What to do When Constipation is Chronic
Ayurveda recognizes constipation as any regular change from a normal routine of frequency, size, consistency, or ease of elimination. The inability to completely evacuate the bowels or passing very hard stools is known as constipation or vibandha.
What Causes Constipation?
There are some surprising causes related to our lifestyle that may require some trial and error to determine. Regular daily habits play a significant role, for example, sitting all day at a desk stagnates the colon, staying up too late and/or sleeping during the day disrupts the natural cycle.
Even leaving too early for work or exercising may disrupt the natural urge for some people. And some foods are more difficult to digest, especially if they are uncooked, cold, dry, or dense.
We each have our own threshold toward what causes our bowel movements to become irregular.
- Sitting at a desk all day – stagnates the lower abdomen
- Staying up too late – disrupts the natural cycle
- Sleeping during the day – disrupts the natural cycle
- Leaving too early for work – disrupts or delays the natural urge
- Exercising too early – disrupts or delays the natural urge
- Foods that are cold, dry, uncooked, dense – mechanically slow to digest
What are the Effects of Prolonged Constipation?
Prolonged constipation reverses the natural downward flow of digestion and little by little the downward movement becomes slow and begins to cause indigestion.
Many chronic disorders like migraine and rheumatoid arthritis are notably relieved when constipation is relieved. There are many disorders like Parkinson's and Hypothyroidism that cause constipation or its possible chronic constipation causes them.
Early symptoms of indigestion include gas, distention, and bloating of the lower abdomen, and later on headache/migraine, liver insufficiency, hemorrhoids, and even lower backache.
Managing Chronic Constipation & indigestion
The first thing is prevention, eating a fiber-rich diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water to stay well hydrated, and as mentioned making adjustments to lifestyle causes.
If you experience chronic constipation, we recommended consulting an Ayurvedic Doctor or Practitioner to evaluate the cause and dosa/s involved. There are herbal products to help.
Products for Chronic Constipation and Indigestion
- Hingwadi Gulika – supports dyspepsia, gastritis, acidity, and abdominal colic.
- Sukhabedi Gulika - useful for constipation, irritable bowel, indigestion.
- Dantiharithaki Leham - effective for purgation, nausea, indigestion, constipation, liver, and spleen disorders.
- Sukumara Leham effective for chronic constipation, menstrual disorders, peptic acid disease, abnormal growths, ovarian cysts, fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis, and hernia.
- Punarnava Manduram (Leham) - supports anemia and generalized edema.
- Dasamulapanchakoladi Kashayam – useful for constipation, ascites, chronic liver diseases.
- Kalyana Ksharam - useful for constipation, abdominal pain - To be taken under Medical Supervision.
- Gandharvahastadi Oil - herbal castor oil is taken orally to support chronic constipation, pain associated with abdominal cramps, bloating, an effective anulomana, and seasonal panchakarma. Also effective for relieving body pain and menstrual pain related to vata dosha.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Kottakkal Ayurveda products and this information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have serious, acute or chronic health problems, please consult a trained health professional. If you are seeking the medical advice of a trained Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor, call (800) 215-9934 or email us at mailto:contact@kottakkal.shop and we will provide you with one of our affiliated Ayurvedic professionals. Check with your doctor before taking herbs when pregnant or nursing.