AYURVEDIC CARE OF CONSTIPATION
ABOUT CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a Chronic disease resulting due to difficulty or regularly passage of stool. Constipation is defined medically as having fewer than three bowel movements in a week. The normal length of time between bowel movements varies widely from person to person. Some people have them three times a day. Others have them just a few times a week. Going longer than 3 or more days without one, though, is usually too long. After 3 days, your poop gets harder and more difficult to pass.
Sometimes, constipation occur from a blockage in the large intestine. In this case, a person will need urgent medical attention. At other times, it may simply be due to a lack of fiber or water.
WHY DOES CONSTIPATION HAPPEN?
There are many reasons for constipation. Causes of constipation may include:
- Changes to what you eat or your activities
- Slow movement of stool through your colon
- Not enough water or fiber in your diet
- Eating a lot of dairy products
- Antacids that contain aluminum and calcium
- Resisting the urge to poop
- Diuretics
- Stress
- Overuse of laxatives
- Eating disorders
- As you get older
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- If you become pregnant
- Problems with the nerves and muscles in your digestive system
- Colon cancer
- Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
- Underactive thyroid (called hypothyroidism)
SYMPTOMS OF CONSTIPATION
Symptoms of Chronic Constipation may vary from person to person. You may have:
- Passing fewer than three stools a week
- Trouble having a bowel movement
- Having lumpy or hard stools
- Hard or small stools
- A sense that everything didn’t come out
- Belly bloating
- Feeling as though there’s a blockage in your rectum that prevents bowel movements
- Pain and cramping in the abdomen
- Nausea
COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTIPATION
Complications of chronic constipation include:
- Swollen veins in your anus (hemorrhoids). Straining to have a bowel movement may cause swelling in the veins in and around your anus.
- Reduced quality of life and depression.
- Torn skin in your anus (anal fissure). A large or hard stool can cause tiny tears in the anus.
- Stool that can’t be expelled (fecal impaction). Chronic constipation may cause an accumulation of hardened stool that gets stuck in your intestines.
- Intestine that protrudes from the anus (rectal prolapse). Straining to have a bowel movement can cause a small amount of the rectum to stretch and protrude from the anus.
RISK FACTORS OF CONSTIPATION
some Factors that may increase your risk of chronic constipation include:
- Being dehydrated
- Being an older adult
- Eating a diet that’s low in fiber
- Being a woman
- Getting little or no physical activity
- Having a mental health condition such as depression or an eating disorder
- Taking certain medications, including sedatives, opioid pain medications, some antidepressants or medications to lower blood pressure
AYURVEDIC OUTLOOK
According to Ayurveda, constipation occurs when vata’s cold and dry qualities disturb the colon, inhibiting its proper functioning. The remedy is to add warmth, oil, and hydration to the system in order to counter the excess vata. The following strategies specifically counter vata’s cold and dry qualities and can be very helpful in supporting the return of normal bowel movements.
Dietary Regimen :
- Should take light, easily digestible foods, Amlaki, Butter milk.
- Should avoid spicy, sour, salty, high in fat content, heavy food items, curd, preserved and fast food.
Yogic Regimen:
- Pavan Muktasana
- Bajrasana
- Morning walk & walking after dinner.
Lifestyle :
Should avoid day sleep, night awakening, acohol, smoking.
