What are the folk remedies for treating spleen deficiency, damp-heat and constipation?

Many people suffer from spleen deficiency, dampness and heat in their bodies due to long-term lack of exercise or improper diet. Constipation is one of them, and both the body and mind are affected at this time. There are actually many folk remedies that can be used in life for this type of disease, and they may have better effects than some drug treatments. So, what are the folk remedies for treating constipation caused by spleen deficiency, damp-heat and constipation?

1. Adjust your diet and daily life - the basic treatment for constipation.

Traditional Chinese medicine attaches great importance to dietary therapy for constipation, and advocates that once the symptoms of constipation are relieved, one should "eat grains, meat, fruits and vegetables to nourish the body." Commonly used foods include: black sesame, walnut kernels, hemp kernels, cypress kernels, pine kernels, Prunus mume kernels, almonds, wild melon root juice, sunflower seeds, donkey-hide gelatin, honey, milk, beef and lamb butter, etc. These foods are smooth in nature, rich in nutrients, and are especially suitable for constipation in the elderly, postpartum women, children, and patients. The vast majority of habitual constipation can restore normal bowel movements by adjusting diet and daily life, increasing activity and correcting reliance on laxatives for defecation. Only a few patients need to be treated with medication.

Adjust your diet and daily life

2. Dialectical treatment of medication - the biggest feature of TCM in treating chronic constipation.

Traditional Chinese medicine is against simply treating constipation and diarrhea, as this method is more flexible and appropriate without any sequelae. Common treatments include:

(1) Water-adding boat method:

That is, the method of nourishing yin and blood, increasing fluid and moistening the intestines. "Essential Readings in the Medical Ancestral" says: "Old women with dry body fluids, postpartum blood loss, sweating and urination, and those whose blood and qi have not recovered after illness can all suffer from constipation. The treatment should be to nourish qi and blood so that body fluids can be produced and the constipation can be relieved." It also points out: "This type of constipation, which is caused by the misuse of nitrate and yellow laxatives, is often fatal. However, croton and morning glory can cause even faster harm. It is advisable to use Bazhen Decoction with perilla seed, tangerine peel, apricot kernel, and Cistanche, and double the amount of angelica." Clinically, Siwu Decoction with Cistanche, Polygonum multiflorum, and donkey-hide gelatin is the main prescription of this method. In case of yin deficiency, add zhenzi, cynomorium songaricum, and asparagus cochinchinensis; in case of blood deficiency, add black sesame and mulberry fruit; in case of dry intestines and dry body fluids, add hemp seed, cypress seed, and honey; in case of qi stagnation, add fructus aurantii and magnolia bark; in case of blood deficiency with heat, add dandelion, sophora japonica, and scutellaria baicalensis, and the effect of treating qi and blood deficiency constipation is satisfactory.

(2) The secret method of regulating Qi and opening the body:

That is to smooth the flow of qi and remove stagnation, raise the clear and lower the turbid, open the upper orifices and unblock the lower orifices, it is the method of "lifting the pot and opening the lid". Suitable for constipation caused by stagnation of Qi. In the past, people often used Liumo Decoction (betel nut, agarwood, costus root, lindera strychnifolia, fructus aurantii, and rhubarb) as the main prescription. However, the rhubarb in the prescription damages body fluids, making the stool more constipated. Therefore, the local prescription Suzi Jiangqi Decoction (perilla seed, pinellia, peucedanum, magnolia bark, tangerine peel, angelica, liquorice, cinnamon or agarwood) should be used as the main prescription, and radish seed, trichosanthes root, fructus aurantii, and apricot kernel can be added.

(3) Tonifying the spleen and kidney:

The method of nourishing spleen and kidney

That is, it nourishes the spleen and kidneys, strengthens the body and promotes bowel movements. The kidneys govern the five liquids, and the spleen governs the dispersion of essence. The kidneys are located below and govern qi transformation, while the spleen is located in the middle and governs transportation. When body fluids are abundant and qi transformation is proceeding, bowel movements will be smooth. If the spleen fails to transport and transform, and the kidneys fail to warm and nourish, constipation will occur. Therefore, the method of tonifying the spleen and kidneys is the best way to treat stubborn constipation. Insufficient spleen qi makes it unable to circulate qi to the large intestine and causes constipation. You can use Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang to add angelica root, Cistanche deserticola and Clematis chinensis. For kidney yin deficiency and fluid deficiency, Liuwei Dihuang Decoction can be used with Ophiopogon japonicus, Rhizoma Achyranthis Bidentatae, Cistanche deserticola, and black sesame. Jichuan Jian plus Banliu Pills can be used to treat kidney yang deficiency and qi dysfunction. The author usually uses the self-made bowel-clearing and laxative soup to treat stubborn constipation:

Prescription: Cistanche 15g, Rhizoma Cyathulae 10g, Rehmannia glutinosa, Chinese Angelica sinensis, Atractylodes macrocephala 15g each, Clematis chinensis 10g. This prescription nourishes both the spleen and kidneys without being dry or cold, so as to strengthen the spleen and kidneys' function in transporting and transporting the large intestine and promoting defecation, hence the name Yunchang Tongbian Decoction. It has a good effect on constipation caused by spleen and kidney deficiency in the elderly, long-term illness, postpartum care and long-term use of laxatives. For those with both deficiency and fullness, and severe abdominal distension, add 10g each of radish seeds and magnolia bark. For those with spleen and kidney yang deficiency, cold abdomen and hard stools, add 10g each of leek seeds and fenugreek.

After reading the introduction above, we should have a better understanding of how to use folk remedies to treat patients with spleen deficiency, damp-heat and constipation. I hope that I can have a good understanding of my own body in time in the future. If my friends are still worried about constipation, you can use the above method. I believe it will help you defecate easily and restore a healthy body.