A Natural Remedy For Constipation

SYMPTOMS

Following signs and symptoms indicate constipation:

No bowel movement at least once a day, gas formation, drowsiness, pain in the abdomen, heaviness in stomach, mucus coated tongue, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vertigo, palpitation.
Causes

The aggravation of vata causes constipation. Improper eating habits including eating food which is difficult to digest (such as meat) and not eating enough fibrous foods like vegetables and salads 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, intake of prescription or illicit drugs can also cause constipation.

REMEDY

Take 5-6 dry grapes preferably black. Soak them in a glass of water and keep it overnight. Next day first thing in the morning after performing your brushing etc. eat the swollen grapes and also drink the grape soaked water. Do this for a week and constipation will be a thing of the past.

OTHER PRECAUTIONS

Easily digestible food should be taken. Also take plenty of fruits, vegetables and salads. Whole grain bread and cereals will certainly help in lightening the digestive pressure. Regular physical exercise is important for maintaining proper bowel movement. Sleeping hours should be regulated.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this blog is provided for historical and educational purposes only; statements contained here are reported in an effort to preserve traditional cultural lore and information. Nothing here should be construed as an attempt to diagnose, prescribe, or recommend treatment for any disease or condition. Please consult your physician for medical advice regarding any medical condition and do not use any of the historical information on this site without your physicians approval.

Ayurvedic Tips for Constipation Part I

One reason for constipation is frequent intake of foods that do not have the necessary viscosity or laxity. Intake of such foods regularly for a few days leads to absence of viscosity in intestines, resulting in hardening of stools which ultimately ends up as constipation.

Suppressing the urge to defecate also leads to constipation in the long run. Similarly exerting oneself to defecte when there is no urge is also harmful.

Absence of exercise results in inaction of rib muscles and this can also lead to constipation.

The posture adopted to defecate can also result in improper defecation. Our forefathers adopted a squatting posture which helped to dilate the anus naturally and it resulted in better and fuller evacuation of the bowels. When using a western closet this does not happen as you have to sit on it like on a chair.

These are some of the reasons for constipation. From this it is quite obvious that changing your diet and adopting an active lifestyle which includes daily exercise can cure constipation to a large extent.

A Simple Ayurvedic Home Remedy for Bloated Stomach

Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of diet and lifestyle to lead a disease free life. By diet it means intake of fresh as well as cooked vegetables and fruits and avoidance of non-vegetarian food. By lifestyle it means observance of certain basics like exercise, yoga etc.

Even intake of vegetarian food is to be in moderation, Ayurveda insists. If not, it leads to indigestion, bloated stomach, improper assimilation of food etc.

One simple ayurvedic home remedy for simple bloated stomach, indigestion etc is given below.
Take 20 drops of lemon, 20 drops of grated ginger juice and 7 drops of honey. Mix them together and keep it ready. Now take a spoonful of cumin seeds and chew them thoroughly. Swallow down the chewed cumin seeds and immediately drink the lemon, ginger honey mix. This will clear the bloated stomach and indigestion due to overeating in minutes.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Oils

Oil massage once a week helps in relieving body pain, joint pains etc. Just a couple of decades back people in Tamil Nadu used to religiously follow this regimen to keep themselves free of joint pains and body pains. Now with the hectic lifestyle people are not able to set aside the time needed for a relaxing weekly oil massage. It has reached a stage where application of oil to the body or hair is viewed as a hassle and conveniently bypassed.
Oil prepared with herbs like nocchi, basil, cumin seeds, vadha narayana keerai, kuppaimeni etc is very effective in relieving body pain. Regular massage with this medicated oil strengthens the muscles and removes stagnant toxins. Kuppaimeni is a well known herb for its action on skin conditions like eczema, blackheads etc. For relief form body pain and joint pain, massage this oil on the affected area and then follow it with warm water fomentation.

Medicinal Benefits of Castor Oil

Castor oil is used for lighting up temple lamps in Tamil Nadu. It is also used as a medicine. Castor oil is given to pregnant women and children for easy elimination and to avoid constipation. There is a saying in Tamil which stresses the importance of oil. 'Vaithiyanukku koduppathai vaaniyanukku kodu'. If you spend money on oils, you can save money treating diseases and ailments. This stresses the role of oil in preventing various ailments.Ayurvedic texts stress the importance of ‘Virechana’ a bowel cleansing process once in six months. Castor oil is used a purgative for this purpose. Castor oil is also used in treating stomach pain, abdomen pain, body heat etc. Castor oil is applied liberally in the naval area around the belly button for this purpose. This is said to bring down the body heat as well as relieve stomach pain etc.
In case of inflammation of the eye due to body heat, redness etc, castor oil is mixed with mother's milk and instilled into the eyes. This rapidly cures the redness of eyes. Castor oil is also used in treating dysentery due to 'body heat'. 'Sweet flag' is burnt in castor oil lamp and the ash obtained in mixed in honey and given to the person suffering from dysentery.
Constipation is considered to be the root cause of most of the diseases that afflict modern man. Fast food is one of the prime cause for constipation. Constipation leads to formation of hemorrhoids or piles.
Castor oil is used extensively in treating constipation. It expels accumulation of gas in stomach. It drives out intestinal worms and pacifies vata. It relieves mental tension and cools the body and mind.
My next entry will detail more on medicinal uses of castor oil.

Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Medicinal Uses of Castor Oil

Couple of decades back castor oil was extensively used for treating ailments afflicting people of all ages from newborns to old folks. A drop or two of castor oil was applied on the fontanel of the newborn. Castor oil was applied over the eyes before bathing the newborn. The child was fed milk mixed with castor oil once in two or three days. Up to the age of 12, children were given castor oil once in a month with coffee as part of stomach cleansing. In case of boils that occur during the summer season, castor oil is mixed in hot rice and made into a poultice and applied on the affected areas.

In case of anxiety coupled with palpitation and burning sensation on top of head due to excessive thinking etc, a teaspoon of castor oil can be allowed to soak on the top of head. This is said to relieve mental tension, anxiety and burning sensation on the crown of the head.

When small children suffer from unexpected stomach pain due to indigestion or body heat, instill two to three drops of castor oil into the belly button and gently massage the area in a circular motion two or three times. This brings the pain under control very quickly.

One forgotten use of castor oil is its application on sprained areas followed by hot water fomentation. This quickly heals sprains.

Castor oil and turmeric powder is mixed thoroughly to form a paste which is applied on cracked heels or foot fissures. This is done before going to bed.

In case of choked throat one simple remedy is to prepare a paste of castor oil and slaked lime and apply a thin layer externally on the throat area before going to bed. This quickly clears choked throat.

In case of gas in stomach a take a glass of milk after adding a teaspoon of castor oil to it. Another alternative is to chew and gulp down a spoonful of cumin seeds followed by intake of a mixture of 20 drops of lemon juice, 20 drops of ginger juice and 8 drops of honey. This is another time tested remedy for gas.