Q. Dear Terry, “I have been struggling with constipation for several years. Sometimes I go a week or more without having a bowel movement. I know that’s not healthy and I want to use something natural. I’ve tried some cleanses and things in the past, but the effects were very intense. What do you recommend?”– B.H., Broomfield, CO

A. Dear B.H., Constipation can be caused by many factors, including: dehydration, lack of fiber, medication side effects, intestinal blockages, and other conditions or diseases. Sometimes constipation can be addressed with diet and lifestyle changes, other times, a full workup may be necessary. I encourage you to keep your healthcare practitioner in the loop with any supplementation you may be considering. With that being said, there are plenty of options for normalizing bowel function.

First, it’s essential to stay hydrated, so drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water. For instance, a 150-pound person should consume at least 75 ounces of water per day. I would also add in high-fiber foods or consider a fiber supplement.

In the traditional medicinal system of India – known as Ayurveda – there is a combination of herbs that have been used for thousands of years to support digestion and disease prevention. Some of the ingredients you may have heard of, like ginger and turmeric, while others may be new, like boerhavia and Indian tinospora.

Each of these herbs has been individually studied and recommended for centuries. They are powerful on their own, but when combined, have even greater health benefits. These herbs help to fight inflammation, stop stomach and digestive disorders, soothe and relax intestinal tissues, bolster the ability of the liver to detoxify, and much more. In addition, all of these herbs have other health promoting properties aside from the ones directly related to cleansing or detoxification.

In a four-week clinical study on these ingredients, participants experienced a 49 percent reduction in constipation, 70 percent reduction in abdominal pain, 72 percent reduction in reflux, and 64 percent less indigestion.

I would take 800 mg of a combination of turmeric, greater galangal, andrographis, boerhavia, Indian laburnum, gotu kola, cyperus, licorice, East Indian sarsaparilla, long pepper, chebulic myrobalan, Indian tinospora, ginger, and curry tree each night before bed.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally