adminMirriam Nyasha Kwari
Herbalist
Constipation is a problem that many people suffer from time and again. Most of us are not as bowel conscious as we ought to be. I am saying that some of us are constipated and do not even know that we are. We are not as bowl conscious as we ought to be. But how do we get constipated without knowing it? Well, the bowel is a tube that can stretch to many times its normal size. It is scary that it can harbour old faecal matter, undigested foods, parasites that are compacted on the sides of the colon walls. I consider this condition of the bowel to be constipation because these faeces are still compacted in the walls, even though there’s a tunnel space in the middle allowing the person to pass some waste material through. This means that the person can still be eliminating daily wastes through the bowel, even though not all waste is dislodged.
There are people who have come to me and do not believe that they are constipated. We agree on a cleansing diet and herbs to eliminate the backed-up wastes. We have to learn to take herbal enemas and colonics to help the cleaning process. When we follow these plans, we may start to eat more freely, evacuate more frequently, even 3 to 4 times a day, which becomes absolutely amazing. They also feel lighter. The point is that the bowel can store up material on the sides of the colon walls and in bowel pockets, even though one may be eliminating daily.
Ideally, one should eliminate after every meal. The stool should be light brown in colour and should be soft, coming out without strain. The total time should be less than one minute. There really should be no odour. If you are one who needs to take a novel to the toilet with you, then you are constipated.
Some factors that contribute to constipation:
Lack of water
Ignoring the call of nature…that is not going when you feel like going
Nervous tension that keeps the bowel tense
Lack of exercise that causes the bowel to get lazy
Side effects of medications that make constipation a problem
The five white enemies: sugar, flour, milk, rice, salt, and sadza
Stomach diseases including ulcers, cancers, …the list is endless
Herbs
The commonest and most useful are plums, also known as prunes when they are dried. Children will need to have prune purity to clear constipation
Corn silk is a laxative: make tea and chew on the little strings
Flax seeds in cereal, in porridge and in yoghurt or in food
Sadza remhunga with loads of veggies
Aloe vera juice
Licorice juice
Beetroot juice
Loads of carrots
Loads of pawpaw
All the yellows and whites such as butternut, pumpkins
Mushrooms
Do not forget to include your Graviola
There was a time when l spoke about the colour yellow in the food world. There is need for all of us to remember that digestion is a crucial aspect of the human body when it comes for survival. We have got to digest and eliminate all that has been eaten, in order to live a healthy life.
Once digestion is compromised, we experience many unhealthy issues, like the headaches, the blood pressures, the diabetes, and so many other diseases. I remember telling in one article, that all yellows are meant to help with the digestive process. They are even shaped like the human organs to remind us that they are needed in the stomach for prevention of some ailments and for keeping the gut healthy. Look at the carrot, as elongated as the intestines. The mbambaira or sweet potatoes, whitish and yellowish also amazing for some healthy evacuation. All pumpkins including mapudzi/manhanga, butternut, should actually be used as starch substitutes in our meals more frequently than most families realise. The nuts raw and cooked are a beautiful collection of healthy food that helps in the proper function of the digestive system.
I am not trying to instil fear in any of our readers, but the constant daily sadza intake is actually causing more harm than good. Most of the refined mealie-meal we are used to for our daily meals in the evening, are fortified with additives because there is nothing in them for the body in the first place. The motto for our Saturday newspaper articles has always been to let our food be our medicine. We claim that we want to teach each other to make our food our medicine, and so far, l think the message reaches a few people. Out of those few, and this is from comments l receive from the readers, there is a mountain to climb for many people, if the diet has to be changed.
Well, l say, it is never easy to change one’s routines. We have, however to make an effort. It will be hard at first, but you will be surprised how much the body quickly adjusts to these changes. God created it that way. In 3 to 4 days, you get used to eating well and you start craving for those things one would normally think of as impossible. It is amazing and you can do it. Our palette is one that fools us. The taste in the mouth can be overcome by new tastes, that are healthy. .
Look after yourself and each other. Remember, to sip n your Graviola tea. Keep well in this Covid 19 era. God bless.
Miriam Nyasha Kwari/0773378571/
Online Reporter