Overview of Constipation According to Ayurveda

Overview of Constipation According to Ayurveda

Not many people talk about constipation but in this time of western eating, with fast foods, takeaways, and snacks as well as some of the detox and fasting diets, constipation has become something of a problem for many people.

Read my other article on Morning Evacuation in this section on the site for further ayurvedic understanding.

This article also follows with ways to address each dosha that suffers from constipation, read this first and then move on to each article.

Causes

Constipation refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement.

 The cause of constipation can include:

·         The intake of food possesses dry, light, rough qualities. This includes any food that cause                       dryness of mouth, lightness in the body and roughness in the skin.

·         Excessive consumption of pungent, astringent and salty foods

·         Waking up at night and not getting enough good quality sleep

.         Stress and lack of relaxation

·         Not enough intake of water

·         Working in strong sunlight.

·         Long walks, that tire the body

·         Change of routine as in travelling 

·         Sitting at the same place for a long period of time

·         Lack of sufficient fibre in the diet

·         Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease

·         Excessive use of antacids

·         Depression

·         Rheumatoid arthritis

·         Pregnancy: the fetus putting pressure on the intestines, causing a lack of bowel movements

·         Colon cancer

·         Intestinal obstruction: structural problems such as twisting of intestines (volvulus)

It's an overall Vata problem

According to Ayurveda, constipation is a signal of imbalanced Vata and blockage of channels. 

Vata is like the wind and in your system should be flowing and moving to create good bowel movement.

Even though constipation is a simple discomfort, if neglected and not treated in time, it may lead to a major problem. Digestion is like a highway. One wrong move, and everything gets backed up. Sometimes for years. So there is an immediate need to look into this health discomfort, seriously.

Problems 

If the complaint is neglected, and causative factors are continued, complications such as the following arise:

·         Hemorrhoids

·         Fissure in anus

·         Gaseous distention of abdomen, bloating

·         Fecolith – hard, stone like feces

·         Headache, liver disorders and various metabolic and intestinal diseases may be originated

·         Back ache

.         Toxins will build in the body and create all types of disease

·         In some individuals, reverse peristalsis can also occur

 Vata dosha that is out of balance is responsible for constipation. Apana vayu is responsible for both holding the stool until it is ready to be expelled, and for the free flow and expulsion of stool. When the functions of Apana vayu are significantly affected, it results in constipation.

Let's look at how to help ourselves and improve our dosha constipation problems, go to the other articles in this section for each dosha solution.