Chronic constipation is one of the most common health problems in today’s societies. Around 12% of the world population suffers from this disorder. Some countries register even one third of their population with problems of this type.
It is a problem in the lower part of the digestive system that is characterized by the difficulty of excreting. The texts of Ayurveda refer to this problem as a symptomatology of the imbalance of the Manipura Chakra. It is also known that any type of disorder in the digestive system has to do with poor emotional digestion.Thus, it is said that the digestive system is the emotional brain of the person and that certain emotions or emotional imbalances can cause constipation due to the difficulty of getting rid of them.
In most cases it is caused by an irregular form of life that does not allow the time required by the body to work properly and the low intake of healthy and fiber-rich foods. If the person takes an unhealthy meal with a tendency to stick to the walls of the intestine, it is not allowing their expulsion from the body. But also if you do not move just during the day and does not put your body into operation, it happens that the intestines lose movement (peristaltic movement) and with it the content remains inside. Even though the body continues digesting food most of the time, the problem lies in the difficulty in defecating toxins or remnants of digestion. The causes can be various, but we can mainly attribute constipation to the following circumstances:
- Lack of physical activity
- Low intake of water that causes the intestine to dry.
- Fast food.
- Fiber deficit in the diet.
- Stress.
- Emotional tension
- Scarce peristaltic movement.
The inability to eliminate waste from the body generates heaviness, slowness, lack of appetite, bodily pain, headache, numbness, lack of energy, irritability, acidity. It can even cause fever in long constipation, infection in the blood, pimples and pimples, swollen legs, etc.
The most effective treatment according to Yoga Therapy combines:
Water: The first way to combat constipation is through water. If the faeces are dry or the walls of the intestine keep dry remains of food, let’s use the sacred water that cleans and purifies everything in its path. The intake of warm water with lemon and honey in the morning fasting presses the intestines at the same time that nourishes and revitalizes.
Stomach wash: On an empty stomach early in the morning, prepare 1 liter or 1.5 liters of warm water with salt. While squatting, knees pressing the lower part of the belly, drink this water without stopping. Once you have finished it, get up, lean your body forward over the toilet, insert your index and middle fingers into your throat and stimulate vomiting. Clean the stomach leaving all the water and with it the remains of food in the stomach. Try not to leave any salt water inside. The next thing you will drink is water with lemon or a digestive infusion. Try not to dine the day before or do not make a copious dinner to do this practice the next morning. Do it once a week: you will stimulate the peristaltic movement of the body and purify the blood.
Asanas:
- Sun Salutation regulates and revitalizes the general functioning of the body. It is a good practice to increase the vital energy of the body and with it the digestive fire that helps us expel excess toxins.
- It dynamically executes Shashank – bhujangasana.
- Also useful are Ustrasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Halasana or Chakrasana and all those upside-down positions like Dhanurasana or Shalabasana. Also Sarvangasana or Sirshasana are beneficial
- Vajrasana, allows to carry the vital energy that circulates in the lower part of the body towards the digestive system. It is especially beneficial after eating.
Breathing (Pranayamas): When you have constipation there is usually an imbalance in body temperature that usually results in an excess of fire. The retention of toxins increases the heat of the body that tries to expel them. To combat this fire one must practice Sheetali.
Meditation to calm the stress and bring serenity to the person: The most appropriate perhaps is Nidra Yoga, which is the one that generates a more immediate therapeutic effect. But any degree or style of meditation will always be valid if with it the person starts in the field of meditation.
But we insist that for the treatment of constipation nothing better than taking water and practicing exercise. In many cases, constipation is not only due to bad habits of life but also to certain emotional states. The Yoga therapist should be able to identify the problem and develop a sequence of personalized practices for its treatment.