Five ways to Cure constipation (Suitable for Adults and Children)
1. Acupoint CV14
This point is located 6 cun (1 cun = approximately the width of the thumb) above the belly button and is used in Bowen technique as well as acupressure. Press gently with the pad of your middle finger and pull the skin downwards slightly to release the whole abdomen. Hold this for around 30 seconds. If you are doing this on a baby or toddler they may not let you hold it for long, but keep trying for a few times and they should begin to relax. Also be mindful that the ‘cun’ measurement is relative to the individual the acupressure is being applied to – use the width of their thumb as a measure. Try it on yourself first to feel for the appropriate amount of pressure as it doesn’t require as much as you think.
2. Wind -Release pose
This yoga asana does exactly what it says on the tin – it is highly effective at relieving gas and related bloating. When done with the right leg followed by the left, it stimulates the ascending and transverse sections of the large intestine, followed by the descending colon, creating a manual massage for the abdomen that can be very effective at stimulating bowel movement. To do it yourself, lie on your back and hug the right knee toward your chest for 30-60 seconds, then repeat on the left side. To assist a child with it, lie them comfortably on their back and gently bend the knee into their abdomen. Again, gentle is best here, it doesn’t require a lot of force to create an effect.
3. Citrus
Citrus fruits contain a soluble fibre called Pectin, which turns into a gel in the presence of liquid. It is an essential ingredient when making jams to help them set, but when acting on the intestines helps to soften the stools and reduce colonic transit time. This is beneficial for a number of issues, including constipation, high cholesterol and inflammation, not to mention its role as a prebiotic. Pectin can be taken as a supplement but is easily accessible in its natural form – just dip into your fruit bowl and eat!
4. Destress
I know, it’s hard to avoid stress amidst the chaos that is 2020, and you may have already noticed it affecting your digestion. There are many ways you can approach stress relief and when it’s impossible to avoid the cause (i.e. a global pandemic) a fun way to tackle it is to look for the opposite – JOY!
Try this exercise: Take a blank sheet of paper and write JOY in the middle of it, now brainstorm everything that brings you joy, everything you loved doing as a child, everything that interests you…at the end of this exercise you should have a reasonable list. Now take out your diary, calendar or whatever you use to plan your days and SCHEDULE time to do these things throughout the coming months. Don’t let lockdown get in the way, get inventive.
5. Walk
A common and often overlooked reason for constipation is immobility, whether its due to illness, injury or simply slowing down your routine (ever wondered why you get constipated on holiday?), a lack of physical movement is detrimental to your digestive health. I’ve previously talked about the new research showing that exercise promotes a healthy microbiome, but here it is simply a mechanical stimulant to the digestive tract. Blocked up? It’s time to up your daily step count. Toddlers will have no issue with this but those who aren’t yet walking can easily get the same benefit from being carried in a sling or backpack style carrier.
Do you use any of these methods or find any others regularly helpful? I’d love to hear from you! Hop on over to my contact page and send me a message with the heading “constipation”.