DESCRIPTION

CAUSES

REMEDIES

DIET

Are you prone to a problem with 'Constipation'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Poop by taking the free poop quiz.

TAKE THE POOP QUIZ

How often should you poop? Ayurveda suggests that one bowel movement in the early morning followed by a possible second bowel movement later in the day is appropriate. Your stool should be more or less the shape and texture of a ripe banana, easy to pass, formed, and somewhat bulky. Less than one bowel movement a day, or if the quantity is very small count as constipation.

The importance of healthy elimination in Ayurveda is summarized by the phrase "You are as healthy as your colon." Poor bowel health results in fermentation of fecal matter, which irritates and ultimately degrades the lining of the intestines. Fermentation also creates toxins that are absorbed into the blood. Daily evacuation of stool prevents a cascade of potential health problems.

Constipation by Constitution

In Vata constipation, the stools are dry and hard. A bowel movement may consist of a group of small hard stools, likened to rabbit pellets, dry pieces, or lack of a bowel movement altogether. In extreme Vata constipation, you may only go to the bathroom once a week. If that is the case, it's time to call your Ayurvedic Practitioner! Vata type constipation is caused by dryness, a lack of hydration, insufficient oils in your diet, or lack of fiber. Vata constipation can also be caused by stress and anxiety.

In hot Pitta constipation, the stools are smelly and sticky. It may come out in pieces and be difficult to clean. This is due to an excess of hot, oily foods your diet. Fried food and red meat in particular are culprits- they are hard to digest, therefore taking a long time, and create excess oil in your stool while heat dries out the water. What remains is sticky, somewhat dry, and difficult to pass. You may feel incomplete after visiting the bathroom.

Kapha constipation consists of large, infrequent bowel movements. This is due to a lack of mobility in the colon, resulting in sluggish bowels. When there is finally enough energy to stimulate peristalsis (the wave-like motion of your intestines which expels stool) the result is a large quantity. This slow metabolic rate may be associated with depression and hypothyroid.

REBALANCE YOUR BODY WITH DIET, LIFESTYLE & HERBS HAVING THESE QUALITIES

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using gunas. Gunas are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Constipation', you should select foods with the following qualities (gunas). Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance. For best results, get a one on one consultation.

QUALITIES THAT MAY CORRECT IMBALANCES
RELATED TO CONSTIPATION

GUNA	FOODS TO FAVOR	CONDITION IN YOUR BODY
OILY ABOUT OILY GUNA Oily refers to anything fatty, or that increases fat. LEARN MORE ABOUT OILY	OILY INGREDIENTS OILY RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Oily' guna
GOOEY ABOUT GOOEY GUNA Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT GOOEY	GOOEY INGREDIENTS GOOEY RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Gooey' guna
CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR GUNA Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR	CLEAR INGREDIENTS CLEAR RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Clear' guna
SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET	SWEET INGREDIENTS SWEET RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sweet' taste
SOUR ABOUT SOUR GUNA Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic. LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR	SOUR INGREDIENTS SOUR RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Sour' taste
SALTY ABOUT SALTY GUNA Salty refers to anything with salt, or high mineral content. LEARN MORE ABOUT SALTY	SALTY INGREDIENTS SALTY RECIPES	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Salty' taste

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

FAVOR HERBS WITH THESE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Ingredient and herbs each have unique effects on the various organs of your body. Herbalists study these effects and categorize them, so it is easy to identify which foods and herbs are most helpful for your unique body type. Click on the medicinal properties below to learn more about them, and to figure out which recipes, ingredients and products will be a good match for you. Individual results will vary depending upon the root cause of your imbalance. The following medicinal properties are useful for a general case of 'Constipation'. You must independently verify whether these medicinal properties address the root causes of your case of Constipation.

Cleanse and Detox:

Detoxicant

DETOXICANT

An herb that eliminates or metabolizes toxins from the body.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DETOXICANT

Bowel-Poop-Elimination:

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...

LEARN MORE ABOUT GENERAL-LAXATIVE

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High Fiber Laxative

HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE

A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The size of a stool stimulates peristalsis and the stool passes more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydrating.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE

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Stool Softener

STOOL-SOFTENER

An herb that softens stool that is hard and difficult to pass. They are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Some foods are even stool softeners, such as warm milk with ghee.

LEARN MORE ABOUT STOOL-SOFTENER

Click here for general Poop Tips

DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The best way to do this is with a one on one consultation.

DIET TO BALANCE 'CONSTIPATION'

GET A DIET WHICH BALANCES CONSTIPATION

Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Constipation'. Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution. Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR CONSTIPATION

Browse these educational resources for 'Constipation'.

SPECIALITY FORMULAS, AYURVEDIC HERBS, & NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR CONSTIPATION

We've specially chosen these products because of their potential for healing imbalances associated with 'Constipation'. Choose a product from this list that also matches your imbalanced doshas and qualities, to ensure a good fit. Please review these products to determine which are right for you. Before making any changes to your health and wellness routine, please check with your medical doctor.

Other Related Herbs & Products

Triphala,   Shatavari,   Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam (9.4oz),   Haritaki

LOOKING FOR POOP RELATED PRODUCTS?

See our herbs & products in these categories:

DIGESTION PRODUCTSCLEANSE AND DETOX PRODUCTS

REMOVE THE CAUSES OF YOUR IMBALANCE

With Constipation, one or more of the following doshas and qualities may be aggravated. If you have an imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda recommends avoiding foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate that quality and/or dosha. These imbalanced doshas and qualities will need to be brought back into balance before this condition can be healed. Click on the quality to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be avoided. If you have a systemic imbalance of one of these doshas or qualities, Ayurveda would generally recommend avoiding foods and lifestyle habits with that quality.

CONSTIPATION USUALLY MEANS THESE
DOSHAS & QUALITIES ARE AGGRAVATED

Symptoms Tell A Story

The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms. Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances, showing you where your body is weak. Specifically, they reveal the doshas & qualities that may have become aggravated. If you notice a quality or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms, it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.

V = VATA, P = PITTA, K = KAPHA

GUNA	FOODS TO AVOID	DO YOU HAVE THIS IMBALANCE?
TOXIC ABOUT TOXIC GUNA A substance that causes toxicity in the body, or that harms the body. LEARN MORE ABOUT TOXIC	AVOID THESE TOXIC FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE CONSTIPATION	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Toxic' guna
HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY GUNA Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY	AVOID THESE HEAVY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE CONSTIPATION	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Heavy' guna
DRY ABOUT DRY GUNA Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY	AVOID THESE DRY FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE CONSTIPATION	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Dry' guna
COLD ABOUT COLD GUNA Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD	AVOID THESE COLD FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE CONSTIPATION	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Cold' guna
ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT	AVOID THESE ASTRINGENT FOODS THAT MAY AGGRAVATE CONSTIPATION	Status Unknown Take these quizzes to find out if you have an imbalance of 'Astringent' taste

To learn more about the symbols above, click on them.

SEE A DIET WHICH REMOVES THESE CAUSES

Are you prone to a problem with 'Constipation'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Poop by taking the free poop quiz.

TAKE THE POOP QUIZ

BUY YOUR FULL AYURVEDIC BODY CHART

STAGE OF DISEASE: 1 - AFFECTING DIGESTION

If you have symptoms in this category, your body is sending you a warning sign. Since digestion is so metabolically intensive and sensitive to stress and emotions, the earliest warning signs of imbalance usually appear in the digestive tract first. You may have gas and bloating, for example, or acid reflux. Ayurveda recommends paying careful, close attention to warning signs. They indicate that an imbalance is starting to accumulate. Correct these warning signs before they accumulate further and weaken your body's resistance. This is usually accomplished by removing diet and lifestyle habits that aggravate your imbalanced doshas and qualities.

5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY
WITH AYURVEDA - FREE eBOOK!

Ayurveda offers you simple, practical ways manage your health. It can help you understand your body and how to prevent or minimize disease. It also helps you experience food, understand its effects on your body, and naturally crave and choose the foods that are right for you. This free eBook shows you 5 simple ways you can heal your body with Ayurveda.

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RELATED SYMPTOMS & HABITS

The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Constipation'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.