There are over 700 brands of colon cleansers available in America, which tells you something about our nation’s state of inner health! However, most commercial laxatives can destroy beneficial intestinal flora. Constipation can be acute or chronic and can cause not just discomfort in the abdominal region, it can also be a factor in appendicitis, backache, bad breath, headaches, hemorrhoids, kidney problems, pressure on the heart, as well as a number of colon problems such as diverticulitis and colon cancer. Here’s how to find relief fast.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
Soak 4 teaspoons (16 g) of whole flaxseeds overnight in 1 quart (945 ml) of water. In the morning, strain the liquid off and drink daily to soothe irritated tissues.
HERBS FOR CONSTIPATION
There are many plants that help relieve constipation. Best are fiber laxatives such as psyllium, which is a bulking and lubricating agent. It is best to use the nonirritating husk or seed coatings as they contain mucilage that swells 8 to 14 times their volume when added to water. They gently clean the intestinal walls, speed bowel transit time, and soften the stool. Usually 1 teaspoon (15 g) is taken in a bit of water one to three times daily. Drink it before it gels up or it can be very difficult to get down. Again, it is necessary to drink plenty of fluids to prevent making constipation worse.
Flaxseed is a nonirritating bulking and lubricating agent. It is suitable for long-term use. Simply stir 1 to 3 tablespoons (12 to 36 g) of flax into a cup of applesauce (245 g), yogurt (230 g), or cereal (80 g), The seeds can be crushed (a blender works fine), but they should then be refrigerated and used that same day. It is fine to use them whole, but don’t be alarmed if they pass through you unchanged. Soaking flax seeds overnight or making flax crackers are both excellent ways to consume this soothing, slippery food that is high in essential fatty acids.
You can also use a few mustard seeds daily (whole is okay) as a condiment to increase circulation to the bowels.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Use an acidophilus supplement (2 capsules 3 times daily) between meals to help establish friendly intestinal flora. Eat small frequent meals rather than large sporadic ones. Blend or puree foods to make them more digestible.
IRRITANT LAXATIVES
Irritants, also used as laxatives, irritate the wall of the large intestines, causing a reflex evacuation. Examples include cascara sagrada, buckthorn, and senna.
Cascara sagrada (which means sacred bark) is a very bitter inner bark of a tree. It must be aged for one year before it is used. This is one of the gentler irritating laxatives but is best on occasion rather than on a regular basis. Two capsules are usually taken right before bed.
Buckthorn is the next mildest of the anthraquinone (considered a mild stimulant) containing herbs. The dried bark is the part most often used and is only minimally irritating. It can be given for spastic bowel. The fruits are also used and considered gentler still. Buckthorn is also used as a stool softener. Use this only on occasion. Take two capsules before bed.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Chicory, dandelion root, and yellow dock root are herbs that stimulate the liver and thus bile production. (Bile helps to make the stool soft by incorporating water into the feces.) These herbs can be used in tea, tincture, or capsule form.
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
Use a common-sense rule and seek medical advice when physical symptoms recur or persist for any length of time. If you suffer a progression of bloody diarrhea or fever, consult a doctor.
Senna is one of the stronger irritant laxatives and is best used for occasional acute conditions. The leaves are a gentler laxative than the pods. Excessive use can cause dependency. Use this only on occasion, two capsules before bed. A study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 1987 showed that using psyllium and senna together may be more effective.
TIME-TESTED FOLK REMEDIES FOR CONSTIPATION
Folk remedies for treatment of constipation include taking 1 tablespoon (28 ml) olive oil daily, or 2 tablespoons (40 g) blackstrap molasses before bed (brush the teeth after as it is sweet and sticky).
GOOD TO KNOW!
The tissue in the colon is smooth and slippery, much like the tissue in the mouth. During the digestive process, nutrients and fluids are broken down in the small intestines. Absorbed nutrients go into the blood-stream, then into the liver where they are further broken down. The remaining indigestible material then goes to the large intestine to be eliminated. It is in the large intestine that the body absorbs more water and nutrients. Peristaltic action, the “urge to go,” is under the domain of the parasympathetic nervous system.
For young children, a gentle laxative tea can be made by simmering 1 teaspoon each of licorice root (5 g) and raisins (3 g) for 20 minutes in 1 pint (475 ml) of water. Babies can also be fed soaked-then-blended prunes, figs, and apricots to treat constipation.
BEST FOODS FOR CONSTIPATION
High-fiber colon-cleansing foods include apples, apricots, bananas, beets, black cherries, cabbage, carrots, celery, chia seeds, dates, figs, grapes (especially with seeds), okra, papayas, parsley, peaches, pears, persimmons, prunes, raisins, rutabaga, sesame and sunflower seeds, spinach, and sweet potatoes. All fruits should only be consumed when ripe or they can cause digestive problems.
If you are constipated, consume foods that promote friendly intestinal flora (especially if you’ve been on antibiotics, which can kill good bacteria). We need intestinal bacteria to aid digestion and help in the production of vitamins such as B1, B2, B12, and vitamin K. To do this, eat yogurt with active cultures, kefir, miso soup, blue-green algae, spirulina, and unpasteurized sauerkraut.
Skip This!
Avoid dairy products, with the exception of yogurt, as a dairy allergy is common in cases of colitis. Many people find when they remove gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and kamut), which is very inflammatory, the bowel irritation goes away. Stay away from coarse fibrous foods, though blending or pureeing them will help these foods be in a more predigested form. Intake of coffee, fried foods, and very spicy foods needs to be curbed as they can be irritating to the digestive tract.
BEST BEVERAGES FOR CONSTIPATION
Drink a glass of room temperature water 1 hour before and after meals. Always avoid icy cold beverages as they cause constriction and are not conducive to good digestion. Drinking 2 glasses of warm water (with the juice of 1/2 a lemon) and then resting in the frog position (laying on the floor on the belly, feet and arms spread out flat on the floor and bent like you were going to hop) for ten minutes is another helpful technique to aid bowel movements.
Thrifty Cures!
You can drink the juice of half a lemon in a cup (235 ml) of hot water, which will activate the liver to produce bile, which will then stimulate peristaltic action.
MASSAGE FOR CONSTIPATION
Massage over the intestinal area is a good way to improve intestinal function. Try using 8 ounces (235 ml) of olive oil that has been scented with 20 drops of any combination of pure essential oils of cumin, fennel, or rosemary. Warm the bottle of massage oil slightly by placing the closed container into a glass of hot water for about 10 minutes.
Skip This!
Foods that may contribute to constipation include milk, cheese, ice cream, unripe bananas, white flour products, gluten, alcohol, meat, and blackberries. Coffee also irritates the bowel even though it has a laxative effect.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Soaking a flannel cloth in castor oil, applying it over the abdominal area, and then covering it with a sheet of plastic and a hot water bottle is very effective and comforting.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
A laxative candy can be made by mixing together 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins, 1/2 cup (88 g) prunes, and 1/2 cup (84 g) flax seeds. Grind the ingredients in the blender, adding a bit of liquid if necessary. Shape the mix into 2-inch (5.1 cm) balls, which can then be rolled in coconut or sesame seeds. Store in the refrigerator. Eat a couple daily.
The massaging should be done with a kneading action in a circular clockwise motion, going up on the right side, across, and then down on the left. This is the same direction that the intestines function. Another massage technique is to start at the navel and work outwards in a spiral along the pathway of the colon.
ACUPRESSURE FOR CONSTIPATION
Stimulating the indentation between the bottom lip and the chin in a circular motion for a couple of minutes helps to alleviate constipation. Other acupressure points to help normalize bowel function are Stomach 37 (located two hand widths down from the knee and 1 thumb width on the outer side of the tibia, the bone felt on the front of the leg) and Stomach 25 (located two thumb widths on both sides out from the navel). Push these spots deeply and massage in a circular motion for 1 minute daily.
BEST PRACTICES FOR REGULARITY
To promote regularity, take a few minutes at the same time each day to sit on the toilet. Squatting on the toilet or having a low stool available to place under your feet helps ease elimination by lifting the knees and bringing the thighs closer to the abdomen. During the day, spend more time sitting cross-legged on the floor rather than using chairs. As I write this book, I am sitting on a large exercise ball that keeps me gently stretching as I work!
To improve bowel health, take daily walks while practicing deep breathing. Breathing more deeply and fully into the lower belly area also helps to prevent stagnation, while laughter sends healing energy to a congested lower belly.
Another beneficial technique is to lie on your back with your knees flexed to your chest while holding them. Take short rapid breaths and roll to the right then left. Repeat several times.
Another effective practice to ease constipation comes from the yogic tradition called Kapalabhati. Sit cross-legged, take two normal nasal breaths, and then exhale forcefully while sharply contracting the abdomen. Pump the abdomen in and out 10 times. Hold your breath, then exhale. Repeat two times. I find this most beneficial when done 10 minutes after drinking the hot water and lemon mixture mentioned in the beginning of this chapter.
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
If you’ve had symptoms for more than three weeks and folk remedies are not helping—even with plenty of fluid, fiber, and exercise—see your doctor. You should also consult your doctor if there is blood in your stool.
Finally, to be more regular, it also helps to have regularity in your life when it comes to patterns of eating and sleeping.
This Foods That Cause Constipation article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
