Herbs For Constipation
Constipation is defined as failure to have a bowel movement after three days or more.
It can be alleviated or prevented by drinking plenty of fluids, exercising regularly, taking time to relax and eating a diet with a high content of fiber, grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Fiber absorbs water, thereby, providing bulk in the intestines and facilitating bowel movement.
In chronic constipation, the common functional causes are those which hamper normal bowel movements because the storage, transportation and evacuating mechanisms of the colon are deranged. Our Constipation Mix has been formulated to slowly bring muscle tone to the digestive tract and at the same time normalize other digestive functions, like stimulation of digestive juices, and healing of inflammed tissue. When taken continuously for three weeks to a month, bowel movements regain their normal functionality.
The multi purpose vitamin, ascorbic acid or vitamin C can prove to be an effective remedy for constipation, as one of its functions and proven capability is in its role as a mild laxative, in addition to its property of boosting immune system function and its effectiveness as an antioxidant. Most people who use this vitamin at a dosage level of about 3,000 mg daily experience a loosening of the stool and the alleviation of other symptoms. There may be cases of this not occurring in certain people, in such eventualities it is recommended that along with the 3,000 mg dose, the mineral magnesium can be taken, the combination of the vitamin and the mineral will prove effective, this mineral has mild laxative properties besides its other functions within the body.
Isphagula (Plantago ovata)
This is the traditionally used remedy in the treatment of constipation. The seeds of this plant have a soothing effect on the mucus lining of the alimentary canal. The seeds must be soaked in water and then taken. Isphagula seeds act by binding the wastes in the alimentary canal and bringing them to a consistency in which they can be eliminated from the body.
Rhubarb (Rheum emodi)
Rhubarb is also commonly used in allopathic medicine for its purgative properties. Rhubarb contains several tannins that are beneficial in voiding the wastes from the alimentary canal. But rhubarb can be used only in simple cases of constipation, and it has no effect in chronic constipation.
Bulk-forming laxatives come from plants with a high fiber and mucilage content that expand when they come in contact with water; examples include psyllium, flaxseed, and fenugreek. As the volume in the bowel increases, a reflex muscular contraction occurs, stimulating a bowel movement. These mild laxatives are best suited for long-term use in people with constipation.
Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains is the best way to get natural fiber in your diet. If your diet consists of a lot of meat products, fats and dairy products you are setting yourself up for disaster and a lot of problems with constipation.
