Also spelled as Choorna or Choornam, it is an ayurvedic dosage which refers to a fine powder that is made by drying or grinding potential medical herbs. These churnas are created by cleaning, drying and pulverizing ingredients and then making a powder from them which has fine consistency. Churnas are known for their therapeutic properties. They relieve you from constipation and has several other benefits.
How is churna made?
The process of making churna involves-
· Based on the condition being treated, herbs are selected.
· After selection, they are dried thoroughly for preventing moisture.
· After that, they are grinded and made into a coarse powder.
· After making a powder, they are sifted thoroughly.
· Then, they are stored in an air-tight container.
Constipation
This condition is characterized by hard stools and infrequent bowel movements. The feeling causing bloating and a feeling of incomplete evacuation. It is not a serious issue, chronic constipation leads to complications like rectal prolapse.
How does constipation affect the body?
· Digestive discomfort.
Hard stools tend to cause discomfort during bowel movements. They also cause a feeling of bloating.
· Rectal bleeding
When you put excessive pressure during bowel movements, it leads to tiny tears in the anus and this eventually leads to bleeding.
· Chronic constipation eventually increases the risk of hemorrhoids.
What are the causes of constipation?
· Diet
High-fat diets and insufficient fluid intake leads to constipation.
· Lifestyle
Ignoring the urge of defecate and lack of exercise leads to constipation.
How to address constipation?
Constipation is linked to dehydration, vata dosha and imbalance in bodily systems.
· Dietary adjustments
One should eat fiber rich fruits and vegetables such as figs, papaya and whole grains.
· Oil massage
An abdominal massage with sesame oil helps move the bowels.
Basti or enema is also used and it is a Vata-pacifying therapy.
Why do people go for churna for constipation?
Churnas are natural and gentle on the digestive system and they are one of the most trusted forms of medicines for promoting regular bowel movement and balancing digestion. Churnas stimulate digestive fire and work without harsh chemicals and any kind of artificial additives. The raw and preservative-free herbal medicine have no synthetic excipients. They also have a higher concentration of active plant compounds.
Churnas can be mixed with ghee, milk or honey and the dose can be adjusted based on severity. Churnas improve liver and digestive function and they also detoxify the colon. Following are the ayurvedic churna for constipation-
1. Abhaya Churna
This is a classical ayurvedic herbal powder which is used for treating bloating, vata-related issues and constipation. The drug is made from a single potent herb called Abhaya or Haritaki. The drug is a laxative and acts as a digestive stimulant. It also reduces bloating and gas. The drug detoxifies the colon and clears toxins from the intestines. It nourishes the gut lining and is safe for long term use.
How to use the churna
· One should take 1-3 grams of the powder.
· Mix the powder with warm water or ghee/honey.
· The drug should be taken at bedtime.
2. Kayam Churna
This well-known ayurvedic churna is used for treating digestive sluggishness and other ailments such as acidity, gas and constipation. This medicine is the go-to remedy for chronic constipation when the bowel movements are incomplete. Following are the ingredients in the drug-
· Ajwain- It relieves gas and bloating.
· Haritaki- It acts as a vata-pacifier and detoxifier.
· Hing- It reduces flatulence.
· Nishoth- Also known as Turpeth root, it clears accumulated toxins.
· Black salt- It reduces acidity and also improves digestion.
· Senna leaves- The drug helps in stimulating bowel movements.
3. Avipattikar churna
This soothing digestive ayurvedic tonic targets acid reflux, hyperacidity and constipation. The drug also works effectively for treating constipation. It is related to acidity and pitta imbalance. Indigestion occurs due to the imbalance of Pitta dosha. After the consumed food is left undigested owing to low digestive fire, it results in the formation of ama that eventually lead to indigestion.
The churna is considered as one of the most effective Ayurvedic churna for managing indigestion.
Constipation is the condition in which the individual faces immense difficulty emptying the bowels or passing out hard and dry stools out of the body.
The disorder is a cause of vata dosha. Some of the factors that aggravate vata dosha are sleeping late at night, depression and stress. The churna is one the best ayurvedic churna for constipation.
Grahani or Irritable bowel syndrome is caused due to an imbalance of Pachak agni. The IBS ailment is followed by indigestion, stress and emotional problems.
4. Trikatu churna
The churna is made from three pungents. The herb is primarily used to stimulate digestion and manage the kapha and vata disorders. The drug is widely known in Ayurveda as ‘deepana pachana’. It means that it kindles digestive fire and remove toxins from the system. Following are the key ingredients in the medicine-
· Black pepper- It enhances absorption.
· Dry ginger- The herb has anti-inflammatory properties.
· Long pepper- The ingredient improves bioavailability.
Following are the health benefits of the drug-
1. Boosts digestive fire.
The drug prevents indigestion and bloating.
2. Improves metabolism.
This helps break down fats and food faster.
3. Removes toxins.
It clears undigested waste from the gut.
4. Clears kapha.
The drug is useful in cough and asthma.
5. Balance vata and kapha doshas.
The drug reduces cold digestion and sluggishness.
5. Kabj churna
Kabj Churna is an ayurvedic proprietary formulation for treating constipation. Along with constipation, it also treats irregular bowel movements and digestive discomfort. The drug is designed to relieve constipation gently without causing dependency or any kids of side effects. The drug is popular for dealing with habitual or chronic constipation. Following are the ingredients present in the drug-
· Isabgol
The ingredient adds bulk to stool and also improves stool consistency.
· Haritaki
The ingredient is Vata-balancing and it is a mild laxative.
· Senna leaves
It stimulates the bowel movements.
· Ajwain
This ingredient relieves gas and bloating.
· Black salt
The ingredient enhances digestion and reduces acidity.