Olive Oil Benefits for Constipation
Olive oil is an ancient product used safely as both a food and a medicine. One of the many uses of olive oil in alternative medicine, folk medicine and home therapies is as a mild laxative or an element in enemas, helping prevent and relieve constipation.
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History and Uses
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Olive oil is exactly what its name indicates--the oil pressed from olives. Olives have grown in the Mediterranean region since at least 3,000 B.C.E., when research indicates they were grown on Crete. Throughout its history with mankind, it has been used not only for its fruit, but for the oil pressed from the fruit. Now grown throughout the world in climates similar to the Mediterranean, the olive and its oil have become popular in many uses, ranging from ingredients in cooking, to cosmetic use, to an element in home medicine and alternative medicine.
As a Preventive
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Olive oil is a mild laxative, promoting the emptying of the bowels. It is not a strong laxative and is assessed by Medical News Today (see Resources) as a better preventive than cure. Olive oil included as a regular part of a balanced diet can be expected to reduce most mild forms of constipation, especially when included in a high-fiber diet containing substantial amounts of fruits and vegetables.
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As a Stool Softener
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One aspect of constipation that can cause discomfort as well as reducing bowel function is the extreme solidification of stools. Bowel function is improved and discomfort reduced if the stools are softened. Again, olive oil serves as a better preventive than cure; when ingested regularly, olive oil can help maintain a soft, easily passed stool.
As an Enema
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Olive oil and warm water in combination are sometimes used as a comparatively gentle home enema treatment. In this instance care must be taken to find and follow professionally formulated instructions for the application of enemas. Misuse or failure to follow professional instructions can lead to extreme pain and damage to the rectum and the bowel. The bowel can be punctured, leading to far greater danger than constipation alone is likely to represent. If you are familiar and experienced in the techniques of administering enemas, you can proceed.
Follow-up
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Just as olive oil is most effective as a preventive, it is ideal as a method of helping regularize bowel movements after a case of constipation. The virtues that allow it to reduce compaction of the stool and maintain soft stool structure, combined with the mild laxative effects of the oil, increase the likelihood of a trouble-free recovery with minimal discomfort and less chance of relapse.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Lemone/Wikimedia Commons
