Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs used for Constipation
Constipation is a failure to eliminate bowel waste properly that may be caused for a number of reasons- but mainly because of a poor diet.
Increasing daily intake of fiber in the diet = no more constipation!
Diet is very much linked to constipation. Meats, pastas, breads, cheeses and foods devoid of fiber literally stop up our system and lack the nutrients needed to pass through our body properly. Our unprocessed food has fiber to help foods move through our system. When we eat foods that have none, it gets stuck and needs help!
Ideally, we should rid of food each time we eat (just like babies). If you are eating three meals a day, but only having bowel movements one time - it's stuck!
Where is the food going?
Good question. It's lining the side of your intestines! It makes layers until only a small passageway is able to allow waste through. And waste that your body is trying to get out is waste that should be out...you don't want that stuck in your body any longer then it's meant to be.
The good news is...
It's super easy to get things flowing again without the use of over the counter laxatives. Juicing and herbs work wonders!
I take cascara sagrada to break things loose, psyllium husk with water for fiber(more gentle)to carry the waste out and alfalfa to deodorize the intestines.
Those are quick herbal suggestions that help in a day.
Then change to a high fiber-low processed food diet.
Juicing helps to hydrate your system and provide nutrients to move your waste through....
Fruits and vegetables to juice:
Apples, Pears, Prunes, Plums, Rhubarb, Beets, Green Leafy Veggies, Leeks, Onions
Herbs to take in tea, capsules/tinctures or juice:
Burdock Root, German Chamomile, Cinnamon, Dandelion Root, Fennel Seeds, Garlic, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Licorice, Peppermint, Vervain, Yellow Dock, Cascara Sagrada, Alfalfa
Recipes to juice...
Pear-Fennel
Juice, wisk together and drink
or
A Prune Smoothie
Mix 6 prunes with a handful of raspberries, and one banana. Prunes have a lot of fiber.
While prunes are just dried plums, they tend to be more effective as a laxative.
If you'd like a "how to" on making prune juice...
It's not very easy to juice prunes. Because they are dried fruit, they have no water to juice.
But you can soak 10-15 prunes in 3 cups of filtered water for 4-6 hours. Blend the prunes with the water in the blender or Vitamix. This will make a good prune juice for you to drink and help as a laxative.
Prunes are dried plums.
It is also an effective laxative to juice 5-6 plums with one apple for a glass of juice.
More on Juicing
Juice Fasting
Detox Juicing
Juicing Tips
Which juicer is for me?
Review Juicers
Juicer Recipes
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