Hot water & lemon....constipation....

[shamnas]

Hi there,

Does anyone drink lemon juice in hot water first thing in the morning? Is this supposed to benefit regularity?

I was recently at a store that sells natural beauty products and there was a product they were advising me to buy. It was an Ayurvedic product that is supposed to cleanse your system...make you regular.
I worry about taking anything that is supposed to help make you regular as it might become habit forming.

I remember reading about the lemon in hot water but couldn't remember what the benefits were.

Any opinions are appreciated.

Thank you,
Sham

 

[candi]

As I understand it, hot lemon water stimulates the intestinal tract to make your body want to purge waste. I don't think it does anything to help soften the stool, although I might be wrong. I take antihistamines every day for allergies which causes me to be slightly constipated. I take one teaspoon of sugar free Metamucil in 8 oz of water every morning to help. Metamucil is a natural fiber supplement. But if you do tend to be constipated, you must drink lots and lots of water.

 

[Norma48]

I know, lemon is a cleanser and anti inflamatory, it may help you to constipation, but lots of fiber and water and the right fats, and the right amount helps a lot!
Norma

http://www.geocities.com/norma123nyc/Mygreatjourney.html

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/df/success/chavez.html

 

[kathryn]

Eating whole foods will make you regular naturally. Adding ground flax to your diet (about a TBSp a day) will help as well.

You're not on a "low carb" diet are you? They are notoriously constipating.

 

[scm]

I bet the Ayurvedic herb the store staff was telling you about was Triphala. Triphala does have a mild laxative effect, but does not create dependency, nor does it disturb healthy intestinal flora. It does regulate and rejuvenate the colon. It normalizes digestion and metabolism. This herb is also very high in Vitamin C.
As with all herbs, you can take Triphala for about three weeks, then stop taking it for another two weeks. You continue to do this routine for ten full weeks. Everyone responds to this herb differently. You may only need half the recommended dose, or you may need a little more. It will
only take a few days before you'll know what's right for you.
Susan C.M.

 

[Rose11]

>I know, lemon is a cleanser and anti inflamatory, it may help
>you to constipation, but lots of fiber and water and the right
>fats, and the right amount helps a lot!

Yes that is the way to do it. You shouldn't depend on anything else than a high fiber diet, and lots of water to keep you regular A thing I've been doing for years now is that I buy Fiber One cereal and I use my food processor to make it a powder. I sprinkle that on a lot of things I eat during the day. Half a cup of Fiber One has 14g of fiber and 1 cup has pretty much all the fiber you need for the day. I usually eat about 1/2-3/4 cup daily and the rest I get it on my diet (brown rice, veggies and fruit, cereal, etc.) If you're into organic cereals there is an organic version of Fiber One I've bought in the past. I can't recall the name but it comes in a blue box and when you see it you'll know it's the organic version of Fiber One. It's really hard to find in my area, but when I see it I buy a couple of boxes. I hope that helps.

 

[shamnas]

Thanks for all the input.

The product does contain one part Triphala. I have heard good things about the product but worry about being dependant on anything. I only tend to be constipated once in awhile, other than that I tend to be regular.

Kathryn,
I do have a lot of whole foods and have been increasing the amount slowly, especially beans. I have ground flaxseed every morning and I think it really helps.

Thanks again,
Sham