, including infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, difficulty passing them, or a sense of incomplete emptying after a bowel movement, toxins can be reabsorbed, and nutrient absorption is compromised. This is because fecal matter that is not expelled from the intestinal tract can compact against the intestinal wall, preventing the absorption of other nutrients. Essential Oils for Constipation can help ease symptoms and provide relief.
Constipation can be highly uncomfortable, generating symptoms like:
- Bloating and cramping
- Lower abdominal discomfort
- Stomach upset and other gastrointestinal issues
- A sense of incomplete evacuation (the feeling that you still have to “go”) after a bowel movement
- Hard or small stools
- Rectal bleeding and/or anal fissures caused by hard stools
- Physiological distress and/or obsession with having bowel movements.
Why Use Essential Oils for Constipation
Essential oils possess anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, carminative, antibacterial, sedative, and relaxant properties, making them highly effective in boosting digestive efficiency and alleviating constipation.
Blends in particular are especially effective at tackling constipation when combined with abdominal massage. Research from the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing found that an abdominal massage using essential oils of rosemary, lemon, and peppermint was significantly more effective than massage alone in relieving constipation.
Essential Oils for Constipation
Parasympathetic®: Constipation can be caused by the slowed or delayed transit time of waste matter through the colon, also known as peristalsis. The parasympathetic state of the nervous system activates the “housekeeping wave” which moves food waste (stool) through the digestive tract. The sympathetic “flight of fight” state routes blood to the external muscles so you can flee an emergency which DECREASES motility blood flow and constricts sphincters. Conversely, the parasympathetic state of the nervous system activates the “housekeeping wave” which moves food waste (stool) through the digestive tract. Clove oil contained in Parasympathetic® possesses anti-inflammatory properties that may help rebalance gastrointestinal bacteria and optimize digestion, as well as improve nutrient absorption. Parasympathetic® oil, applied on the vagus nerve (behind the earlobe on the mastoid bone), can help you drop into the parasympathetic state and improve motility.
Gall Bladder™: Poor bile flow also contributes to constipation, so the Gall Bladder™ blend can help improve bile flow and trigger bowel movements. Apply of 2-3 drops of the Gall Bladder™ blend underneath the ribs at the Gall Bladder (right side, underneath the ribs. If you lean forward, it is easier to apply under the ribs to help move bile flow and alleviate constipation.
Calm™: Constipation can trigger anxiety, especially in young children. Calm™ oil can help reduce anxiety related to constipation, allowing you to relax and let your bowels empty.
Digest™: Contains several oils—including ginger, fennel, tarragon, anise seed, and peppermint—that can all help with constipation. Ginger, in particular, carries anti-inflammatory properties that release tension in the bowels, and with it, potential blockages that contribute to constipation. Similarly, Fennel oil functions as a laxative, stimulating peristaltic motion and getting your bowels moving as they should. Gently massage Digest™ around the belly button to help alleviate constipation.
Nerve Repair™: Difficulty with the muscles involved in elimination can contribute to constipation. This blend of Basil, Peppermint™, Helichrysum™ and Marjoram helps to anti-inflame and Peppermint™ oil possesses anti-spasmodic abilities to soothe muscle tension in the bowels, which can often lock up and cause peristaltic motion to cease. The relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties of this oil can rapidly soothe your bowels, while also easing the pain associated with constipation. Marjoram oil can help stimulate peristaltic motion quickly.
Featured Oils:
Ready to get started? Click the links below to order today:
- Calm™ available here
- Digest™ available here
- Gall Bladder™ available here
- Helichrysum™ available here
- Nerve Repair™ available here
- Parasympathetic® available here
- Peppermint™ available here
