Some people tend to be chronic sufferers of constipation, and may have tried many over-the-counter, prescription and home remedies to find relief. Depending on your body's reason for having sluggish elimination, you may want to try one of several Chinese medicine remedies that have stood the test of centuries of use.
Herbs to Help You Go
According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are a couple of reasons you may find yourself to be constipated. One of these is that you have low yin. Yin and yang are the two sides of the balance that keeps each organism, and the universe, healthy. If your yin is low, you will be low on moisture and heat. This may be due to low blood levels or simply dehydration. To remedy this you will need to increase your fluid intake and supplement your diet with rhubarb (da huang) or peach kernel (tao ren) pills. These supplements are prescribed to moisten, or lubricate the intestines.
On the other side of the coin, you may be constipated because of excess heat. In this case, the constipation may have come on suddenly and may cause abdominal pain. You will need to use stronger measures, such as senna (feng xia ye) or even Epsom salts. Senna is a strong purgative that can be found in tea form at most health food stores. It is one ingredient in the popular product Laci Le Beau's Super Dieter's Tea™, which can be purchased at many grocery outlets as well. Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, has been used in many cultures as a laxative. It is readily available at grocers, pharmacies and health food stores. Follow package directions and you can expect results within an hour or so.
If you are plagued with chronic constipation--and do not know whether it concerns low or excess yin--you may want to try an all-around digestive aid used in China. Before retiring, eat some boiled sweet potato seasoned with a little salt or sugar. The fiber in this tasty tuber can help get your digestive system back on track with little discomfort. As an added benefit, sweet potato is high in vitamin A as well.
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