Natural laxatives
My 25-year-old son is constantly suffering from severe constipation. His doctor advised taking more exercise and eating more fruit but so far, there has been no change. Can you suggest something that will encourage regular bowel movements other than huge doses of commercial laxatives? The problem is really getting him down.
I would never recommend commercial laxatives, not least because prolonged use will actually worsen the problem by making the colon lazy and by weakening the bowel. I would not even recommend senna - which is a natural remedy and is used in hospitals to treat constipation - because to my mind, it is too aggressive. Instead, I suggest your son uses psyllium seeds which have a much more gentle action to push waste matter through the gut.
Unlike wheat bran, which can irritate a sensitive gut, psyllium husks work by absorbing many times their own weight in fluid and, when water is added, they form a soft gel that can move smoothly through the colon. Over time, this gel can even help remove impacted waste.
One of the best products on the market for the gentle but effective treatment of constipation is Lepicol, a natural supplement which keeps the gut healthy with a combination of psyllium husks, probiotics which will help rebuild the population of the good bacteria that also help with digestion in the intestine and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), or the plant food which nourishes these bacteria.
This supplement comes as a powder which looks and smells like sawdust. You add water or fruit juice and allow the husks to swell to form a gelatinous-like mass, which you can then swallow or eat with a spoon. I cannot pretend it tastes delicious - both the texture and the taste are odd - but since it works the very same day, this is a small price for your son to pay.
He should start with Lepicol and then investigate The Robert Gray Cleansing Program - a herbal regimen which again, includes psyllium husks and probiotics, which really can detox the bowel and remove years of impacted waste. It took nine years to develop and works like a colonic irrigation without the embarrassment.
*Lepicol is safe for prolonged use and costs £7.99 for 180g. To order, call 0500-127249. The Robert Gray Cleansing Programme is available from Best Care Products (01342-410303). It costs £52.95 for a one-month supply, which includes cleansing herbs and bulking agents. To learn more about the regimen, before buying, get a copy of The Colon Health Handbook (£6.95 plus £2 p&p) from the same company.