Herbal Laxatives

Herbal Laxatives: Types, Advantages And Disadvantages

Using herbal laxatives may be the best option to consider when it comes to curing constipation before taking medication or going to the doctor. When looking for laxatives, there are several herbs that you may select from.

Different Types Of Herbal Laxatives

There are types of herbal laxatives you could use, these are: bulk laxatives, mild laxatives and purgative laxatives.

Bulk Laxatives are considered the gentlest type for relieving constipation. These laxatives are used to enlarge the stool for helping it to pass through the colon easily, and they must be taken with a lot of water. Some of the well-known bulk laxatives are Flaxseed and Psyllium. When used as a tea, they can be made by crushing the seeds and dissolving them in water. If you take Flaxseed, then you may take 1 tbsp. 3x a day followed by 2 cups of water. You may take several Psyllium seeds followed by 3 cups of water in relieving constipation. However, people with asthma must not take Psyllium.

Mild laxatives are taken when there is only small nudge needed to return the normal bowel movement. Some of these laxatives include dandelion root and chickweed. When taking, you have to prepare 1 oz. of tea with dandelion herb and a pint of boiling water. Then, you have to allow the tea to steep for 15 minutes, and then remove the herb. For relief, you may drink as necessary. When taking chickweed, you have to chop it up, and add it to salads. You may take chickweed to relieve growth of candida in the bowel, colitis, ulcers and hemorrhoids.

Purgative laxatives are the type of herbal laxatives that are usually found in health food stores. Since they are very strong, they must be taken when there is no other option anymore. These laxatives contain anthraquiones, a compound that causes irritation to the bowel movement of the stool. The well-known purgative laxatives are senna and cascara sagrada. Pregnant women and those with ulcers should not take these laxatives. Cascara sagrada is called ‘sacred bark’, and its function involves the toning of the colon and intestines to purge the bowel. This laxative is effective, but has a bitter taste when taken. You have to limit the use of it to no longer than two weeks. When buying, you have to make sure that you buy it from a reputable company. Senna, another purgative laxative, is recommended to be used in prepared over the counter products because of its undesirable taste. You may use it in the form of tea and sweetened with honey.

Advantage Of Herbal Laxatives

You may suffer from pain and difficult bowel movement when experiencing constipation and you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are herbal laxatives that you may consider when looking for constipation treatments. They are basically used to cure constipation. They can be consumed through infusion or decoction or be taken in foods. In tea infusion, the leaves and the upper part of the herb and flowers are used. Roots are used when it comes to tea decoction.

Negative Effects

Herbal laxatives may present advantages when relieving constipation. However, there are unpleasant effects that may harm your body more. Some of the side-effects of taking these laxatives are as follows:

• Vomiting, prolonged diarrhoea, fainting or dizziness, bloody stool and severe stomach cramping

There are advantages as well as disadvantage in every treatment available. Thus, you have to weigh them properly to make sure that they are worth considering. Herbal laxatives are known for their ability to address constipation problems. However, the risks involved must be emphasized. When considering these forms of treatment, it is safe to consult a naturopathic physician or herbalist for safety purposes of herbal laxatives. If you want more information on different subjects, check out Do Laxatives Help You Lose Weight.