Heathy Elimination Resource Guide
Food Wisdom for Constipation Prevention and Treatment
Before you reach for fiber or laxatives, did you know your kitchen likely contains a variety of items that can counteract constipation without causing dependency or side effects? Try the following ingredients from your own “kitchen pharmacy.”
Bananas
Bananas are a mild natural laxative due to their heavy and oily attributes. They also provide soft, oily bulkiness for the body. Take one ripe yellow banana after meals. Split the banana in half and sprinkle cumin powder and rock salt on it. Do not combine bananas with milk or other forms of dairy (except Ayurvedic buttermilk). For kids especially, bananas work great, since kids love the taste of bananas. It gives maximum benefit by adding bulk to the stool and thereby relieving constipation.
SPICED BANANA
Eating spiced banana generally guarantees a smoother motion the next morning, but it will not create loose stools.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
large or 2 medium ripe bananas |
½ |
teaspoon ground cumin |
¼ |
teaspoon rock salt |
½ |
teaspoon lemon juice |
1 |
teaspoon cilantro, minced |
METHOD
1. Peel and dice banana(s) into bite-size pieces.
2. Sprinkle cumin, salt, and lemon juice over banana.
3. Toss and mix well. Garnish with minced cilantro.
To relieve constipation, boiled cow’s milk is one of the best remedies, as cow’s milk is a natural mild laxative.1 Buffalo milk can also work well. Goat milk and sheep milk are highly nutritious but do not work as well in relieving constipation. Soy, almond, and rice milk also do not work for the purpose of relieving constipation. Vegans and those who are lactose intolerant need not drink cow’s milk and can always choose from the other constipation-relieving foods.
Drink spiced milk at least three hours after dinner and no later than half an hour before going to bed.2 This recipe is provided in appendix 4. I have found that this recipe is often tolerated by the “lactose intolerant” surprisingly well, especially if they introduce it into their diets gradually, in small doses, and drink it while still warm (without accompanying it with fresh or dried fruits, breakfast cereal, or other food).
Figs
Figs, whether fresh or dried, act as a wonderful natural laxative. When they’re in season, you can simply eat two or three fresh figs daily, ideally in the morning at breakfast or as a midday snack. Before eating dried figs, presoak them overnight in water or cook them with cow’s milk (2 figs in 8 ounces of milk) until soft. Or if you have strong teeth, try chewing two dry figs after each meal.
Unripe figs can also be cooked and eaten as part of a meal. To do so, cut the fruit into quarters and scrape some of the seeds out. The skin and fleshy interior can be parboiled and then either curried or mashed, as in the following recipe.
SPICED MASHED FIGS
This mashed fig recipe has the exact ingredients that ignite digestive fire and support a good bowel movement. It does not require the use of milk, but it does use some ghee.
INGREDIENTS
2 |
cups ripened sweet figs, trimmed and chopped |
1 |
tablespoon melted ghee |
1 |
teaspoon lemon juice |
½ |
teaspoon cumin powder |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
METHOD
1. Boil figs in water till they become soft. Remove them from water and drain in a colander.
2. Mash the figs by hand or blend in a blender (do not add extra water). Add the other ingredients and mix well. Serve.
Grapes and raisins are great natural laxatives for everyone. Both the fresh and dried fruit counteract constipation. A handful of black raisins may be consumed at bedtime, or an hour after each meal. Another option is to soak twelve organic raisins in water overnight and eat them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you sprinkle some rock salt on large raisins, they become an even more effective remedy for constipation. Raisins are the laxative of choice for young children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
GRAPE CHUTNEY
This is an easy chutney recipe that you can make ahead of time. It can be left out at room temperature for at least a week (or more) in cooler temperatures.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
pound fresh grapes (any color) |
4 |
cups water (or more for desired consistency) |
1 |
tablespoon grated fresh ginger root |
10 |
whole black peppercorns |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
2 |
tablespoons cane sugar |
1 |
teaspoon ground cumin |
1 |
teaspoon ground fennel |
METHOD
1. Chop grapes in half and remove seeds.
2. Bring water to a boil in a wide, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Add all the ingredients and cook on low to medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
3. Slowly reduce the mixture to the desired chutney consistency and simmer until the grapes are fully cooked. Add more water if it dries up too quickly. Eat as a relish when cooled to room temperature.
Lemons and limes are effective remedies for constipation because they are a complete and potent package: they move impacted stools, remove toxins, clear a coated tongue, and remove bad taste from the mouth. Whether you have lemons or limes available, you can use them as a garnish on appropriate recipes, squeeze them into hot water, or lick a cut slice as an emergency nausea aid. These amazing little citrus fruits help your digestion in every way.
VEDIKA LEMON SEMOLINA MEAL (UPMA)
This is excellent anytime as a snack or meal, depending on the quantity consumed. Wheat is an excellent source of soft bulk (natural soluble fiber) and an excellent food to consume when suffering from constipation (versus rice, for example).
INGREDIENTS
8 |
teaspoons ghee |
8 |
fenugreek seeds |
1 |
teaspoon black gram (urad dal) |
½ |
teaspoon mustard seeds |
½ |
teaspoon cumin seeds |
5 |
curry leaves (optional) |
|
Fresh ginger root, grated or minced, to taste |
3 |
cups water |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
2 |
teaspoons ghee |
1 |
cup wheat semolina (finely textured), |
2 |
tablespoons lemon juice |
METHOD
1. Heat a pan and add ghee. When ghee is hot, add fenugreek seeds and black gram. Sauté until the seeds start changing color, about 10 seconds.
2. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Sauté until the seeds splutter and pop, about 10 seconds. Add curry leaves and ginger. Sauté 5 more minutes.
3. Add water and salt. Mix well. (If you add salt after the dish is prepared, it won’t taste the same.)
4. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat to medium and add ghee to the boiling water.
5. Add the semolina, a very small amount at a time, mixing thoroughly until it is completely dissolved in the water. Only then add the next batch.
6. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the lid after 3 minutes and mix well.
7. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Mix well and serve hot.
Mulberry is a well-loved fruit. While native to China and India, it grows all over the world today, including in the United States. Ayurvedic texts explicitly describe the unripe fruit as possessing a laxative quality.
The sweet fruit works well if you already have a decent digestive fire. With compromised digestion, the unripe sour fruit may be of greater assistance in relieving your symptoms.
MULBERRY CHUTNEY
I typically recommend making a quick relish or dip from the unripe fruit; however, you can also use semiripe fruit. This chutney can be consumed as a relish along with regular meals. It rids the colon of impacted stools with ease every time.
INGREDIENTS
20 |
unripe mulberries (any variety) |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
1 |
inch piece fresh ginger root, grated or minced |
½ |
teaspoon cumin |
|
Few drops of lemon, lime, or tangerine juice (optional) |
METHOD
1. Grind unripe mulberries in a blender or with mortar and pestle to the desired consistency. (You will likely not need to add water.)
2. Add salt, ginger, and cumin. Squeeze in a few drops of lemon, lime, or fresh tangerine juice for an extra-tart flavor.
Pears are tri-doshic, meaning they balance all three doshas upon digestion. On top of that, pears are easily digestible. Adding rock salt and black pepper to the cut fruit primes the digestion of the pear further. Finally, for all those fiber seekers out there, here is good news for you: pears are one of the leading fruit sources of fiber. A medium-size pear packs six grams of fiber, which equals about 24 percent of your daily requirement for fiber! The skin of the pear contains the majority of the fiber, so enjoy the skin for added flavor, texture, and nutrients!
NECTAR FRUIT STIR-FRY
I remember my mother cooking this recipe every pear season. This dish is ideal for breakfast or lunch, but not dinner, especially if your evening meal will be eaten after sunset. Do not drink chilled beverages or dairy with this recipe; consume warm water instead.
MARINADE INGREDIENTS
¼ |
teaspoon ground turmeric |
|
teaspoon asafoetida |
¼ |
teaspoon ground cumin |
¼ |
teaspoon rock salt |
INGREDIENTS
2 |
medium-size ripe pears, sliced |
1 |
heaping tablespoon ghee or clarified butter |
¼ |
teaspoon cumin seeds |
¼ |
teaspoon whole black peppercorns |
½ |
teaspoon minced fresh garlic |
½ |
teaspoon grated fresh ginger root |
1 |
teaspoon ground coriander |
½ |
teaspoon ground turmeric |
|
Rock salt to taste |
|
teaspoon asafoetida |
1 |
teaspoon minced cilantro |
METHOD
1. Prior to cooking, pierce the pear slices with a fork and mix with the marinade ingredients. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a pan. When ghee begins to shimmer, reduce heat to medium. Add cumin seeds and black peppercorns. Allow them to pop, about 10 to 15 seconds.
3. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and sauté for 20 seconds. Add pears.
4. Sprinkle coriander and turmeric over the pear slices. Add rock salt and asafoetida and stir the entire mixture. Turn heat to low and cover. Do not add extra water as the pear will cook in its own steam. Cook for about 15 minutes.
5. Occasionally remove the cover and stir gently to avoid burning or sticking on the bottom of the pan. After 15 minutes, turn off heat. Add cilantro as garnish. Serve hot. The pears can be served with Indian bread, pita bread, or quinoa.
Spinach, when eaten raw, will aggravate vata. But when spinach is cooked in ghee with digestion-improving spices, its inherent sliminess and moistness become an aid in moving the stools effectively.
SPINACH BLACK GRAM PILAF
This recipe was a personal favorite of mine growing up. The black gram and spinach together create a creamy and unforgettable texture. Both spinach and black gram will induce a purging effect, along with specific spices that work to balance vata and cleanse the colon.
INGREDIENTS
½ |
cup split black gram (urad dal), soaked for 1 hour and drained well before cooking |
1 |
cup water |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
½ |
teaspoon fresh turmeric |
1 |
tablespoon ghee |
½ |
teaspoon cumin seeds |
½ |
teaspoon grated fresh ginger |
⅛ |
teaspoon asafoetida |
1 |
cup fresh spinach leaves, washed and finely chopped |
1 |
tablespoon water |
2 |
teaspoons lemon juice |
METHOD
1. Combine black gram with water in a deep, heavy saucepan. Add salt and turmeric. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until the water is mostly evaporated and the lentils are well cooked and soft (but retain their shape). Be careful not to overcook the lentils or mix with a heavy ladle, which will break up the lentils.
2. Heat ghee in a separate sauté pan. Add cumin seeds and sauté on a medium heat for a few seconds. Add ginger and asafoetida and sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add spinach. Mix well. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon water and cook on medium heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add to the prepared lentils and stir well.
4. Garnish with lemon juice. Serve hot.
The Ayurvedic texts mention that the more sour (rather than sweet) tangerines can also effectively help with constipation as they are a natural laxative.3 Follow guidelines on eating fruits and fruit-based recipes provided in appendix 4 or try the following recipe.
SPICED TANGERINE AND BANANA DRINK
The banana adds bulk and the tangerine juice makes stools softer, both of which assist with elimination. The spices ensure that this recipe balances digestion and does not create the gas and discomfort that juices can often cause. This recipe is both medicinal and delicious at the same time. It should be consumed at room temperature. It is not a recipe for spring but is acceptable in all other seasons.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
medium or 3 miniature tangerines |
1 |
banana |
¼ |
inch piece fresh ginger root, grated |
⅛ |
teaspoon ground cumin |
⅛ |
teaspoon rock salt |
METHOD
1. Peel and de-seed tangerines.
2. Blend tangerines, banana, ginger, cumin, and salt. Serve immediately.
Other Useful Food Items to Counteract Constipation
• Aloe vera gel: In the morning, before breakfast, swallow 1 tablesoon fresh expressed gel from a home-grown plant.
• Well-cooked black-eyed peas: Boil in water with added cumin seed powder and rock salt (to taste) or add cooked peas to other recipes of choice.
• Ripe guava: Sprinkle fresh cut slices with cumin powder.
• Sweet mango: Eat before sunset, and ideally as a meal unto itself.
• Ripe papaya: Sprinkle fresh cut slices with cumin powder.
• Wheat: Eat in variety of unfermented recipes, such as cream of wheat, wheat pasta, wheat chapatti, and wheat tortillas.
Note: Mango (fresh), figs (fresh and dry), and raisins (not grapes) are the three fruits that can be cooked in milk without concern of incompatibility. All other fruits are generally considered incompatible when cooked in milk or eaten along with milk. Eat fruit before sunset, ideally at breakfast or at midday, as a snack or a meal unto itself.
Yoga Postures to Relieve Constipation
• Boat pose
• Cobra pose
• Crocodile pose
• Rabbit pose
• Raised-legs pose
BOAT POSE
COBRA POSE
RABBIT POSE
RAISED LEG POSE
CROCODILE POSE
THUNDERBOLT POSE
SHOULDER-STAND POSE
SEATED FORWARD-BEND POSE
STANDING FORWARD-FOLD POSE
WIND-RELIEVING POSE
• Shoulder-stand pose
• Standing forward-fold pose
• Thunderbolt pose
• Wind-relieving pose
Breathing Practices to Relieve Constipation
• Alternate nostril breathing
• Bellows breath
• Skull-shining breathing
Food Wisdom for Diarrhea Prevention and Treatment
Use table 34 to better understand the foods and beverages that can best reduce or eliminate diarrhea. This list is by no means an exhaustive list, but it provides some guidance to help you make food choices.
Recipes to Counteract Diarrhea
The following recipes have been tried and tested in the Ayurveda tradition for several centuries. Regular inclusion of these recipes on a daily or weekly basis will help increase absorption, bind stools, and combat the tendency toward loose stools. Exclusively focusing on these recipes during an active episode of diarrhea will help ignite the all-important agni and help restore balance. (Also see the detox recipes in appendix 4, especially the gruels and khichadi recipes.)
AYURVEDIC YOGURT SMOOTHIE
This recipe has a binding and drying effect on the stools. It can be consumed daily with meals and is especially useful in combating a tendency toward loose and frequent stools or even irritable bowel syndrome. It can be consumed in all seasons except spring, when yogurt is contraindicated. However, as an exception, it can consumed in spring during an episode of active diarrhea.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
part whole cow’s milk yogurt |
4 |
parts water |
METHOD
1. Mix yogurt with water.
2. Blend in a blender or vigorously by hand for 3 to 4 minutes.
TABLE 34 Diet Recommendations for Diarrhea
AYURVEDIC YOGURT SWIRL
This recipe is especially beneficial in diarrhea, igniting agni, mitigating vata dosha, and relieving hemorrhoids and tiredness. Eat it as a meal or as a snack.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
cup plain yogurt with natural cream |
⅛ |
teaspoon cumin |
⅛ |
teaspoon asafoetida |
⅛ |
teaspoon rock salt |
METHOD
1. Using a blender or handheld whisk, robustly churn the yogurt in a bowl (without the addition of water).
2. When it becomes frothy due to the churning, add cumin, asafoetida, and rock salt. Mix well.
AYURVEDIC RICE SOUP
This recipe serves to rehydrate, rekindle digestive fire, remove pain in the abdomen, and purify the alimentary canal. Eat it warm as a meal. Do not reheat; it is not recommended to eat leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
part rice |
14 |
parts water |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
METHOD
1. Cook rice with water in an open pot, on low heat, until the rice grains are well cooked.
2. The finished product is rice that is integrated into the water to form a souplike consistency. You will find this recipe quite watery when done.
3. Add rock salt, to taste.
AYURVEDIC TAPIOCA SOUP
Tapioca soaks up excess fluid and calms pitta. This recipe helps relieve weakness when ongoing or acute diarrhea has depleted bodily strength. This soup can be consumed during active diarrhea.
INGREDIENTS
1 |
tablespoon tapioca |
1 |
cup water |
1 |
teaspoon sugar |
METHOD
1. Soak tapioca in plain water overnight.
2. The next morning, bring the tapioca and 1 cup of water to a boil. Add sugar.
3. Boil mixture until it thickens into a mushy consistency.
4. Eat only the thick liquid that rises to the top, while leaving behind the solid pieces that have settled at the bottom. The liquid is more easily absorbed than the actual tapioca beads, and it’s nutritious too.
AYURVEDIC CHICKEN SOUP
Begin eating this recipe only when you are feeling much better and active loose stools have stopped. This rebuilds bodily tissues and strength. Eat warm. Ideally, consume the soup more than the pieces of meat. Do not reheat; it is not recommended to eat leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
½ |
cup chopped chicken |
4 |
cups water |
½ |
teaspoon ground cumin |
1 |
teaspoon ground coriander |
|
Rock salt, to taste |
METHOD
1. Add chicken and water to a large pot.
2. Add cumin, coriander, and salt.
3. Cook slowly on low heat for about 30 minutes, until chicken is tender.
4. Remove the chicken pieces because they are heavy to digest. Consume the broth, which is full of nutrition and easy to digest.
Home Remedies to Counteract Diarrhea
• Mix ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg with ½ teaspoon ghee and ½ teaspoon sugar. Swallow at least three to four times a day with a small amount of lukewarm water.
• Lightly sauté ¼ teaspoon ground ginger with ¼ teaspoon aniseed in a small quantity of ghee. Consume this mixture with lukewarm water at least three times a day.
• Make a tea or decoction of equal amounts of ground ginger and ground coriander. Consume two tablespoons every few hours.
Yoga Postures to Prevent Diarrhea
Remember, exercise is contraindicated during active diarrhea, and even yoga postures must not be done during an active or acute bout of diarrhea. However, include the following poses in your usual morning routine when possible, since they especially help in igniting agni.
• Bridge pose
• Cobra pose
• Bow pose
Enjoy happy digestion and great bio-purification, nice and early, every morning!
BRIDGE POSE
BOW POSE
COBRA POSE
