Americans drink soft drinks, juices, and other beverages which may quench the thirst but do not properly nourish and lubricate the intestinal tract. Without enough water in the diet, ama, or toxins, will accumulate in the colon, creating a toxicity that is absorbed into the blood via the enteric cycle. This lack of water will also allow toxins to dry out and constipate the colon. This dryness encourages toxins to adhere to the intestinal wall, supporting further constipation and malabsorption. Stimulants such as tea and coffee may enhance peristalsis, presenting the illusion of better elimination when in fact they progressively dry out the digestive tract, leaving the colon unable to properly eliminate.
Exercise is one of the simplest cures for a non-complicated constipation.
Eighty percent of Americans do not exercise regularly. This sedentary lifestyle can be a primary factor in the etiology of constipation. From the ayurvedic perspective, exercise is primarily an activity to pump prana into every cell of the body. Deep nasal breathing during a brisk walk will provide the predicted benefits. In ayurveda elimination is controlled by vata, the principle that governs movement in the body.