Gastrointestinal Health and Natural Laxatives
Few FDA approved medications can be found for people who suffer from functionally defined constipation, or constipation without identifiable causes. Sufferers are usually next told to undergo something known as high fiber therapy.
There is a third therapeutic possibility known as home-based or natural remedies to treat the condition. It is important that note that although they are not classified as medications, improper use can lead to dangerous health effects. Furthermore, before taking any herbal or natural treatments, the user would be well-advised to investigate claims as to their efficacy.
The condition we know as chronic idiopathic constipation is characterized functionally. That is, the effects and outcome (i.e. the functional consequences) of this condition are observed, but the underlying causes cannot be identified. The lack of an identifiable physiological cause is what designates it as an idiopathic condition.
Even so, chronic idiopathic constipation is a condition that is quite difficult to define. The reason is because there is such a wide population variance of hat constitutes regular gastrointestinal activity. For some people, defecating once a day is perfectly normal. For others, defecating once every three days is a fact of life. Physicians have debated this thoroughly and a consensus known as the Rome Criteria was reached. The Rome Criteria defines constipation as a constellation of symptoms, including one or less bowel movements every three days.
In recent years, the number of treatment choices for idiopathic constipation has increased. Upon diagnosis, the doctor may offer the patient one of three possibilities. The first possibility is to elect to undergo high fiber therapy, consisting of consuming increased insoluble fiber. Successful therapy also implies correct diagnosis. If this fails, the second possibility is to try one of the many federally approved laxatives and constipation medications. There is also a third possibility for the patient to take up a natural, non-FDA approved laxative.
Natural treatments may sound safe, however they should be treated with utmost caution like FDA-approved medicines. For one, correct dosage has never been tested in a scientific way. For another, there are no standards of purity to which a manufacturer must adhere as the natural treatment is not claimed to be a real medicine.
Heeding these warnings, a patient might still choose from several different types of natural laxatives. Some of these are based on oils, others find their efficacy in natural formulations of otherewise FDA approved compounds. The classification of natural laxatives is informal. One might think that there is a group of laxatives that draw their efficacy from stimulant chemicals that make the gastrointestinal muscles contract more, as well as draw water into the contents to ensure easier transit. Anthraquinone-containing herbs like senna might belong to this category.
The second class of natural laxatives might encompass the oils, such as mineral oil and castor oils. Ingestion of these is thought to coat the contents of the colon, which decreases fluid outflow into the walls of the intestine. As such, the stomach contents retain water, bulk, and move more easily through the colonic space. Drinking prune juice has similar effects, as the high concentration of sorbitol makes it hard to digest and therefore retain bulk and water.
Taking such natural treatments should also be done so in conjunction with the personal care and attention of a physician. The physician should be familiar with the patient’s condition. If such a treatment has a positive outcome, then it should be considered the outcome of good teamwork and effort.
Find out more about natural laxatives for constipation by directly reading our site. The articles provided for senna tea will be informative to many.
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