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Constipation
Symptoms
Following
are the signs that indicate the presence of this ailment: - No
bowel movements at least once a day
- Pain
in the abdomen
- Heaviness
in the stomach
- Wind
formation
- Mucus coated
tongue
- Headache
- Loss
of appetite
- Pain in
the lower legs
- Hypertension,
fever
- Nausea
- Vertigo
- Palpitation
- Drowsiness
Causes
The aggravation of vata causes constipation. Improper eating habits including
eating a lot of food, eating food which is difficult to digest (such as meat)
and not eating enough vegetables and salads also lead to constipation.
Irregular sleeping habits or emotional disturbances (stress, grief, fear or worry)
are other causes for the obstruction of the passage of stool, accumulation of
toxins in the colon or excessive stimulation of the nervous system.
Smoking, consuming too much tea and coffee, or intake of prescription or illicit
drugs can also cause constipation.
Remedies
- Drinking
a glass of warm milk before going to bed helps in easy evacuation in the morning.
In case of severe constipation, mix two teaspoons of castor oil in the milk.
- Drink
one liter of warm water and walk around for a few minutes immediately after waking
up early in the morning.
- Drinking
lemon juice mixed with warm water two to three times a day eases constipation.
- One
or two teaspoons of aloe gel can be taken twice a day.
- A
common Ayurvedic medicine for constipation is Triphala Churna. It is a powder
made by grinding three kinds of herbs. A teaspoon of this powder taken with warm
water or milk at the time going to bed is beneficial.
Dos
and don'ts - The
diet taken during constipation must be easily digestible.
- Plenty
of fruits, vegetables and salads
- Freshly
cooked food, and chew food thoroughly.
- Eat
only when hungry and maintain at least 4 hours between meals.
- Use
spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric powder, fennel and asafetida as they make
the food easy to digest.
- Whole
grain bread and cereals
- Regular
physical exercise is also important for maintaining proper bowel movements.
- Sleeping
hours should be regulated and efforts should be made to have a sound sleep.
- Fried
foods, beans, gas forming vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, nuts
and dried fruits should be avoided.
- Do
not mix too many kinds of foods in one meal.
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