Acupuncture and herbal medicine have proven highly successful at relieving constipation; however, more clinical trials with carefully planned protocols and mechanistic analyses should be conducted.
Your bowels are sensitive, and their function can be affected by many different variables – diet, stress level, sleep habits, exercise regiment and medications all play a part. Eating lots of fiber-rich food while limiting processed items and drinking plenty of water will help avoid constipation and keep bowels moving smoothly.
Stress
Under stress, your body releases hormones which alter the millions of bacteria residing in your gut microbiome and could contribute to constipation or lead to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
Eating high fiber foods and receiving enough exercise are both powerful tools for combatting constipation, along with drinking plenty of water and receiving enough restful sleep. A high fiber diet includes increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while adding beans and legumes for their high amounts of soluble fibre that soften stools easier for passing.
Acupuncture, one form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), can help alleviate constipation. Acupuncturists use meridians on your body to balance qi (vital energy that flows throughout). Acupressure is another effective TCM technique which may also help treat constipation by stimulating pressure points on the body using fingers – but be gentle as hard pressure could cause bruises and soreness!
Massaging acupressure points on the abdomen helps improve blood flow, unblock qi stagnation and encourage the bowels to move more effectively. You can perform self-acupressure at home by placing both hands on either side of your stomach and moving them in a circular motion – especially helpful for Cold or Qi type constipation cases.
Massage with essential oils can also be an effective way to relieve constipation. Peppermint oil may soothe an overly-tense digestive system while lavender and rosemary oils promote relaxation and stress reduction. Try KM’s QiActiv Pelvic Essential Oil which contains Dang Gui to increase qi flow as well as Roman Chamomile for digestive support.
Diet
Western medicine tends to view irregular bowel movements as symptoms of imbalance within internal organs that must be corrected, but Chinese Medicine sees these irregularities as indicators that must be dealt with.
Low-fiber diets and insufficient water can contribute to constipation. To promote regular bowel movements, increase consumption of raw fruit (prunes, apples, pears and kiwis), berries and green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli; as well as drinking plenty of water or herbal teas like peppermint tea which stimulates energy flow (qi) through your digestive tract and into your bowels.
Nutritional deficiencies have also been linked with constipation. Adequate amounts of fiber, water and prebiotics are essential in keeping the digestive tract functioning at an optimum level – eating more whole and natural foods will certainly help here, but supplementation such as Psyllium Inulin Glucomannan may be available as an effective means.
Constipation can result from eating too many carbohydrates. This could be caused by poor eating habits, eating fewer fiber-rich foods or too much sugar and processed food consumption. Supplementing your diet with high-quality proteins from eggs, meat and fish as well as healthy fats like avocado oil and coconut oil could be helpful.
If you suffer from constipation, it is vitally important that you get an energy testing evaluation and devise a strategy to address its source. Melissa did just this and now enjoys regular, easy bowel movements every morning – she even feels healthier! If you suffer from chronic constipation please reach out to a Functional Medicine Practitioner; we may employ techniques such as food-as-medicine, bowel retraining and nutritional testing as part of our holistic healing approach to help heal and thrive!
Hormones
Constipation can be affected by various hormones, and progesterone plays an essential role in keeping women regular bowels. If you are menopausal, however, progesterone levels can drop and lead to constipation – in such instances your doctor may suggest hormone replacement therapy as necessary.
As well as using acupuncture to relieve constipation, acupuncture may also be effective at relieving Cold or Qi stagnation-related constipation due to low energy in your large intestine, you can massage your stomach area using Meditrina Moxa Pain Relief on Tian Shu Acupoint to stimulate and increase blood flow to the large intestine and unblock bowels. QiActiv Pelvic Essential Oil may help increase Qi flow while unblocking bowels; its composition contains Dang Gui for dispersing cold; Codonopsis for tonifying large intestine tonification while Roman Chamomile supports digestive function and overall function of this condition.
Exercise can also help prevent constipation. Aim to engage in 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week as recommended by the AGA; activities like walking, dancing, hiking and cycling should all form part of your regular regimen.
If dietary and lifestyle modifications don’t seem to help, laxatives may be another option; but beware: laxatives may have unwanted side effects like bloating and abdominal pain. Individuals may find they cannot tolerate these medications so it would be prudent to consult a healthcare professional prior to beginning use of laxatives.
Laxatives, commonly known as bulking agents formulated from either natural or synthetic sources, are one of the first lines of defense against chronic constipation. They work by softening stool by increasing water absorption; there is limited placebo-controlled evidence supporting them; newer prokinetic agents that target peristalsis, intestinal secretion and colonic flora have proven more effective [Castle et al. 1991; Evans et al. 2007].
Herbs
Fiber, water and exercise all help improve digestion and avoid constipation, but occasionally additional measures such as diet changes or herbal medicine may help get things moving again.
Some herbs contain high mucilage content, creating a slippery substance when mixed with water and helping waste to “slip” out of the colon. Examples of herbs rich in mucilage include flax seeds, buckthorn berries and slippery elm. Meanwhile other stimulant herbs promote rapid and deeper bowel movements by increasing production of digestive enzymes; herbs like astragalus, codonopsis and chrysanthemum are effective against Qi (energy) deficiency constipation while asparagus root, Fennel seed and Senna can help treat yin deficiency constipation respectively.
Yellow Dock herbs help balance digestion by stimulating enzyme production, as well as acting as mild laxatives that don’t rely on stimulants or salt-based laxatives for their effects. Yellow dock can also provide relief if your intestinal walls are sensitive or Qi and yin deficiency constipation is an issue for you.
If you have been experiencing constipation, especially over an extended period, or notice blood in your stool, make an appointment with either your primary care physician or naturopathic physician immediately. They can help identify and address any underlying causes for it using either Western or Chinese medicine as appropriate, or both in combination.
Exercise
Exercise is an indispensable part of a comprehensive wellness plan and particularly effective against constipation. Cardio exercises like running, cycling, water aerobics Zumba or even just walking are great at encouraging regular bowel movements and should be part of every health and fitness routine.
People living sedentary lives are at greater risk for constipation. Lack of activity causes stool to remain longer in your gut, becoming dry and hard to pass, while your colon muscles become weaker as a result. Consuming more fiber-rich foods and participating in regular physical activities will help avoid constipation while adding cardio exercises like running may stimulate your bowels to get things moving again.
Chinese medicine takes into account irregular bowel movements as an indicator of imbalance within the body, and if you’re experiencing constipation it is wise to visit a Chinese medicine practitioner who can identify its root cause and provide treatment including herbal remedies, acupuncture, or energy healing therapies.
Chinese medicine holds that every living thing possesses vital energy known as Qi, which flows throughout your entire body to balance physical and emotional well-being. If your Qi becomes stagnant, however, it can lead to health problems including constipation. By stimulating its flow with acupuncture or herbal remedies, intestines will have more freedom of movement and promote regular bowel movements.
Acupuncture needles are used to stimulate specific points on your body that correspond with organs, tissues and other parts. When receiving an acupuncture treatment session, you lie on your back while needles are applied directly to these points – stimulating these acupressure points balances out your flow of qi and releases blockages that may contribute to constipation.
