09/17/07 at 3:39 pm

In people without medical problems, the main treatment for constipation is to increase your intake of fluids (preferably pure water) and dietary fiber. A good herbal laxative is psyllium seed. You can also try folic acid and vitamin C supplements. Avoiding animal products and consuming more fresh organic vegetables and fruit is vital. Healthy dietary changes will go further in getting your colon back on track than anything.

If you are suffering from constipation or lazy bowels, avoid using over-the-counter laxatives that contain such poisons as strychnine, belladonna, and aloin.

Many effective natural supplements can relieve constipation. Perhaps topping the list is cascara sagrada, a bark from a tree in the Amazon, which is gentle but powerful for restoring regularity. You should stop taking cascara sagrada once regularity is restored. Other good natural products include curacao and cape aloe leaf, barberry root bark, senna leaves and pods, ginger rhizomes, and habeero pepper.

Colonics are amazingly effective for helping to clean the colon and restoring normal bowel function. Natural products great for removing toxins from the colon include pharmaceutical-grade bentonite clay (absorbs and draws poisons from the walls of the colon and intestines), slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, psyllium seed, and peppermint leaf. More information on colon cleanse can be found under Colon & Intestinal Health. Check with your healthcare professional for a qualified referral.

Other Considerations

Regardless of how little your problem may seem to relate to the colon, cleansing the bowel first is often a good bet. The best way to restore and maintain health is to detoxify the body and remove accumulated waste. In order to detox properly, the colon must be clear and operating smoothly. When you detox to purge accumulated waste and toxins, all this waste is finally processed through the colon. If the colon is constipated and not functioning properly, all of the poisons and toxins that were being flushed from your body will not be efficiently eliminated and could even be reabsorbed. This is why many people feel so ill during a detoxification program and often quit shortly after starting. By cleaning your colon first, the program will work much better and you will actually feel great throughout the process.

Tags: Bowel · Colon · Constipation