Constipation
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Exercise and Constipation
43. Benefits of regular exercise are immeasurable. Regular exercise makes the body healthy, increases digestive fire and helps evacuate faeces and other wastes/toxins. Exercise improves the functioning of all the physiological systems of the body – it can stimulate digestion, improve your circulation, aid detoxification, strengthen your heart, keep bones strong and stimulate the nervous system.
44. Toning up the muscles with exercise also helps in the treatment of constipation. Fresh air, outdoor games, walking, cycling, swimming, gardening and exercise play an important role in strengthening and activating the back and stomach muscles, improving digestion, thereby preventing constipation. Just 20-30 minutes of brisk walk daily helps regulate bowel movements. Remember, constipation does not trouble people who are physically active!
45. Certain yogic asanas also help to bring relief from constipation as they strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles and stimulate the peristaltic action of the bowels. These asanas are bhujangasana, shalabhasana, yogamudra, dhanurasana, halasana, paschimotanasana. Pranayams such as anulomaviloma and bhastrika and jalaneti kriya are also helpful.
DIETARY/LIFESTYLE HABITS AND CONSTIPATION
46. The following dietary and lifestyle guidelines, while improving general well-being and health will also help in curing or avoiding constipation: –
(i) Look after your digestive system – Like so many lifestyle ailments, digestive malfunction responsible for constipation, bowel cancer etc, is a fall out of “quick fix” way of life. According to Ayurveda, mere nutrition without proper digestion is meaningless. Digestive system is a process from mouth to intestines where food is broken down into nutrients which are assimilated and absorbed in the body. One should chew food slowly and properly to release enzyme-rich digestive saliva to jump start the process of digestion. Optimum digestive system will help get proper nutrition and also aid in curing or avoiding constipation.
(ii) Eat fibre-rich diet – To aid the digestive system, consume fibre-rich fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, whole pulses, sprouts, nuts and seeds and avoid junk refined and processed fibreless foods loaded with chemical additives.
(iii) Eat warm and conservatively cooked foods – Eating warm home-cooked natural foods with little ghee/oil is always helpful in improving lubrication and easy elimination of faeces. Do not cook vegetables in lots of oil. Fresh vegetables should be steamed, lightly sauted, stewed or baked and not fried at all. Avoid frozen and canned fruits, vegetables and packaged foods or bottled beverages like colas etc.
(iv) Drink warm water first thing in the morning – Drink warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon and honey to get your metabolism going. The water will go right through the bowels and cleanse mucus out from the day before and flush away the waste, toxins and pollutants.
(v) Make your meals small and frequent – Eat 5-6 small meals/snacks instead of 2-3 large meals a day. Never go more than 3 hours without eating a meal or snack. Eat when you feel slightly hungry but before you feel too hungry to keep your metabolism going.
