Constipation is the most common digestive disorder seen affecting individuals of all ages and is the leading cause of many chronic diseases. Some diseases cannot be cured or relieved if constipation persists. Constipation is “hard, dry, or lumpy stools, straining or pain when passing stools, a feeling that not all stool has passed, a feeling that the rectum is blocked, waiting too long to pass stool,” etc. Constipation is a lifestyle-based disease. A lack of dietary fibre, inadequate water intake, and sedentary life are the leading causes of constipation. Regular consumption of allopathic drugs also causes constipation.
Constipation can be acute or chronic. Acute constipation may result from some irregularity in routine, going to bed late at night, eating heavy food, partying, eating outside, having special feasts, etc. Chronic constipation could be the result of an unhealthy lifestyle, some diseases, or prolonged usage of certain drugs, especially allopathic medicines.
Constipation needs to be cured naturally. Taking purgatives or allopathic medicines will be harmful due to their side effects. Using laxatives may cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, severe diarrhoea, metabolic disorders, chronic constipation, decreased net absorption of fluid in the intestine, loosening of intestinal muscles and nerve response, and so on. Drinking carbonated drinks such as sugary soda is not a good idea, as these beverages can have harmful health effects and may make constipation worse.
Chronic constipation takes longer to cure and requires lifestyle correction. Meanwhile, acute constipation can be easily cured in a day or two. Following Naturopathy and Homoeopathy based preventive and curative measures will keep everyone free from this disease.
- Preventive Homoeopathy : Take two doses of Pulsatilla 200 at a gap of 15-20 minutes, 20 – 30 minutes after heavy food, outside food, special feast, etc.
- Preventive Naturopathy : Avoid cooked food once a week and eat only fresh, seasonal fruits and salad. Do the same the next day of a heavy meal or special feast.
- If you take outside food for any reason, take about 200 gms of curd with it.
- Preventive & curative Homoeopathy : As a matter of routine, once a month, take Sulphur 200 on an empty stomach in the morning and Nux Vomica 200 about 30 minutes before going to bed on the night the same day.
- Preventive & curative Naturopathy : Take fresh Lemon water at least once daily, with raw honey or black salt. It is not harmful if taken more than once a day.
- Form a habit to finish your dinner at least two hours before bed.
- Chew your food well, eat slowly, and do not fill your stomach completely. Do not drink water with food. Take it 1½ to 2 hours after food.
- Make enough salad, sprouted grains, buttermilk, and fruits a part of your diet, not in addition to your regular diet, but as part and parcel of it by reducing grains, etc.
- Get up early in the morning, at least before Sunrise.
- When you wake up, drink two glasses of plain water. Do not use refrigerated water even during the day. Drink at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water every day.
- Mix about 20% bran in your wheat flour, or switch to millets and flour of coarse grains—black gram with skin, millets, barley (Jao) with skin, maize, etc.
- Avoid maida (white fine flour) and besan (gram fine flour). Replace polished rice with brown rice.
- A routine diet should contain green vegetables, leafy vegetables, high-fibre vegetables, some seasonal fruits, salad, sprouted grains, and buttermilk. Vegetables and other foods that are heavy and a little difficult to digest [paneer (Indian cottage cheese), rajma (kidney beans), cholley (white gram), vigna mungo (black gram, urad dal, etc.)] may be taken occasionally but not regularly. Avoid paneer, mainly highly processed paneer like those in restaurants, refrigerated, etc.
- Do exercise and walk regularly. Its importance increases manifold if you are doing a sitting job.
- Yoga : Uttanpadasana, Sarvangasana, Pavanmuktasana, Naukasana, Bajrasana, Balasana, and Matsyasana are beneficial. In case of acute constipation, do Uttanpadasana, Naukasana, and Pavanmuktasana before going to the toilet.