How to Help People Stay Regular Without Laxatives
http://www.healityourself.com/articlelive/articles/36/1/How-to-Help-People-Stay-Regular-Without-Laxatives/Page1.html
By Steven H Horne
Published on September 29, 2008
Contrary to what I was taught many years ago, one can get habituated to stimulant laxatives like cascara sagrada and senna. Traditional herbalists always regarded these herbs as remedies for occasional, not daily use. I've met many people who can't go to "go" without using these substances, and I don't regard this as healthy. The goal of herbal medicine should be to restore the body to normal function, not make it dependent on a remedy for daily use. This article explores strategies for restoring normal bowel function without using stimulant laxatives and includes a detailed explanation of a new formula I helped to create called Gentle Move.
About Stimulant Laxative Herbs
Many years ago, I remember Ed Bashaw telling people that if they went to several “experts” for nutritional advice each “expert” would tell them different things. He was right, of course, and his solution to this “problem” is the same as mine—“Learn all you can but trust yourself. Learn what works best for you. It may not be right for anyone else, but if it works for you, that’s great!”
It’s very good advice. Don’t take anyone’s opinion as gospel truth, even mine. Nothing makes me more nervous than people who act like Steven Horne can do no wrong. The fact is, that I’ve been wrong plenty of times, and from time to time, I’ve had to “unlearn” things I thought I knew.
One of the things I had to “unlearn” was about stimulant laxatives like cascara sagrada. I first learned about cascara sagrada from Ed Millet, who had worked with Dr. John Christopher. Both of these men believed that cascara acted as a tonic to the colon and was not habituating. So, I actually taught this myself for a while, until I started to observe people who couldn’t “go” without taking stimulant laxatives.
Cascara is one of several herbs that contains anthraquinone glycosides. These compounds are yellow-brown dyes found in herbs like cascara, buckthorn, turkey rhubarb, the green part of the aloe vera leaf, butternut bark and senna. Plants which contain anthraquinone glycosides are helpful for occasional constipation. Acted upon by intestinal bacteria they increase peristalsis and inhibit water and electrolyte absorption in the intestines. This results in a laxative or purgative action.
Anthraquinone-bearing herbs are great for doing colon cleanses when combined with fiber and other herbs to tone the bowel, clean out the liver and lymphatics and aid kidney function. They are also important to use as part of parasite cleansing. They stimulate bile flow to help digest fats and can be helpful for relieving fevers and acute congestion.
Contraindications of Laxative Herbs
However, anthraquinone laxatives do have some contraindications. First, they should be used with caution with people with inflammatory bowel disorders as they can cause diarrhea. They should also be used with caution during pregnancy and while nursing. The pregnancy warning is erring on the side of caution, as I have used these herbs safely during pregnancy and so have many herbalists and midwives. However, there is some concern that the “downward” energy of these herbs might interfere with pregnancy. The caution with nursing is real, however, as the anthraquinones are passed into the breast milk and can cause diarrhea in infants.
Stimulant laxative are also not a good choice for extremely weak and depleted people. Like anything which works by stimulation, they actually can exhaust the bowel to a certain degree, causing the colon muscle to become weaker.
My favorite herbalist, Samuel Thomson, didn’t seem to rely on laxatives for cleansing. In fact, he didn’t think it was a good idea. He said, “Physic [laxatives] I would by no means choose, to have you first or last to use; for if you use it much in course, it will disorder reinforce.” Also, we just had this discussion on Herbal Hall, the professional herbalist news group, and all the professional herbalists in the group felt the same way about laxative herbs that I do.
Another contraindication for stimulant laxatives is spastic bowel conditions. People with a tendency to spastic bowel can experience severe gripping (intestinal cramps) and pain with the use of anthraquinone laxatives. I have a spastic colon and I had never taken cascara or any other laxative for anything but the occasional cleanse because I absolutely hated the taste of the herb, and not just because it’s bitter. I don’t mind goldenseal, which is also bitter. I assumed that if I hated the taste that much, it was my body’s way of telling me it wasn’t good for me. It’s not that I haven’t taken formulas containing laxative herbs (I have), but I’ve tended to use enemas or other approaches when I got constipated, and leave the laxatives alone except when I’ve been doing a cleanse.
Fortunately, the tendency these remedies have to cause cramping can be counteracted by the use of antispasmodic herbs. Lobelia is a good choice, but kava kava works, too. Another help for spastic bowel is magnesium.
There’s one more caution I have about using stimulant laxatives on a regular basis. I did mention that anthraquinones are a dye, didn’t I. Well, taken over the long term they dye your colon—black. While there is no known harm in this, it does alarm many doctors when they do a colonoscopy.
Now don’t go misquoting me and saying that Steven Horne says Cascara Sagrada, Senna or other laxative herbs are bad. I don’t think that at all. I don’t think they are “dangerous” either. It’s just that they are “band-aids” for the problem of constipation. So, just like I don’t think that taking pain-killers is going to be a permanent solution to anyone’s headaches, I don’t think laxatives are a permanent solution to anyone’s bowel problems. Both work, they just don’t get to the cause. Remember that my favorite quote from Samuel Thomson is, “Remove the cause and the effect will cease.” If we want to really correct constipation permanently, we need to first find the cause.
It’s very good advice. Don’t take anyone’s opinion as gospel truth, even mine. Nothing makes me more nervous than people who act like Steven Horne can do no wrong. The fact is, that I’ve been wrong plenty of times, and from time to time, I’ve had to “unlearn” things I thought I knew.
One of the things I had to “unlearn” was about stimulant laxatives like cascara sagrada. I first learned about cascara sagrada from Ed Millet, who had worked with Dr. John Christopher. Both of these men believed that cascara acted as a tonic to the colon and was not habituating. So, I actually taught this myself for a while, until I started to observe people who couldn’t “go” without taking stimulant laxatives.
Cascara is one of several herbs that contains anthraquinone glycosides. These compounds are yellow-brown dyes found in herbs like cascara, buckthorn, turkey rhubarb, the green part of the aloe vera leaf, butternut bark and senna. Plants which contain anthraquinone glycosides are helpful for occasional constipation. Acted upon by intestinal bacteria they increase peristalsis and inhibit water and electrolyte absorption in the intestines. This results in a laxative or purgative action.
Anthraquinone-bearing herbs are great for doing colon cleanses when combined with fiber and other herbs to tone the bowel, clean out the liver and lymphatics and aid kidney function. They are also important to use as part of parasite cleansing. They stimulate bile flow to help digest fats and can be helpful for relieving fevers and acute congestion.
Contraindications of Laxative Herbs
However, anthraquinone laxatives do have some contraindications. First, they should be used with caution with people with inflammatory bowel disorders as they can cause diarrhea. They should also be used with caution during pregnancy and while nursing. The pregnancy warning is erring on the side of caution, as I have used these herbs safely during pregnancy and so have many herbalists and midwives. However, there is some concern that the “downward” energy of these herbs might interfere with pregnancy. The caution with nursing is real, however, as the anthraquinones are passed into the breast milk and can cause diarrhea in infants.
Stimulant laxative are also not a good choice for extremely weak and depleted people. Like anything which works by stimulation, they actually can exhaust the bowel to a certain degree, causing the colon muscle to become weaker.
My favorite herbalist, Samuel Thomson, didn’t seem to rely on laxatives for cleansing. In fact, he didn’t think it was a good idea. He said, “Physic [laxatives] I would by no means choose, to have you first or last to use; for if you use it much in course, it will disorder reinforce.” Also, we just had this discussion on Herbal Hall, the professional herbalist news group, and all the professional herbalists in the group felt the same way about laxative herbs that I do.
Another contraindication for stimulant laxatives is spastic bowel conditions. People with a tendency to spastic bowel can experience severe gripping (intestinal cramps) and pain with the use of anthraquinone laxatives. I have a spastic colon and I had never taken cascara or any other laxative for anything but the occasional cleanse because I absolutely hated the taste of the herb, and not just because it’s bitter. I don’t mind goldenseal, which is also bitter. I assumed that if I hated the taste that much, it was my body’s way of telling me it wasn’t good for me. It’s not that I haven’t taken formulas containing laxative herbs (I have), but I’ve tended to use enemas or other approaches when I got constipated, and leave the laxatives alone except when I’ve been doing a cleanse.
Fortunately, the tendency these remedies have to cause cramping can be counteracted by the use of antispasmodic herbs. Lobelia is a good choice, but kava kava works, too. Another help for spastic bowel is magnesium.
There’s one more caution I have about using stimulant laxatives on a regular basis. I did mention that anthraquinones are a dye, didn’t I. Well, taken over the long term they dye your colon—black. While there is no known harm in this, it does alarm many doctors when they do a colonoscopy.
Now don’t go misquoting me and saying that Steven Horne says Cascara Sagrada, Senna or other laxative herbs are bad. I don’t think that at all. I don’t think they are “dangerous” either. It’s just that they are “band-aids” for the problem of constipation. So, just like I don’t think that taking pain-killers is going to be a permanent solution to anyone’s headaches, I don’t think laxatives are a permanent solution to anyone’s bowel problems. Both work, they just don’t get to the cause. Remember that my favorite quote from Samuel Thomson is, “Remove the cause and the effect will cease.” If we want to really correct constipation permanently, we need to first find the cause.
Causes and Solutions for Constipaton
The major causes of constipation are as follows. The first is dehydration. One of the functions of the colon is to remove water from the digestive tract to recycle it through the body. The more dehydrated you are, the more water the colon absorbs. This causes the stool to dry out and become hard, causing constipation. Stimulant laxatives work by helping the colon hold onto fluid, but this just means you become more dehydrated because you lose more water. So the first thing you should try if you are constipated is drinking more water.
The second major cause of constipation is a lack of fiber in the diet. Fiber naturally holds onto water in the stool, causing it to swell and bulk up. This puts pressure on the colon wall, which stimulates peristalsis naturally. So, the second thing you should try if you are constipated is adding fiber to your diet. Of course, you have to take fiber with plenty of water. If you don’t, the fiber can actually make your constipation worse, so we’re back to water, aren’t we.
(And speaking of water, I have been finding that the Kangen water does actually hydrate you better than reverse-osmosis water. I’ve been trying out a unit my friend Dave Carpenter in Idaho and it seems to really work. I feel more hydrated on less water.)
The next major cause of constipation is intestinal inflammation. When the intestines become irritated, fluid accumulates in the tissues and intestinal function is compromised. This can cause both constipation and diarrhea. Fiber helps reduce intestinal irritation, so it helps counteract this cause of constipation, too. However, substances that reduce intestinal irritation and inflammation, such as Jeanne Burgess’ formula Intestinal Soothe and Build and antioxidants like Thai-Go will also help reduce constipation from this cause.
Closely behind inflammation is stress. Stress contributes to inflammation, but it also causes the colon to spasm. I readily get constipated from stress, a sign of a spastic bowel. The antidote for this is magnesium. Magnesium relaxes muscle cramps and taking large doses of magnesium will both relax the colon and help hydrate it. I have used 800-1,000 mg. of magnesium (with no calcium) to help relax the colon and overcome the addiction to stimulant laxatives. Vitamin C and citrus bioflavinoids also help here. They reduce intestinal inflammation and also contribute to energy production to help tone up the colon muscle.
For many years I used a product called OxyCleanse to help people restore normal peristalsis. The formula contained magnesium oxide, Vitamin C and citrus bioflavinoids. It really helped me with occasional constipation and it was particularly effective with people who couldn’t “go” without using stimulant laxatives. After several years of pushing for it, NSP finally came out with a magnesium-based laxative product called Gentle Move, which I helped formulate. I’ll tell you more about it in a moment, but first I want to cover the last three underlying cause of constipation.
Lack of exercise causes a loss of muscle tone and will contribute to constipation. So, regular exercise helps one stay regular (as long as one stays hydrated, of course).
Digestive enzymes are needed to properly break down food to keep the colon healthy. If digestion is poor, then intestinal function will be poor. It is possible to get the colon moving just by taking enzymes. Try two capsules of Proactazyme or some other plant enzyme supplement every hour until the colon moves. It works (again, if you also drink plenty of water).
Finally disturbances of the friendly flora will also contribute to constipation, so making sure one has a good supply of probiotics (along with enzymes) will help maintain colon regularity. This is partly because probiotics protect the colon and reduce intestinal inflammation.
Gentle Move
Now, I’d like to tell you about that new product from NSP that I helped formulate. Christine Hughes came up with the name for it—Gentle Move—and it’s very appropriately named. Here’s what’s in this blend and how it works.
Magnesium Hydroxide
Like the magnesium oxide in the OxyCleanse product I used to use, magnesium hydroxide is a salt of magnesium that attracts and retains fluid in the bowel. Magnesium also relaxes muscle spasms and increases cellular energy production to energize the colon.
Triphala
This is a very ancient Ayurvedic formula containing three fruits—haritaki, bibhitaki and amalaki. This blend has been used in India for thousands of years. It is a gentle laxative and a blood purifier that has tonic effects on the colon. This means that the formula not only helps the colon move, it actually tones the colon muscle and helps restore normal bowel function.
Haritaki is a laxative with antispasmodic (muscle relaxing) properties. It has an astringent action, which helps with leaky gut and is a nervine. It is used in India for chronic constipation, nervousness, anxiety and feelings of heaviness.
Amalaki is a mild laxative which has a small amount of anthraquinones that is also cooling and anti-inflammatory. It reduces fevers, burning sensations and alternating diarrhea and constipation. It is used to cool ulcers and helps to heal infections.
Finally bidhitaki is a pungent herb that removes excess mucus. It is also antispasmodic and has been used for asthma, bronchial problems and allergies.
In summary, this formula is a mild laxative and a great tonic for the colon, but it is much more. It is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It enhances circulation, lowers blood pressure and protects the heart. It also supports adrenal function, helps expel mucus, and has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-allergenic properties. It also improves liver function and digestion, including having hepatoprotective effects.
Triphala is indicated for constipation, indigestion, flatulence, poor appetite, digestive headaches, sinus congestion, joint pain, lethargy and intestinal gas. Triphala is such a useful formula that there is a saying in India, “No mother? Do not worry if you have triphala.”
Yellow Dock
This formula would be good enough with just the magnesium hydroxide and triphala, but it also contains several other herbs. The first, and most important is yellow dock. Yellow dock also contains a very small amount of anthraquinones, but it is also anti-inflammatory and reduces intestinal irritation. My good friend Matthew wood uses it to cool intestinal irritation in cases of geographic tongue. It is one of those remedies that corrects both diarrhea and constipation.
Ginger
This pungent herb is a digestive stimulant. It also enhances abdominal circulation and treats nausea, indigestion and intestinal inflammation.
Slippery Elm and Marshmallow
These cooling mucilaginous herbs reduce intestinal inflammation and are helpful for diarrhea and constipation. In large quantities they would act as bulk laxatives, but in this formula they simply contribute a cooling and soothing anti-inflammatory effect.
Benefits of Gentle Move
Putting all of this together, Gentle Move provides a mild laxative action while tonifying and improving colon health. It reduces intestinal inflammation and helps to normalize bowel function with people who have become dependent on stimulant laxatives. It’s a great formula.
I was able to sample it before NSP released it and I’ve been very pleased with how it works. However, I do have some suggestions for getting the most benefit from it. For a mild dose (where you don’t really have a serious constipation problem), you can take 2 capsules once or twice daily as an intestinal tonic. If you have a more serious constipation problem, you will probably need to take 6-9 capsules per day (2-3 capsules three times daily) until the formula starts working. Once the colon starts working you can reduce the dose to the mild dose.
Be sure to take this product with plenty of water to keep the colon hydrated. Also consider using a fiber supplement like Psyllium Hulls Combination, Nature’s Three, etc. Gentle move is also very complimentary with products for intestinal inflammation and leaky gut such as Intestinal Soothe and Build, Everybody’s Fiber, Una D’Gato Combination and Kudzu/St. John’s wort.
By working on the underlying causes of constipation it is possible to normalize bowel function without having to constantly take anthraquinone laxatives. Try some of the suggestions in this article, including the new formula Gentle Move and you can restore normal bowel function and stay regular without laxatives.
The second major cause of constipation is a lack of fiber in the diet. Fiber naturally holds onto water in the stool, causing it to swell and bulk up. This puts pressure on the colon wall, which stimulates peristalsis naturally. So, the second thing you should try if you are constipated is adding fiber to your diet. Of course, you have to take fiber with plenty of water. If you don’t, the fiber can actually make your constipation worse, so we’re back to water, aren’t we.
(And speaking of water, I have been finding that the Kangen water does actually hydrate you better than reverse-osmosis water. I’ve been trying out a unit my friend Dave Carpenter in Idaho and it seems to really work. I feel more hydrated on less water.)
The next major cause of constipation is intestinal inflammation. When the intestines become irritated, fluid accumulates in the tissues and intestinal function is compromised. This can cause both constipation and diarrhea. Fiber helps reduce intestinal irritation, so it helps counteract this cause of constipation, too. However, substances that reduce intestinal irritation and inflammation, such as Jeanne Burgess’ formula Intestinal Soothe and Build and antioxidants like Thai-Go will also help reduce constipation from this cause.
Closely behind inflammation is stress. Stress contributes to inflammation, but it also causes the colon to spasm. I readily get constipated from stress, a sign of a spastic bowel. The antidote for this is magnesium. Magnesium relaxes muscle cramps and taking large doses of magnesium will both relax the colon and help hydrate it. I have used 800-1,000 mg. of magnesium (with no calcium) to help relax the colon and overcome the addiction to stimulant laxatives. Vitamin C and citrus bioflavinoids also help here. They reduce intestinal inflammation and also contribute to energy production to help tone up the colon muscle.
For many years I used a product called OxyCleanse to help people restore normal peristalsis. The formula contained magnesium oxide, Vitamin C and citrus bioflavinoids. It really helped me with occasional constipation and it was particularly effective with people who couldn’t “go” without using stimulant laxatives. After several years of pushing for it, NSP finally came out with a magnesium-based laxative product called Gentle Move, which I helped formulate. I’ll tell you more about it in a moment, but first I want to cover the last three underlying cause of constipation.
Lack of exercise causes a loss of muscle tone and will contribute to constipation. So, regular exercise helps one stay regular (as long as one stays hydrated, of course).
Digestive enzymes are needed to properly break down food to keep the colon healthy. If digestion is poor, then intestinal function will be poor. It is possible to get the colon moving just by taking enzymes. Try two capsules of Proactazyme or some other plant enzyme supplement every hour until the colon moves. It works (again, if you also drink plenty of water).
Finally disturbances of the friendly flora will also contribute to constipation, so making sure one has a good supply of probiotics (along with enzymes) will help maintain colon regularity. This is partly because probiotics protect the colon and reduce intestinal inflammation.
Gentle Move
Now, I’d like to tell you about that new product from NSP that I helped formulate. Christine Hughes came up with the name for it—Gentle Move—and it’s very appropriately named. Here’s what’s in this blend and how it works.
Magnesium Hydroxide
Like the magnesium oxide in the OxyCleanse product I used to use, magnesium hydroxide is a salt of magnesium that attracts and retains fluid in the bowel. Magnesium also relaxes muscle spasms and increases cellular energy production to energize the colon.
Triphala
This is a very ancient Ayurvedic formula containing three fruits—haritaki, bibhitaki and amalaki. This blend has been used in India for thousands of years. It is a gentle laxative and a blood purifier that has tonic effects on the colon. This means that the formula not only helps the colon move, it actually tones the colon muscle and helps restore normal bowel function.
Haritaki is a laxative with antispasmodic (muscle relaxing) properties. It has an astringent action, which helps with leaky gut and is a nervine. It is used in India for chronic constipation, nervousness, anxiety and feelings of heaviness.
Amalaki is a mild laxative which has a small amount of anthraquinones that is also cooling and anti-inflammatory. It reduces fevers, burning sensations and alternating diarrhea and constipation. It is used to cool ulcers and helps to heal infections.
Finally bidhitaki is a pungent herb that removes excess mucus. It is also antispasmodic and has been used for asthma, bronchial problems and allergies.
In summary, this formula is a mild laxative and a great tonic for the colon, but it is much more. It is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It enhances circulation, lowers blood pressure and protects the heart. It also supports adrenal function, helps expel mucus, and has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-allergenic properties. It also improves liver function and digestion, including having hepatoprotective effects.
Triphala is indicated for constipation, indigestion, flatulence, poor appetite, digestive headaches, sinus congestion, joint pain, lethargy and intestinal gas. Triphala is such a useful formula that there is a saying in India, “No mother? Do not worry if you have triphala.”
Yellow Dock
This formula would be good enough with just the magnesium hydroxide and triphala, but it also contains several other herbs. The first, and most important is yellow dock. Yellow dock also contains a very small amount of anthraquinones, but it is also anti-inflammatory and reduces intestinal irritation. My good friend Matthew wood uses it to cool intestinal irritation in cases of geographic tongue. It is one of those remedies that corrects both diarrhea and constipation.
Ginger
This pungent herb is a digestive stimulant. It also enhances abdominal circulation and treats nausea, indigestion and intestinal inflammation.
Slippery Elm and Marshmallow
These cooling mucilaginous herbs reduce intestinal inflammation and are helpful for diarrhea and constipation. In large quantities they would act as bulk laxatives, but in this formula they simply contribute a cooling and soothing anti-inflammatory effect.
Benefits of Gentle Move
Putting all of this together, Gentle Move provides a mild laxative action while tonifying and improving colon health. It reduces intestinal inflammation and helps to normalize bowel function with people who have become dependent on stimulant laxatives. It’s a great formula.
I was able to sample it before NSP released it and I’ve been very pleased with how it works. However, I do have some suggestions for getting the most benefit from it. For a mild dose (where you don’t really have a serious constipation problem), you can take 2 capsules once or twice daily as an intestinal tonic. If you have a more serious constipation problem, you will probably need to take 6-9 capsules per day (2-3 capsules three times daily) until the formula starts working. Once the colon starts working you can reduce the dose to the mild dose.
Be sure to take this product with plenty of water to keep the colon hydrated. Also consider using a fiber supplement like Psyllium Hulls Combination, Nature’s Three, etc. Gentle move is also very complimentary with products for intestinal inflammation and leaky gut such as Intestinal Soothe and Build, Everybody’s Fiber, Una D’Gato Combination and Kudzu/St. John’s wort.
By working on the underlying causes of constipation it is possible to normalize bowel function without having to constantly take anthraquinone laxatives. Try some of the suggestions in this article, including the new formula Gentle Move and you can restore normal bowel function and stay regular without laxatives.