Constipation Cause- Naturopathy Treatment for Constipation

 Constipation has become a common complaint in today's hectic lifestyle, but in elderly people this problem is more common and the problem of constipation affects seven out of every ten people. Constipation is a disease of the intestines due to which there is difficulty in defecation, Headache, restlessness, Lack of appetite, Nausea, Bad breath, Heaviness in the stomach, Mouth ulcers, insomnia and irritability.

Cause of Constipation-

This is mainly because of lack of good eating habits like: Absence of green vegetables in adequate quantity and fruits in the regular meals. This residue material is essential to form the ‘base’ of the stool. Sufficient quantity of water must be drunk to keep the stool soft as the bulk of the stool is due to its water quantity. Reasonable time should be given for passing stool. Most people, because of a fast life schedule, give very less time for proper defecation. People staying in crowded flats, where there is only one toilet for 5-10 persons, also are prone to this problem.

Also if one makes a habit of holding on and not attending nature's call in time, in due course, even a full rectum stops sending calls. This leads to development of chronic constipation.

Gastro Colic Reflex: This is the reflex phenomenon whereby, anything reaching the stomach, stimulates the colon, which results in a call to evacuate. Many people take a glass of water, a cup of tea, or a cigarette to take advantage of this reflex. Though this is not wrong, good eating and defecating habits are the only sure remedies.

In women the tone of the abdominal and pelvic muscles is lost due to repeated child bearing. Most of the women do not tone abdominal muscles through exercise.

Other common causes for chronic constipation are drugs taken for abdominal pain, hyperacidity, high blood pressure and headache. Strong purgatives also cause constipation. 

Now-a-days because of aggressive advertisements in television many people indulging in daily consumption of some or the other of these purgatives do so, by making the bowel completely empty, whereby there is not enough material (residue) for a stool to be formed the next day. The patient, so, gets dependent on the laxative/purgative for the next passage of stool, thereby setting off a vicious circle.

Constipation treatment

Home Remedies for Constipation

Diet & Habits

Take plenty of green vegetables and fibrous food regularly along with fruits/juices. Eat more rotis (wheat or jawar) aud less rice. Avoid fried items like samosa, mirchi, masala etc. Above all, drink a glass of water in the morning. Try to establish regular bowel habits and always answer nature's calls promptly. Avoid excessive intake of tea & coffee. Reduce smoking/drinking. Avoid anxiety and worry.

Regular use of Triphala choorna is a popular home remedy, easily available in Ayurvedic stores. 1 tea spoon with lukewarm water at bedtime is recommended.

Fennel powder & Senna leaves (Senna alexandrina) powder well mixed in equal quantity, is another popular home remedy. 5 gm of this powder should be taken along with a cup of lukewarm water before going to bed. This helps in easy passage of stools. Senna alexandrina dry leaves are easily available at herbal stores.

Yogic treatment for Constipation

When suffering from constipation one should avoid food prepared with fine flour as base and all dishes which involve deep or shallow frying. Consume food having roughage like Atta with brawn, whole pulse (not washed), leafy vegetable, salad, guava, papaya, pears, wood apple (Bel) & Citrus fruits.

Consuming water, kept overnight in a copper container, first thing in the morning is specially recommended.

Yogasana for Constipation

Among exercises for constipation  Suryanamaskar, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Makarasana, Trikonasana, Sarvangasana, Vakrasana, Paschimottanasans, Supta-Vajrasana, Pawanamuktasana, Bhastrika (bellows) Pranayama and Uddiyana bandh are very useful. 

In cleaning processes Kunjal (self induced vomit) and enema (Vasti) may also undertaken.

Naturopathy treatment for Constipation

- Mud bandage on the pelvis twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes.

-  Waist bath for 20 minutes, if constipation is chronic then use wet waist wrap for 45 minutes in the morning and evening.

- Take lukewarm water enema and hot foot bath.

- 50 grams of water prepared from sunrays in an orange coloured bottle should be drunk 2 to 3 times a day.

-  Apart from this, it is very important to give up unhealthy food and follow a regular routine.

-  Make a habit of praying in the morning.

- prouted food should be taken for breakfast.

- A patient of constipation should sleep on the left side as far as possible.

- When the urge to defecate arises, go to the toilet immediately. Drink plenty of water, eat only when hungry and chew the food well.