Constipation is a condition characterized by extreme difficulty in emptying the bowels. It is characterized by hardening of the feces. Ayurvedic remedies have been considered since a long time to support healthy bowel movements. Acute constipation can also be a sign of Crohn s disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

Symptoms of constipation:
1. Immense strain during bowel movements
2. Inability to have proper bowel movements
3. A feeling of being blocked up from within
4. Hard and dry feces

How can you get rid of constipation with Ayurvedic remedies?

Increase fluid intake: If you are suffering from constipation, it is vital to drink about 80 ounces of herbal tea or water per day. Warm fluids are the best way to keep your body hydrated. These fluids should be consumed at least 20 minutes before a meal or 1 hour after a meal.
Increase organic oils in your diet: High quality oil helps lubricate your body tissues, so that appropriate amount of fat or oil can remain in the stool. Most oils are healthy, but the healthiest oils include olive oil, ghee and sesame oil.
Eat plenty of healthy fruits: Fruits are fibrous, hydrating and generally pacifying to your body. Fruits such as peaches, soaked prunes, soaked raisins, peeled apples and bananas should be consumed. It is vital to eat the fruits about an hour before your meals. While consuming these fruits, you should chew on them properly to attain maximum benefit. Pineapple juice is also very effective in facilitating bowel movements.
Consume soaked flax seeds or milk with ghee: Before going to bed, you should drink a cup of boiled milk with ghee or a tablespoon of flaxseeds soaked in a glass of water. This is an ideal remedy for constipation.
Herbs:  Triphala  herb (a traditional Ayurvedic herb) are generally prescribed by the Ayurvedic practitioners. It can be taken either in the tablet form or powdered form with a glass of warm water. Psyllium husk is also a natural source of insoluble and soluble fiber. It serves as a bulking agent and a demulcent in the colon. This facilitates the regular passing of feces.

Ayurvedic Ways To Help You Get Rid Of Constipation!

With the super busy lifestyle that everybody is gravitating to, there is less and less time for everything, including cooking and eating. Thus, more and more processed foods are finding their way into our refrigerators, as they can just be picked up and eaten anytime hunger pangs are felt. And, we do not immediately realize that processed foods are devoid of all the essential ingredients. What we end up eating has less fiber, more salt, and more preservatives (generally not very safe for all), all leading to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Refined flour, white sugar, cheese, canned juices, frozen foods, cheese laden pizzas and breadsare all yummy, but not something that is readily accepted and digested by your stomach. Try eating pizza with loads of cheese for two days and experience the bloated feeling for yourself. Not to scare you, but imagine this; you would have to eat an entire medium pizza to get 2 g of fiber. Where as, your body requires about 25 to 40 g of fiber per day for regular health maintenance.

Biologically, our digestive system requires a lot of fiber, which adds to the roughage. This is very important as it helps in digestion and aid in cleansing the bowel later. The function of the large intestine is to remove water and essential ingredients when food passes through it. Junk food passes through quite quickly, thereby, leading to loss of water and ingredients. A lot of digestive issues are also related to lack of fiber in the food, like polyps, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, and obesity. 

Most of us are aware, but tend to ignore the fact that junk food is as the name suggests, junk. There is hardly anything of nutritious value in it. On the contrary, it contains lots of salt, fat and artificial chemicals, which though, make it very tasty, but has zero nutrition value. 

Try to eat only junk food for about a week regularly, and you will surely feel:

1. Bloated (a lot of gas due to indigestion)
2. Dehydrated (excessive salt needs more water, which we don't realize)
3. Constipated (lack of fiber leading to reduced bowel movement)
4. Weak and lousy (due to lack of nutrition)

This of course does not include the harmful effects on skin, hair, looks, etc. It does not mean you have to stop eating junk completely and eat only healthy food all the time. The human body is adaptive and can adjust to a lot of variations. It is not wise to try the example above (eating pizza for a week), however, binging on junk food once a week would definitely not hurt. Use your discretion as nobody knows your body as well as you do.

Constipation and Junk Food

Constipation is the most widely found problem of mankind. Almost the largest number of drugs, are available for the problem and largest sums of money are spent by people to get rid of it. Even then the medical science does not recognise it as a serious disease. 
To some extent they are correct.  Constipation is not a disease as such. It is merely a condition but it can be responsible for attacks of almost all diseases which are effecting the humans. Unfortunately it is also spreading wildly as the civilization is spreading and eating refined foods is becoming fashionable. Many drugs also cause constipation. If so the prescribing doctor should be immediately contacted for change of the prescription.
The present treatment of the condition is drugs of three different types. A) Lubricating, B) Bulk forming and C) Agitating.
Lubricating drugs include various oils, milk of magnesia etc. These drugs lubricate the elementary canal and/or lubricate the faeces and thus facilitate the movement. These are the least damaging type of drugs. Yet they can make even undigested foods to pass through the system or cause           diarrhoea.   
Bulk forming drugs include isabgol, rice bran etc. When the bulk is increased the faeces move and are expelled faster. It should be remembered that these are just substitutes for the fibre which is lost during various processes adopted in kitchens. It is clearly foolishness to first throw away the natural fibre and replace it by purchasing substitutes from the market. Further rejected natural fibre carries away several essential nutrients with them, which are not replaced by the additives.
The agitating type drugs include several herbs and chemicals which are not acceptable to the system and therefore the system works extra harder to get rid of them. These ultimately tire out the system and weaken it. The weakened system requires more powerful drugs and the endless race starts. Thus this category causes maximum harm to the digestive system. 
It is now obvious that all the above drugs are not the cure for constipation. These have only a onetime effect and can harm the system.  
In fact the cure for constipation lies in life style itself. To get rid of it one should follow the following advice:
1) Avoid refined foods.
2) Eat maximum foods in raw form.
3) Eat lots of salads and fruits so that there is enough fibre in the food.
4) Avoid refined flour (Maida), polished rice etc.
5) Do some regular exercise so that the body, including gut is in good health.
6) Eat sprouted boiled pulses instead of pulses available in the market.
7) Do not peel all those vegetables which can be used without peeling. Even if peeling is absolutely necessary do by minimum possible.
8) Drink sufficient water. (Humans need about 3 litres of water every day).
9) Try discharge faeces twice a day-Morning and Evening.
10) Never ignore an urge. Attend to it as early as possible.
Even then sometimes the faeces become dry and hard. In all such cases instead of applying pressure it is better to take a plain water enema (Douche). It is totally harmless, does not form habit, and convenient to take.
It is very important to get rid of constipation. Since constipation is the main cause of several diseases. 

Constipation - Know Its Naturopathic Treatment!! 

Urinary Incontinence is the sudden urine loss that occurs involuntarily in women. Some of the factors which cause urinary incontinence are pregnancy, menopause and childbirth. It should be noted that urinary incontinence by itself is not a disease, but is a symptom of other underlying disorders such as diabetes, infections and other conditions.

Causes of temporary cases of urinary incontinence include:
1. Constipation
2. Urinary tract infections
3. Excess consumption of alcohol and caffeine
4. Consuming carbonated drinks
5. Use of artificial sweeteners
6. High doses of vitamin B and vitamin C
7. Being on sedatives, muscle relaxants, blood pressure and heart medications
8. Eatables which are too spicy, acidic or sugary

However, persistence of incontinence might be due to a more serious condition. Some of the causes are stated below:

Age: The bladder muscles tend to weaken with age. This affects the bladder s urine holding capacity.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes and increase in weight during pregnancy can cause incontinence.
Menopause: Oestrogen is responsible for the healthy maintenance of the lining of the urethra and bladder. The onset of menopause causes the oestrogen hormone levels to drop. The gradual damage of the bladder tissues causes incontinence.
Childbirth: The bladder control muscles are weakened during normal vaginal delivery, thus leading to incontinence.
Obstruction: Occurrence of tumours in the urinary tract can block the normal flow of urine which can cause incontinence.
Hysterectomy: The same ligaments and muscles support both the bladder as well as the urethra. With removal of the uterus by hysterectomy, the pelvic floor muscles are deteriorated. This leads to urinary incontinence.
Neurological disorders: Conditions such as multiple sclerosis (autoimmune disorder in which the immune system destroys the protective sheath of the nerves), Parkinson s disease (disorder affecting motor functioning of the body), brain tumours, spinal injury or strokes are capable of causing incontinence.

Different forms of urinary incontinence are classified on the basis of their symptoms:

Urge incontinence: Urge or urgency incontinence occurs when there is a leak before the person reaches the toilet.
Stress incontinence: Small amounts of urine leak out during normal physical movements such as sneezing, coughing and exercising. This happens because of the minimum stress exerted on the body, and hence, the name.
Functional incontinence: Sudden leakage of urine occurs due to external deterrents or physical disabilities such as not being able to find a toilet.
Overactive Bladder: This is characterized by frequent and urgent urination.
Overflow incontinence: A full bladder, at times, leads to unexpected leakage.
Transient incontinence: If urine leakage occurs due to temporary situations such as infections, or new medications.

Did You Know - Constipation Can Also be a Sign of Urinary Incontinence

6 Natural Treatments for Constipation Relief

Constipation can make you miserable. Though medically defined as less than three stools a week or worse, daily bowel movement is essential to keep healthy and feel fresh. Caused by slow movement of food through the digestive tract, constipation can occur due to poor bowel habits, eating less fiber, medications, hormonal issues or some other disease. However, it can be easily fixed with fiber, fluids and frequent exercising. You can try these natural treatments to relieve your discomfort and keep it away:

1. Coconut Oil and Flaxseed - A great combination
Coconut oil is a wonderful hydrating agent and eases stools. Flaxseeds help in the elimination of toxins, excess fat and cholesterol from the body. So in one tablespoon of coconut oil, add half a teaspoon of flaxseeds, chew well and eat this every morning.

2. Harad or Terminalia Chebula Myrobalan - A Wonder Fruit
An important ingredient of Triphala, harad is a wonder fruit that has amazing health benefits. One of these is relieving constipation. Take the small black variety and roast it with few drops of Ghee and grind to store. 5-6 gms daily with water at night will relieve constipation.  

3. Yogurt - Excellent Source of Probiotics
Probiotics which contain beneficial bacteria are a great remedy for constipation. However, you can take the humble homemade yogurt full of beneficial bacteria in your meal every day and get relief from constipation.

4. Fiber Fix - Figs and more
Fiber helps to bulk up your stool making the bowel movement faster. Figs are a great source of soluble fiber and you can soak 2-3 overnight and have both the fruit and the sweet water to get regular bowel movement. You can also include high fiber whole wheat bran cereal to your diet for added benefits.
Do not forget to back your fibers with 8-10 glasses of water as you increase your intake.

5. Baking Powder - The Versatile Solution
Baking powder has an alkalizing effect and eases movement through the bowels. Add a teaspoon to   cup of warm water and drink it quickly for best results.

6. Oatmeal Tea - When things are Severe
Oatmeal is fibrous, Honey is healing and moisturizing and Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory agent which soothes the stomach. Together, they can stop severe constipation. So, take a cup of water and add three teaspoons of oatmeal, a Chamomile tea bag and two teaspoons of honey. Drink 2-3 times a day if your problem is severe.

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6 Home Remedies that Work for Constipation Relief

Many children are affected by constipation; for them, it usually implies pain while passing stool as the stools tend to be hard. In some cases, parents often tend to confuse soiling as diarrhea when it may actually indicate symptoms of impacted constipation (obstruction of faeces). In order to prevent constipation from turning into a chronic problem, make sure your child receives proper treatment at the earliest.

Symptoms of constipation
Constipation in children can be characterized by its symptoms which are:
1. Your child will experience difficulty in passing stools
2. He/she may also experience pain during the process; trace amounts of blood may be present on the nappy.
3. The stool tends to be large in size and hard by nature
4. The child may not have normal bowel habits; he may pass stools less than the normal number of times.
5. Loss of appetite
6. He/she may experience intense pain in the stomach
7. This condition may cause sudden changes in behavior; your child may become irritated or unhappy very easily.
8. He/ she may experience nausea
9. The child may also often soil his/her clothes by passing feces at irregular intervals

Causes of constipation in children
Constipation in children may be caused due to a number of factors, which are:
1. Withholding of stool: In some cases, your child may try to forcefully hold back bowels every time he/she may want to go to the toilet. This may happen due to reasons such as lack of toilet training or not wanting to use toilets at certain places.

2. Diet: A diet devoid of fiber may be the cause behind your child's constipation. Also, not drinking enough water throughout the day may cause the stools to harden, thus causing difficulty while passing them. The fiber content in food adds roughage to the diet and thus, helps in facilitating smooth bowel movements.

3. Psychological problems: Constipation may also be caused due to certain emotional problems and drawbacks, such as certain fears or phobias. An example would be when the child feels the need to go to the toilet at night, but withholds it if he/she has a fear of ghosts. A change in the surroundings such as moving to a new place may also cause bowel problems in your child.

Causes of Constipation in Children

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