Constipation — hard, delayed, incomplete stools; heavy belly.
Also known as: kabz · कब्ज · कब्ज़ · vibandha · विबंध · qabz · hard stool
Food Remedies
Main remedy
Apple: eat one apple with the skin on, on an empty stomach in the morning and again in the evening after meals, to relieve constipation (eat unpeeled for constipation, peeled for diarrhea). Amla: take a spoon of amla powder with water or milk at night — the bowel moves cleanly in the morning and constipation clears; the intestines and stomach stay clean.
A bowl of lightly steamed green peas with jeera and a little ghee at the evening meal — the fibre keeps the bowel moving gently.
Traditional
किशमिश · Raisins
Soak 10 munakka in water overnight; eat them and drink the water each morning.
Traditional
शकरकंद · Sweet potato
Boiled sweet potato at night with a pinch of rock salt keeps the bowel moving.
Traditional
आँवला · Amla
take a spoon of amla powder with water or milk at night — the bowel moves cleanly in the morning and constipation clears; the intestines and stomach stay clean.
Traditional
Start here
सेब · Apple
eat one apple with the skin on, on an empty stomach in the morning and again in the evening after meals, to relieve constipation (eat unpeeled for constipation, peeled for diarrhea).
Traditional
जई · Oats
A bowl of oats with the evening meal and plenty of water — the fibre draws water in and softens the stool.
Traditional
फलियाँ · Beans
A bowl of rajma or lobia cooked with hing and ajwain — the hing prevents the gas.
Traditional
अंजीर · Fig
Two or three dried figs soaked overnight, eaten in the morning with the soaking water — the gentlest laxative there is.
Traditional
बेल · Bengal Quince
A glass of ripe bael sherbet in the morning. Ripe clears the bowel; unripe binds it — the opposite uses.
Traditional
गुलाब · Rose
A spoon of gulkand with warm milk at night — a gentle, cooling laxative.
Traditional
अलसी · Linseed
A spoon of flaxseed with a full glass of water at night. The water is essential — without it the effect reverses.
Traditional
शहतूत · Mulberry
A bowl of ripe mulberries in the morning — a gentle laxative.
Traditional
नींबू-शहद जल · Lemon-honey warm water
Juice of half a lemon and a spoon of honey in a glass of warm water, first thing on an empty stomach — it works by starting the gut moving, not by purging. Follow it with a walk.
Traditional
त्रिफला जल · Triphala warm water
1 tsp triphala in a cup of warm water at night — it works gently by morning and, unlike a purgative, does not leave the gut lazy. Not in pregnancy.
Traditional
On this page Documented — There are human studies behind this ingredient for this particular complaint. Traditional — Carried by tradition and experience; modern evidence for this particular complaint is limited.
All of this is what others have found — tradition, shared experience and the studies done so far. It is not advice given to any one person. Before changing your diet, and especially if you take any medicine, ask your dietician or doctor.
Naturopathy
Drink two glasses of warm water on waking, then squat for a few minutes. Abdominal massage clockwise for five minutes. Practise Pawanmuktasana and Malasana.
Warm-water enema once a week in stubborn cases; wet abdominal pack at night.
Bhojanveda
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