Constipation is by far one of the most common disorders in the world.
In Natural Medicine it is said: “the disease starts in the intestine“. This statement is very important if we consider that the stagnation of stools in the intestine creates deposits along the walls that prevent the absorption of fundamental nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, causing inflammation of the intestinal wall with spasms and pain, malabsorption and disorders in the most diverse organic districts.
Furthermore, a good part of our immune system is found in the intestine, hence chronic constipation can cause immune disorders predisposing to acute diseases and to chronic and degenerative processes.
For these reasons, constipation should never be taken lightly.
How do I know if I am constipated?
We talk about constipation when you have bowel movements less than once a day. If you have bowel movements once every 2 or 3 days, we say it is constipation, then there are cases of severe and obstinate constipation where you have bowel movements once every 10 days, or even more.
What are the causes?
The causes of constipation are generally these:
- poor diet;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- laxative abuse;
- antibiotic abuse;
- psycho-physical stress.
To overcome constipation, it is therefore essential to act on all these factors and in particular on our diet, which is undoubtedly the most important factor.
Diet and constipation
A healthy and balanced diet is essential to cope with constipation. In principle, it will be essential to increase fiber intake through daily consumption of fruit, seeds, vegetables, algae, legumes and whole grains.
Besides, it is important to avoid those foods that are the cause of constipation, which weigh down the digestion, inflame and poison the intestine. In particular you should eliminate dairy products, which contain casein, a protein that the human intestine is unable to digest and whose daily consumption, with the passage of time, can cause serious damage.
These are the foods that should be avoided:
- Milk and derivatives (except kefir and homemade yogurt that have probiotic action);
- Red meat, cold cuts and pork;
- Refined bakery products (pasta, white bread, crackers, biscuits, rusks, etc.);
- Desserts and snacks;
- Candies and chewing gum (they contain synthetic sweeteners that irritate the intestine);
- White rice (choose the whole rice);
- Tea (especially black tea);
- Bananas (they are astringent);
- Carbonated drinks.
Beware of gluten: in recent years more and more people have a marked gluten intolerance, which is not always diagnosable as a celiac disease. In some cases, the only way to determine this type of intolerance is only one: eliminate cereals with gluten for a certain period (it is recommended at least 1-2 weeks). Only in this way it is possible to understand if effectively eliminating gluten, there is an improvement in intestinal disorders and regularity. These are the cereals that contain gluten: wheat, spelled, barley, kamut, oats and rye.
Vegetables at every meal: it is important to consume organic and seasonal vegetables (do not eat tomatoes in December!) with every meal. For a better digestion the vegetables should be consumed before starting the meal and not at the end. It is preferable to eat raw vegetables, as cooking destroys part of the vitamins and with boiling many of the mineral salts end up in the cooking water. Among the preferred vegetables we find those with choleretic and cholagogue properties such as artichokes, fennel, green beans, chicory and cabbage.
Drink natural water away from meals: it is important to drink natural water before meals and not during or immediately after. The water we drink during meals dilutes the gastric acids, making digestion less effective. Drink only natural water (avoid carbonated water), or even better, a hot herbal tea or vegetable cooking water. Hot water improves digestion. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided, but you can drink a glass of red wine, even before a meal.
Make good use of spices: the use of spices to flavor foods, such as parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc., are particularly indicated as they improve digestive efficiency.
Fruit yes, but choosing with criterion: fruit, as well as the vegetables, should be consumed choosing according to the seasonality and opting for organic products and maybe zero kilometers. Bananas are best avoided, as they are astringent. The same for blueberries, at least until the problem of constipation is totally solved. Among the fruits with a good laxative effect we find dried prunes, kiwis, cooked pears and cooked apples. Elderberries (or their juice) are also very suitable. Elderberries have a powerful laxative action and should therefore be consumed in moderation (3-4 no more berries). Finally, it is important to point out that the fruit should be consumed alone (for example at breakfast or as a snack) and never during or shortly after the end of a meal.
Aloe against constipation
Aloe is one of the plants most used by the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of laxative and purgative powders, tablets and hydroalcoholic extracts. In fact, Aloe contains a significant amount of anthraquinone glycosides, such as aloin and aloe-emodin.
The colored pigment anthraquinones present near the skin of the Aloe leaf distinguish from the transparent gel by their yellowish color. The characteristic action of anthraquinones is to stimulate intestinal peristalsis and therefore laxative.
The action is decidedly more powerful if you take pharmaceutical extracts, which isolate these molecules to produce real purgatives. The use of these products, if at the beginning can achieve a clear improvement of the disorder, in the long run can lead to a deterioration.
The action is more delicate, but at the same time even more effective, if the Aloe leaf is taken in its natural state, in its entirety and in the way described later in this article. This is because Aloe, in addition to anthraquinone glycosides, contains a multitude of beneficial substances such as vitamins, mineral salts, mucilage, polysaccharides and enzymes, which together work in synergy acting on the cause of constipation and improving intestinal function in the short, but also especially in the long run.
How to take Aloe?
The best way to consume Aloe to treat constipation is to prepare the aloe juice recipe in the way described by Father Romano Zago by blending 350 g of Aloe Arborescens leaves, 500g of organic honey and 3-4 tablespoons of distillate (gin, grappa, vodka, etc.).
The Aloe recipe thus prepared can be taken 3 times a day, half an hour before the main meals, in the quantities of a spoon.
It is the same recipe that Father Zago recommends for the prevention and treatment of Cancer (and many other diseases). Aloe, besides being a natural laxative, is also a powerful anticancer.
In the first few days it is easy to experience episodes of diarrhea. It is completely normal, and we must not panic. Continuing with the intake of the juice within a week, or even less, normal intestinal activity will be restored.
In any case, it is imperative to improve one’s diet, otherwise, once the juice is finished, the issue will return.
Where to buy Father Zago’s juice recipe
Is it possible to buy the Aloe juice recipe of Father Romano Zago? If yes, where?
Yes, fortunately it is possible buying the ready-to-use juice by ordering it on the internet. In fact, there are already several companies in Italy that have started cultivating Aloe Arborescens and producing juices for therapeutic use some years ago, using the ingredients and dosages recommended by Father Romano Zago.
Among these, I would recommend buying a particular product, made by the ErbediMauro farm of Mauro Vallesi of Monte San Giusto (MC), which in addition to offering a product of absolute quality, 100% organic, besides respecting all the requisites imposed by Father Zago (exact proportion of ingredients, leaves collected and processed in the dark, etc.), offers the least expensive product on the market.
Aloe Arborescens juice, Father Zago’s recipe
Ingredients: Aloe Arborescens, honey and distillate;
Content: 750 ml;
Price: 34,00 €;
Other natural laxatives
In addition to Aloe, there are many other natural remedies that can improve bowel regularity.
Among these we find:
Mallow: it is rich in mucilage, substances which, as mentioned, have an excellent lubricating effect on the intestinal walls. Furthermore, the mucilage protect the stomach walls from the corrosive effect of gastric acids, so they are also of great help in the case of ulcers, gastritis and gastric reflux. Put a handful of flowers and fresh leaves (that is, freshly picked) of mallow in a cup of water to a boil. From the moment the water begins to boil, after 5-6 minutes close the flame and leave to infuse for another 10 minutes, then the whole is filtered and served hot. It is useful to drink 2-3 cups of this herbal tea a day. To improve its effectiveness, the mallow can also be associated with fennel seeds (or anise), chamomile flowers and strawberry leaves.
Flax seeds: flax seeds, like mallow, contain mucilage, but they must be taken in the following way, otherwise they will have no effect. Flax seeds are left for one night (or 8 hours) to macerate in a glass of water at room temperature. The following morning, on an empty stomach, you drink the water and eat the seeds. This remedy is more effective if, in addition to flax seeds, 2-3 dried prunes are left to soak, eating them the following day as it is done with seeds.
