11 Diet Tips to Relieve Constipation and Improve Bowel Movements

Highlights

• Fruits and vegetables like papaya, orange, beans, & asparagus are good
• Drink lemon juice mixed with warm water every morning
• Develop a regular eating habit and chew your food properly

Remember 'Piku'? The movie threw light on the cause of common anxiety and tension among many Indian families – constipation and irregular bowel movement. According to a survey carried out in 2015, about 14 percent of urban dwellers are facing the consequences of an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle in the form of constipation. Some resort to popping pills for a smoother morning ritual and then there are others who go for treatments like an enema for relief. Here is some good news. With simple yogasanas, dietary changes and Ayurveda, you can fix your bowel system without having to live through the side effects of popping pills or unnecessary treatments.






With different systems working in close coordination with each other, the proper functioning of the digestive system and excretory system aids the supply of nutrients and enhances our energy levels by eliminating the toxins, or mala as knownin Ayurveda, leaving one feeling fresh, light, aware, and more focused. You can improve bowel movements on two fronts: physical and dietary.

On the physical and structural level, you can practice a few simple asanas that facilitate the bowel movement. Gaurav Verma, Regional Director at Sri Sri Yoga, and a senior Art of Living teacher, gives us some of the asanas and Pranayamas that can be practiced to relieve constipation and gas and work up the bowels. These include Katichakrasana or Standing Spinal Twist, Ardha Matsyendrasana or Sitting Half Spinal Twist, Shishuasana or Child Pose, Malasana or Garland Pose and·Pawan Muktasana or Wind Relieving Pose.

You can also practice the following pranayamas or breathing exercises for smooth excretion: Agnisar Pranayama (this should be learned from a Yoga expert), Diaphragmatic Breathing, Abdominal Breathing and Apaan Mudra.