Ayurvedic Remedies for Constipation

.Ayurvedic remedies are made from naturally available herbs. Since they are natural laxatives, the side effects are minimal or nil. Even Ayurveda advises you, before you look for any medicines, to try to set right any ailment including constipation through improvements in your diet and lifestyle.


Ayurvedic pharmaceutical stores stock medicines you can buy offline or online. You can also buy the ingredients separately and make the remedies at home. To increase the effectiveness of the medicines, Ayurveda places some restriction on your diet while using the medicines.


Let us see some of the popular Ayurvedic remedies for constipation.

Triphala Churna (powder) / tablets

Triphala is a mixture of 3 different fruits in equal parts – Haritaki, Amalaki and Bibhitaki.
It comes in both powder and tablet form. 5gm powder or 2 tablets taken at bed time with warm water, milk or juice gives bowel movement in the morning. Triphala powder is said to be more effective than pills. Adjust the dosage according to your bowel movement. If you need to increase the dosage, increase gradually.

Triphala is a good herbal laxative and colon cleanser. It helps in removing toxins from the body, tones the digestive tract and improves digestion. It is a good purgative and acts very gently. It is considered very safe to be used regularly without habit forming properties.

Triphala is considered as a wonder drug that has nutritional and curative properties that can be used all through the year. It is a blood cleanser and has high levels of vitamin C.

It is advised that you shouldn’t use Triphala during pregnancy and if you are highly underweight.


Abhayarishtam

This is another Ayurvedic remedy with laxative properties for constipation, intestinal gas, appetite improvement and flushing out intestinal parasites. It comes in liquid form. The normal dose is 15 to 30ml twice a day, but you may take the advice of the expert.


Gandharva Haritaki Churna / tablets

This is another popular Ayurvedic remedy. Just like Triphala, this also can be taken at bed time.


Sukha Virechana Vati

This comes in tablet form. One 250mg tablet at night before or after food as advised by the doctor.


Psyllium Husk(Indian name Isabgol)

Psyllium Husk is very effective laxative. It adds bulk to stool.


Do’s and don’t’s during Ayurvedic medication:

• Avoid non-veg. Avoid fried foods and foods made out of polished grains and refined flours. Thai includes bakery foods, ice cream, pizza, burger, processed foods and drinks etc…
• Include plenty of vegetables, greens, salads and fruits in your diet.
• Use whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat in your preparations.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Exercise regularly. Keep your mind relaxed and tension free.

Whether you take any medicine or not, there is one breathing exercise to help you in toning the colon muscles for easy movement of stool inside the colon. This exercise is called Diaphragmatic breathing.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragm is a muscle located horizontally at the base of the lungs. With the help of the abdominal muscles, you can move the diaphragm to empty the lungs fully.

Diaphragmatic breathing is also called abdominal breathing, belly breathing or deep breathing. This breathing, which is done by contracting the diaphragm, is marked by belly (abdomen) expansion rather than chest expansion. It allows to utilize the lung capacity better and breath in more oxygen.

Procedure:

You can do this breathing exercise while sitting or lying down. But, it is easier to for you in the ‘lying down’ position if you are a beginner.

• Lie down comfortably.
•  Loosen your clothing.
• Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
• Slowly inhale through your nose, to a count of 10. Your stomach should move up taking your hand along and the hand on your chest should stay still.
• Exhale slowly to a count of 10. Your stomach moves down. Try to release as much air as possible.

This is one cycle. Do five cycles at a time and several times in a day. Once you are able to do it in lying down easily, practice it in sitting position, so that you can do it in your workplace as well.

Diaphragmatic breathing relaxes your body and mind. Problems like depression, anxiety, headache, high blood pressure etc associated with stress and tension are relieved by this breathing.

If you keep practicing often, it becomes your standard way of breathing in a short time.

 
Diaphragmatic breathing for constipation

As far as constipation is concerned, Diaphragmatic breathing does three things:

1. While your diaphragm moves down while you breathe out as told in the procedure, it presses the intestines and stool in the colon moves down towards the rectum for evacuation.
2. Your intestinal muscles are toned and intestinal peristaltic movement improves. This facilitates faster 2. bowel movement.
3. It improves the coordination between the abdominal muscles, colon muscles and breathing pattern for easy and natural evacuation.

Herbal remedies are generally safe and Triphala is not only the most popular among all the Ayurvedic remedies, it is also considered to be very safe for long term usage without any habit formation.