constipation
Constipation refers to hard stool, difficulty passing stool, and prolonged intervals between bowel movements, usually two or more days without defecation, or having the urge but struggling to pass stool. The causes are often due to internal heat, weak qi causing poor movement, or yin deficiency and blood insufficiency. Commonly used effective folk remedies include the following.
[Formula One]
Ma Ren, Xing Ren, and Gua Lou in equal parts, with appropriate amount of white honey. Mix all three into fine powder, then cook with honey into pills the size of a date. Take 2–3 pills daily, washed down with warm water.
This formula clears heat and moistens the intestines, suitable for constipation caused by heat accumulation.
[Formula Two]
1–2 bananas, with appropriate amount of rock sugar. Peel the banana, add rock sugar, steam over water, consume once or twice daily, continue for several days.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to dry intestines from insufficient body fluids.
[Formula Three]
Suo Yang and Sang Shen each 15g, honey 30g. Cut Suo Yang into slices, boil with Sang Shen to extract juice, mix in honey, divide into two doses.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to qi deficiency.
[Formula Four]
Honey 30g, Jin Yin Hua 15g. First boil Jin Yin Hua into water, strain, cool down, then dissolve honey gradually. Do not make it too strong—typically prepare two bowls of Jin Yin Hua decoction, store in bottle, and dissolve honey when drinking.
This formula clears heat and promotes bowel movement, suitable for constipation due to heat accumulation.
[Formula Five]
Potatoes in any quantity. Wash, crush, squeeze juice, filter through gauze. Drink half a cup every morning and before lunch.
This formula is suitable for constipation caused by various reasons.
[Formula Six]
Sheng Jun 4g, appropriate amount of sugar. Pour boiling water, drink like tea frequently.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to heat accumulation.
[Formula Seven]
Ma Ren, Xing Ren, and Zhi Ma each in equal parts. Mix into fine powder, cook with honey into pills the size of a date, take 2–3 pills daily, washed down with warm water.
This formula clears heat and moistens the intestines, suitable for hard stool.
[Formula Eight]
Sha Shen and Yu Zhu each 50g, one old rooster, seasonings as needed. Remove feathers and internal organs, wash clean, place together with Sha Shen and Yu Zhu in clay pot, add scallions, ginger, water, bring to boil, simmer gently for one hour until meat is tender, add salt and MSG to taste, eat as desired.
This formula is suitable for chronic cough due to lung deficiency and intestinal dryness from stomach yin deficiency.
[Formula Nine]
Lean pork ribs and rice each 100g, fennel, salt, sesame oil, and Sichuan pepper powder in small amounts. First cut pork into small pieces, stir-fry slightly in sesame oil, then add rice to cook porridge. Just before finishing, add fennel, Sichuan pepper, and salt, cook another 1–2 boils. Consume empty stomach in the morning and evening.
This formula is suitable for constipation after febrile illness.
[Formula Ten]
Spinach 200g, rice 30g. First cook rice into porridge, just before finishing, add spinach, boil until soft, eat freely.
This formula harmonizes the middle and promotes bowel movement, suitable for weak individuals or those with long-term illness experiencing difficult defecation.
[Formula Eleven]
Castanea flour and corn flour each 30g, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and brown sugar in appropriate amounts. Wash and drain sesame seeds, roast until fragrant; grind hemp seeds into powder, mix both in bowl, then add castanea flour, corn flour, and brown sugar, mix with water into dough, steam for 15–20 minutes over high heat, consume once daily in the morning.
This formula tonifies the kidneys and moistens the intestines, suitable for constipation due to qi deficiency.
[Formula Twelve]
Sea moss 3g, oyster meat (i.e., oyster flesh), lean pork each 60g, rice in appropriate amount. Wash sea moss and oyster meat, chop pork into minced meat, form meatballs. Boil in clay pot with sufficient water, add rice, sea moss, and oyster meat, simmer until rice blooms, then add meatballs and cook until done. Eat meat and drink porridge.
This formula comes from "China Food," suitable for senile constipation.
[Formula Thirteen]
Yu Li Ren 15g, white rice 50g. Crush Yu Li Ren, mix with water, filter out residue to get juice. Alternatively, boil Yu Li Ren with 500ml water to extract juice, use this juice to cook washed white rice into porridge, consume warm twice daily.
This formula moisturizes and lubricates the intestines, suitable for elderly constipation.
[Formula Fourteen]
Yam 250g, rice 50g, salt as needed. Peel yam, cut into chunks, cook with rice into porridge, season with oil and salt.
This formula is suitable for hard, dry stools.
[Formula Fifteen]
Fresh hollow stem vegetable 200–250g, 10 lotus roots (peeled). Cook fresh hollow stem vegetable and lotus root into soup, consume 2–3 times daily.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to heat accumulation.
[Formula Sixteen]
Sunflower seeds 15g, rice 30g. First cook rice into porridge, then mix sunflower seeds with water into paste, add to porridge, boil for 2–3 minutes, consume on an empty stomach.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to qi and blood deficiency.
[Formula Seventeen]
Ren Shen 9g, Bai Zhu and Fu Ling each 12g, Huang Qi 15g, Huang Jing and Dang Gui each 10g, Bai Zi Ren 10g (added), Song Zi Ren 10g (added), Gan Cao 7g. Boil in water, one dose per day, divided into two servings.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to qi deficiency.
[Formula Eighteen]
Dang Gui 12g, Chuan Xiong and Bai Shao each 10g, Di Huang and Zhi Shou Wu each 12g, Da Ma Ren 20g (added), Huang Qi 15g, Tan Xiang 7g (grind and add to decoction), Shan Yao 15g. Boil in water, one dose per day, taken twice daily.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to blood deficiency.
[Formula Nineteen]
Da Huang 6g, Bing Lang 10g, Zhi Shi and Mu Xiang each 7g, Wu Yao 9g, Chen Xiang 7g (grind and add), Chen Pi 9g, Fu Shen, Ban Xia, and Xing Ren each 10g. Boil in water, one dose per day, divided into two servings.
This formula is suitable for constipation due to qi stagnation.
[Formula Twenty]
Milk 250ml, honey 100ml, a little green onion juice. Consume heated every morning.
This formula lubricates the intestines and promotes bowel movement, suitable for habitual constipation.
[Formula Twenty-One]
Fresh peach blossom 4g, rice 100g.
Cook both ingredients into thin porridge, consume every other day.
This formula lubricates the intestines and promotes bowel movement, suitable for constipation.
[Formula Twenty-Two]
Black sesame 25g, rice 50g. Roast black sesame, grind into fine powder. Wash rice clean. Mix black sesame and rice in pot, add water, bring to boil over high heat, then lower heat and cook until porridge is ready.
This formula nourishes the liver and kidneys, nourishes the five zang organs. Suitable for liver-kidney deficiency, vertigo due to deficiency wind, intestinal dryness and constipation, post-illness weakness, dry cough without phlegm, premature graying hair, and insufficient breast milk after childbirth.
This formula comes from "Bencao Gangmu" and "Diao Ji Yinshi Bian." Original name: "Black Sesame Porridge." Used for "deficiency of the five zang organs, strengthens energy, strengthens tendons and bones," and "dry cough without phlegm." It is a commonly used tonic for liver and kidney deficiency. Liver-kidney deficiency cannot nourish the brain, leading to dizziness; lung lacks moisture, resulting in dry cough; dry intestines lead to constipation; lack of nourishment to hair leads to premature graying; insufficient source of breast milk leads to low lactation; lack of nourishment to five zang organs leads to weakness. Treatment should nourish the liver and kidneys, nourish the five zang organs. The formula uses black sesame as the main ingredient to nourish the liver and kidneys, nourish the five zang organs; rice serves as auxiliary to nourish the spleen and stomach, strengthen deficiencies, and enhance the tonic effect. Together they form a formula that nourishes the liver and kidneys and strengthens the five zang organs. This formula emphasizes tonification, especially suitable for those with insufficient yin essence and blood deficiency. Black sesame also has anti-aging properties, making it ideal for the elderly and frail.
Adding honey enhances its nourishing and moisturizing effects.
This formula has strong tonifying power, so it is not recommended for those with excessive phlegm and dampness or loose stools.
[Formula Twenty-Three]
Dog meat and sweet potato each 250g. One spoon of cooking wine, a little salt. Peel sweet potato, cut into chunks, set aside. Wash dog meat, cut into small pieces, place in pot, add one spoon of cooking wine, sufficient water, a little salt, bring to boil, skim off foam, stew for about one hour, then add sweet potato until soft.
This formula strengthens the middle, boosts qi, warms the kidneys, strengthens yang, and widens the intestines to promote bowel movement. Suitable for frequent nighttime urination and habitual constipation.
Due to the presence of sweet potato, eating too much may cause acid reflux, so not suitable for those with ulcers or excess stomach acid.
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