Drinking Prune Juice for Constipation

Prune juice is a trusted natural laxative, due to the stool softening sorbitol and fiber prune juice contains to make bowel movements more successful. Drinking prune juice to relieve constipation is a great method to get your digestion back on track, but it's important to drink just enough to get you going, otherwise you will keep going....and going...and going, making you wish you were just plain constipated again.

Sorbitol in prune juice is a natural carbohydrate that the body does not easily digest, causing the sorbitol to absorb a lot of water as it passes through the intestines and successfully softening stools. However, sorbitol also is attracted to the natural bacteria in the gut, which produces excess gas. Too much prune juice will not only get those stools so soft that they are almost watery, but the gas produced in the gut can become very painful and create a constant urgency to use the bathroom.

Fiber works much like sorbitol does, being a carbohydrate that the body cannot entirely absorb, so much of it passes through the intestines and fiber also retains a lot of water to soften stools and get the bowels moving successfully. Prune juice has an amazing effect on relieving constipation, but just like any other laxative, too much prune juice consumption can easily lead to painful and watery diarrhea that will likely continue until the entire bowel has been cleared.

It is suggested to drink one glass of prune juice in the morning, and one glass of prune juice at night to relieve constipation. Prune juice is not a quick acting laxative, so when drinking prune juice keep in mind that it will start working to move your bowels within a few hours. Drinking numerous glasses of prune juice will lead to diarrhea, so it's important to let one glass (8 ounces) of prune juice get the bowels moving before attempting to drink another. If a single glass of prune juice appears to not be working to relieve your constipation, particularly if you have been constipated for more than a day or so, drink a cup of water and then drink another 8 ounce glass of prune juice, up to 3 glasses until the bowels begin to respond. Give each glass of prune juice consumed about an hour to take effect before drinking another glass to avoid overdoing it. For mild constipation, however, a single glass of prune juice should do the trick to relieve constipation.

Source:

http://www.colon-cleanse-information.com/prune-juice-laxative.html