According to Ayurveda, constipation is caused mainly due to Vata imbalance and accumulation of toxins (ama) in body channel. It is a very common problem nowadays due to today's lifestyle. It is not a mere slow bowel movement as according to Ayurveda, it is the root cause of many health issues and if left untreated it may cause severe disorders like piles, fistula, fissure, liver disease, and other disorders.
Causes
* Food which causes dryness of mouth, tightness in the body, the roughness of skin can result in constipation
* Excess of pungent, astringent and salty food
* Insufficient fiber in the diet
* Less intake of water
* Night awakening
* Working under strong sunlight
* Long walk or sitting at one place for long
* Rigorous traveling
* Due to other health conditions like depression, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and pregnancy
* Age-related factors - common in children and in old age
* Due to using of some medicines like allopathic medicine for depression, excessive use of antacids, regular use of laxatives, iron supplements, diuretics, and painkillers
* Stress
* Excess of raw vegetables, salad, bread, and cereal
Constipation Symptoms
* Indigestion, burping, and belching
* Feeling uncomfortable and dull
* Difficult, painful stool passage
* Hard stools
* Pain in anus
Tips to prevent Constipation
✅ Eat food by chewing properly
✅ Eat at a fixed time
✅ Food should be warm, light, and little oily (ghee, oil)
❌ Avoid spicy, heavy, fried foods
❌ Avoid excess of milk and milk products like paneer, and cheese.
✅ Eat green vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, amla, parwal, lauki, turai, mushroom, beans, legumes, corn, and carrot.
✅ Include fruit like apples, papaya, banana ,orange,guava in diet. ✅include fig, raisin, flax seeds, berries in diet.
✅ Drink good amount of water, drink warm water especially in the evening and in the morning.
❌ Avoid excess of tea and coffee.
❌ Do not hold natural urges ( urge to urine, pass stool, belching, yawning, etc)
Few ayurvedic remedies
* Abhyang or massage with sesame oil
* Drink cow ghee 1 teaspoon by mixing in warm water or milk at bedtime.
* Soak 10-15 raisins in the morning and have it in the night at bedtime.
* Have haritaki ( harad) powder fried in castor oil.
* 'Boil raisin, ajwain, sauf, ginger in 2 cups of water until it remains 1 cup have this drink at night.
* In hard stool use gulkand with milk at night.
* Yoga postures like pavanmukt asan, vajrasan, uttanpadasn, pashchimottan asan, etc which pressure on abdomen and pranayama to reduce stress
* Regular use of aloe vera pulp.
Note
1. Overuse of laxatives for a long time worsen constipation; so lifestyle and diet change prevent dependency on medication.
2. It can be associated with symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, depression so sometimes relieving constipation can give relief in these problems.