Improving constipation naturally

How to resolve constipation naturally

If your bowel movements are less than once every three days, the process takes a long time, is uncomfortable or your stool is hard or dry, you are suffering from constipation.

Everyone experiences constipation now and then – even animals.  For us, humans, certain foods, lack of water and exercise, too much or too little fiber, and poor gut flora (damaged by medications, sugar, alcohol, and stress) can all slow down our bowel movements.

What is constipation

Most practitioners would agree that a healthy person should experience one to two bowel movements a day.  Without releasing waste from the body regularly, ideally first thing in the morning, toxins can become absorbed into the bloodstream resulting in fatigue, headaches, bloating and gas.

The four types of constipation

1. Heat

Caused by excessive heat in the body, especially in the large intestine.  In Chinese Medicine, too much heat can consume the body fluid, affecting the stools in the bowel not being able to move freely.  Stools can become hard and dry and may show other symptoms such as bad breath, dry mouth, dark urine, bloated stomach and a flushed complexion.

2. Cold

The stool is dry or normal, but difficult to pass.  You may experience other symptoms including a pale complexion, cold limbs, dislike for cool temperatures and persistent pain that doesn’t disappear when you apply pressure on your stomach.  Your tongue may look pale.

3. Qi

The symptoms of constipation caused by Qi stagnation are difficulty passing stools even though you have the urge, stomach bloating, frequent belching, and re-menstrual syndrome. Check your tongue for a thin white coating and you may have a poor appetite.

4. Deficiency type

There is an urge to clear the bowels, but you have to push very hard.  This is one of the many symptoms of constipation resulting from deficiency.  In some cases, the dry stools look like small stones.  Other accompanying symptoms include fatigue, dry skin, and dry hair.  if you are exhibiting these symptoms of deficiency, your tongue will look pale.

Conventional Solutions for Constipation

Many people use laxatives to address the issue of constipation.  As with any short-term fix, there are often side effects such as bloating and cramping.  More serious side effects include damage to the muscular function of the bowel, kidney stones, and severe dehydration.  Other conventional medicines include fiber supplements, stimulants, lubricants, stool softeners, osmotics and saline laxatives.

The Kinesiology approach

There are a number of causes for constipation including poor diet, medication, alcohol, disease and lack of exercise to name a few.  However, kinesiology looks past the physical and deals with the energetic, emotional and spiritual imbalances causing the physical issue.  Kinesiology allows your body to advise the root cause of the issue and the best way of treating it.

There are several ways I work with my clients with constipation.  The first thing is to use muscle testing to ask the client’s body what it needs to heal itself.    Here are some of the remedies and tools that I use in clinic that have helped clients suffering from constipation.

• Identifying relevant emotions:

The primary function of the bowel is to evacuate what is no longer useful to the body.  In metaphysical terms, optimal health hinges on the release of old ideas that are being carried around.  Constipation also indicates a lack of expression of one’s ideas or feelings for fear of displeasing others, being ‘wrong’ or risking the loss of something or someone. Often we feel out of control or have a fear of the unknown. It is common to experience constipation whilst traveling.  Are you holding on to memories from the past?  Can you forgive and forget? Is it possible to let go of your need to be right? Do you allow yourself time to relax?

Constipation is related to the Large Intestine and the base chakra and is often an unconscious refusal to let go of something.  Liver stagnation is another condition that can create constipation initiated by pent-up anger and frustration.

• Essential Oils:

Fennel, Black Pepper, Coriander, and Ginger used in oil burner, massage or added to a bath.

• Affirmations:

“I release the need to be in control”

“I let go, I am safe”

“I trust my needs are met wherever I am”

• Crystal Healing

Bloodstone, Sunshine Aura Quarts, Orange Calcite

• Meridian Points

Meridian tracing, neuro-lymphatic massage, neuro-vascular holding points.

San Jiao 6 pressure point

San Jiao 6 (SJ6) is commonly used for constipation. This point stimulates the lower jiao, which includes the large and small intestines, kidneys, and bladder.

To use this point for acupressure:

1. Find SJ6, three finger-widths away from your wrist crease on the outer side of your arm.
2. Press on the point with your opposite thumb or index finger.
3. Apply circular pressure for 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Repeat on your other arm.

Stomach 25 pressure point

Stomach 25 (ST25) is used to balance your digestive system. It can help both constipation and diarrhea.

To use this point for acupressure:

1. Locate ST25, two finger-widths to the right of your belly button.
2. Press on the point with your thumb or index finger.
3. Apply circular pressure for 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Repeat on the left side.

Foods to eat

• Drink lots of water to flush the toxins through your body.
• Aim for ten different types of fruit and vegetables each day to soften your stools.
• Potassium in bananas and rhubarb can help with muscle contraction in the intestines.
• Prunes are a great natural laxative.
• Pineapple juice, raisins – at least an hour after meals, prunes, peaches
• Ginger tea
• Follow a Vata Pacifying Diet.  Stay away from cold foods and drinks, dried fruit, salads and most beans.  Favor warm foods, warm drinks and well-cooked vegetables.  Some oil in the diet is helpful.
• Triphala (one of the best Ayurvedic remedies) take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at night.  Steep the herbs in a cup of hot water for 5-10 minutes and drink.

Foods to avoid

• Wheat and gluten can be linked to constipation so try to avoid refined flours in breads, biscuits, pasta and cakes.
• The protein in red meat and eggs can slow down digestion.
• Dairy products like cheese, milk, cream and ice cream are high in fat / low in fiber and can cause constipation.

Chakra Balancing

When your base chakra is unbalanced there’s a need to ground oneself and connect with the earth. Try gardening, going for a walk in nature or walking with bare feet on the grass. This chakra responds to physical sensations so you can also massage and caress your skin to help balance this energy.

 

Suggested kinesiology treatment plan.

When treating constipation at Life in Progress Kinesiology Melbourne we recommend:

• An initial 90-minute kinesiology consultation followed by between 3 – 5 standard consultations 1 -2 weeks apart.
• Further follow-up standard consultations should be spaced between 2 -4 weeks apart or booked as needed.

If you want to find out more about Constipation check out the Victorian government’s Better Health Channel.

 

Author – Kinesiologist, Carla Kaine from A Life in Progress.