# Natural Stool Softeners



## Philomena (Aug 23, 2009)

Just wondering if any of you have experience with natural stool softeners,if they really help constipation. Do you need to take them every day ?I dont really want to take any medication and cannot buy the Mirolax here. Neither can I eat prunes..yuk







Thanks for any ideas.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

No prunes/plums. Although some people will eat plums even if they won't eat the dried ones.How about apples, pears, peaches, cherries, apricots or their juices. Juice often gets more in than fruit. You may drink 3-4 pears worth of pear nectar but only eat one pear.These fruits have the same compound (sorbitol) in them that the prunes have and that helps pull water into the stool. Sorbitol (and other -itols) can also increase gas so some people don't tolerate them that well.Will you take dietary supplements, or does it have to be food?Magnesium supplements (usually the cheap magnesium oxide) seems to have several people here who like it. Magnesium salts, no matter which salt) tends to pull water into the stool and soften it. And you may tolerate that better than other things, but it just kinda varies. Most people start at 250 mgs of Magnesium a day (400 is the USRDA and most people don't eat that every day anyway) and work up to 750 or so. 1000 mgs a day is the recommended maximum if you are doing it daily. If you only do magnesium once in a while you can go higher.


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## Philomena (Aug 23, 2009)

Thanks for your reply Kathleen.I was hoping to start a routine of eating something to help myself.I already eat an Aktivia every other evening and an ordinary proboitic on the alternate evenings. I am cautious as I have had bad attacks (out of the blue) of the violent urgency D and have had a few accidents too. It makes me nervous to go too far away from home for too long.







You pointed out in your reply to my original message (in the general discussion group) that it is best to get the C under control..and I am trying to but it is being difficult to get into a regular pattern. I still have the struggle so also wondered if anyone knows of any simple pelvic floor exercises I can do .Thanks for reading this everyone,hope someone can help a bit.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Here are the directions from the Mayo clinichttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kegel-exercises/WO00119


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## blbragg (Sep 12, 2009)

Some stuff I try with myself and my daughter are corn on the cob (it's all- natural w/ no preservatives) and activia mixed with a high- fiber crunch cereal. The activia and cereal is a good snack anytime, and the corn just seems to make us go.


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## onthebit (Aug 11, 2009)

I don't know if this is a softener, but butternut or acorn squash, steamed, really seems to help me.


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