Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Constipation - Causes, Symptoms and Ayurvedic Treatment

Constipation - Causes, Symptoms and Ayurvedic Treatment
In the general sense, constipation is defined as the
difficulty in performing the right kinds of bowel
movements, which are essential in voiding the toxic waste
materials of digestion. When constipation occurs, the
person is not able to pass stools properly and in the right
kind of frequency. This means, the toxins are getting
retained within the body, which can lead to a host of
complications within a short time.

Constipation - Causes from an Ayurvedic Point of View

Ayurveda treats constipation as a problem arising due to
the predominance of the vata dosha . In fact, all people
with the vata constitution have this problem to some extent
or the other. From an Ayurvedic point of view, dietary bad
habits are the main cause of constipation. The following
are some of the dietary factors that lead to constipation:-

1. Eating at different times each day

2. Eating too late than the normal time

3. Eating food that is difficult to digest

4. Eating food without roughage (or foods that contain
fiber content)

5. Eating mostly dry foods

6. Drinking too many beverages like tea and coffee

7. Drinking too many cold drinks

8. Not drinking enough water

Apart from these, Ayurveda has also pinpointed various
environmental and behavioral factors that can lead to
constipation. The following are these environmental and
behavioral factors:-

1. Vices like smoking

2. Staying awake till late at night

3. Sleeplessness or insomnia

4. Mental worries and tensions

5. Feelings of guilt and fear 6. Age

Constipation - Symptoms from an Ayurvedic Point of View

Depending on the constitution of the person, there are
different observed symptoms of constipation. The following
are some of the symptoms:-

1. Vata dosha symptoms - The first symptom is a browning of
the tongue, which cannot be cleaned easily. These people
also have occasional feelings of uneasiness in their
stomachs with flatulence. Stools are hard to eliminate, and
food takes a long time to get digested properly.

2. Pitta dosha symptoms - The person will observe slightly
yellowish stools and there will be a burning sensation in
the anus as they are eliminated.

3. Kapha dosha symptoms - The colon feels heavy and there
is low digestive fire. The person will feel lethargic most
of the time. The person will also eliminate faint colored
stools which are almost white in color. There is a strong
feeling of gas and flatulence. Bad breath (halitosis) is
also a common problem in this type.

Constipation - Ayurvedic Treatment Methods

Triphala is the best herbal mixture for the permanent
treatment of constipation. This mixture of amala , behera
and harada in the proportion of 2:1:1 has excellent
laxative properties. The mixture must be given in doses of
about one teaspoonful at night, preferably taken with water
that has been slightly warmed. Triphala has many benefits
in all types of constipation and for people of all dosha
types, but it is found that triphala also acts amazingly in
case of obstinate constipation, such as in people with old
age that develop this condition.

An alternative for triphala is abhayarisha, which is
supposed to be taken in quantities of 30 ml twice a day,
for a period of one month.


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Read about Triphala Colon Cleanser and Constipation
Treatment at http://www.herbalcureindia.com

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