Constipation

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NATURO-FOOD HOME REMEDIES FOR CONSTIPATION

47.     Juice fast / mono-fruit diet – If constipation is habitual, chronic and of long duration, the weakened bowels must first be strengthened and re-educated, even before a high-fibre diet and other measures to stimulate regularity is undertaken. Often short cleansing fasts or mono-diets of fruit with herbal aids, hydropathic applications, and spinal manipulations may be required to rectify intestinal actions. In the longstanding constipation, it is usually beneficial to begin the regimen with a three-day juice fast with nightly enemas. Following this juice fast, a three-day apple mono-diet consisting of 4-5 meals of fresh apples with apple juice in between should be undertaken. On the evening of the third day of apple mono-diet, two teaspoons of raw, unrefined (virgin) olive oil should be taken. No enema or laxatives should be taken during the 3-day apple mono-diet.

48.     Psyllium (Isabogol) – the natural laxative – Curiously, one of the best laxative with no known ill-effects is a natural product isabogol, which has been part of our folk and Ayurveda heritage and is now extensively popular in all parts of the world. Isabogol husk (taken with sufficient amounts of fluids) absorbs water and swells up and therefore adds bulk to the intestinal contents. This property of the husk increases the stool weight and reduces the gut transit time. Isabogol is also helpful in diarrhoea, reduces cholesterol, blood sugar levels and the risk of colon cancer. Generally all cases of constipation respond well to the traditional non-effervescent isabogol husk, which can be taken at bedtime with warm milk for a few days. Whereas all laxatives/purgatives are habit forming, isabogol does not come under that category. However, don’t make a habit of it!

49.     Triphla powder – The popular triphla (hararh, bahera, amla) powder is a mild herbal drug to treat occasional constipation. A teaspoon of triphla with ½ a glass of warm water at bedtime should prove effective. But it should not be taken for more than a week as it is habit forming.

50.     Hararh powder – It is moderately stimulating laxative which should be taken after being fried in desi ghee. Like triphla, it should also be taken for a short period.

51.     Bran – Mix two teaspoons each of oat bran and wheat bran with your morning porridge or drink it with warm water before dinner to increase your dietary fibre. The soluble fibre in the bran goes into your blood stream and clears cholesterol. The insoluble fibre goes into your intestine, binds with the excess fat and prevents it from being absorbed completely while increasing the bulk of stool.

52.     Desi ghee / almond oil – Almond oil is the best among emollient lubricants, which greases the stool, enabling it to move through the intestines more easily. Castor oil is an intestinal irritant and is known to cause rebound constipation. Stubborn constipation cases and the problem of hard or incomplete stools, especially in older people, respond well to a teaspoon of almond oil or desi ghee added to a glass of warm milk at bedtime daily as long as necessary.

53.     Gulkand and amaltas – Use of gulkand on its own at bedtime and a decoction of amaltas pulp is helpful in mild cases of constipation. 5-10 gms of fresh pulp of amaltas should be soaked in a glass of warm water for an hour, strained and taken at bedtime.

54.     Bottle gourd (lauki) juice – Drink vegetable juice like lauki juice first thing in the morning. The juice coats your intestines, so the oily food you eat does not give you acidity and related problems.