“What goes in, must come out…”
I told a friend i was having a bad case of constipation. I think it’s stress-related kind of thing. I am not one for suppository or take drugs (dulcolax) or drink this horrible diet tea (so okay, i did try — once).
I tried oranges and watermelon, no effect. A Chinese friend suggested boiled camote (sweet potato) with ginger and sugar. I should eat the camote and sip on the soup. Hmm, i thought it worked because my stomach went seismic afterwards. It’s good i was off-duty so i was alone in the house, otherwise, Al Gore will surely cite me for unusual volume of gas emmission. Well, i did go to the loo later.
But really, even if you eat healthy, fiber-rich foods, you can’t avoid constipation if the nature of your job is sedentary, or if you are prone to stress (anxiety), or you never engage in physical exercise (i said ‘exercise’, not ‘sexercise’).
Eating healthy foods, i daresay, is not enough. It must be accompanied with regular exercise and the avoidance of source of stress.
Now here comes an email from my friend, Nora Hui, about another natural remedy for indigestion – Okra. Do you know that Okra has a new scientific name? It used to be known as “Hibiscus esculentus“. But modern scientists found more differences than similarities between okra and hibiscus (gumamela family). So now okra’s new SN is “Abelmoschus esculentus“, presumably named after that scientist (named Abel?) who passionately studied the veggie.
In the meantime, I have to deal with my constipation. This is sh**ty kind of problem i want to get over with. I will have to make camote and okra part of my diet starting Monday (Because tomorrow is Sunday and Chioma, the cook, will be in church the whole day)
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A man has been suffering from constipation for the past 20 years and recently from ACID REFLUX . He didn’t realize that the treatment could be so simple — OKRA!
He started eating okra within the last 2 months and since then have never taken medication again. All he did was consume 6 pieces of OKRA everyday. He’s now regular and his blood sugar has dropped from 135 to 98, with his cholesterol and acid reflux also under control. Here are some facts on okra (from the research of Ms. Sylvia Zook, PH.D (nutrition), University of Illinois
Okra is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colo-rectal cancer. Nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid is also present in a half cup of cooked okra. Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid. He got the following numbers from the University of Illinois Extension Okra Page .
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Okra Nutrition (half-cup cooked okra)
* Calories = 25
* Dietary Fiber = 2 grams
* Protein = 1.5 grams
* Carbohydrates = 5.8 grams
* Vitamin A = 460 IU
* Vitamin C = 13 mg
* Folic acid = 36.5 micrograms
* Calcium = 50 mg
* Iron = 0.4 mg
* Potassium = 256 mg
* Magnesium = 46 mg
These numbers should be used as a guideline only, and if you are on a medically-restricte diet please consult your physician and/or dietician. Ms Sylvia W. Zook, Ph.D. (nutritionist) has very kindly provided the following thought-provoking comments on the many benefits of this versatile vegetable. They are well worth reading.
1. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
2. Okra’s mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn’t stop there…
3. Many alternative health practitioners believe all disease begins in the colon. The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools, helps prevent constipation.
Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium. Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra’s mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other words, this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health problems, if not evacuated, but also assures their easy passage from the body.
The veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most.
4. Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber (as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the good bacteria (probiotics) .
5. To retain most of okra’s nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed. Some eat it raw.
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http://www.physiology.wisc.edu/ravi/okra/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra
http://www.medicinenet.com/constipation/article.htm
January 28, 2008 at 11:32 pm
If you have tried any kind of fiber product, you can review that product over at http://www.nutritionaltree.com, a site that collects user reviews of many health products.
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January 9, 2009 at 10:59 am
…i like okra…especially whenit is cooked chilli…
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January 1, 2010 at 4:36 am
Okra is not Homeopathic,Okra is Herbal/natural Medicine!
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February 25, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Good job! Thanks! Thank you! for a informative article.
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hey
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hopefully this is just what im looking for looks like i have a lot to read and then a lot to wright
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July 21, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Helpful post. I especially found it useful where you stated that Okra can help control acide reflux and constipation. This could be a perfect alternative remedy without spending to much and free from drug adverse effects. Thanks for posting, Barbara.
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January 15, 2011 at 11:53 pm
Thank you , i found great information about Acid reflux symptoms
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June 26, 2011 at 12:12 am
I love okra and it does help with acid reflux a lot… have you ever tried cabbage or aloe vera juice (works great)
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October 4, 2011 at 6:36 am
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[…]Okra – homeopathic remedy for recurring constipation « Musings of Don Kishote….[…]…
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October 11, 2011 at 2:08 am
I have just been advised of this article including my name as a contributing author. The original article from which an excerpt was lifted was published in The Journal of Health & Healing Wisdom of the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, Vol. 24, Nr. 3 & 4, Fall/Winter 2000, a portion of which appears at the website titled “All About Okra,” U. of Wisconsin. The last sentence at that website regarding how to obtain ghee and coconut oil was added by someone else.
The article here includes information that may have appeared at the website of the U. of Illinois, and that was not written by me. (I did not attend the U. of Illinois.)
The article here also includes additions by a person or persons unknown to me.The reader should be aware that such information if acted on, may be dangerous or unhealthy. If the reader has a medical condition they should see a qualified physician. They should not change their diet without consulting the same. The original article was written for educational purposes only, and neither it nor this one should be used to diagnose, treat, or prescribe.
While I enjoy okra’s many nutritional benefits as a food, it should be clear to most that perhaps half this article was not written or approved by me; some of it is nonsense, and it is a hodgepodge of good and risky information for which I take no responsibility.
Sylvia Zook, PhD
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October 7, 2012 at 8:36 am
Really didn’t know Okra could help constipation. Well, I’ve tried a lot of food remedies as well as otc supplements; some with no relief, some with unpleasant relief. On the other hand, I tried Okra, and Oh My! Okra worked! I know it sounds grose, but I didn’t realize I had such a back up in my body. Okra cleansed me really well – made elimination as comfortable as it should be, everything moved out effortlessly. This has been a wonderful food discovery for me! Colon Cancer runs in my family and I worried about my chronic constipation with constant fullness in my stomach, what could that lead to in the future… I’m not so worried anymore. If I can stay regular with this wonderful food, I think I’ll be ok… 🙂
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November 12, 2012 at 1:40 am
homepathic remedies are composed of so many organic and natural methods that is why i really like it. –
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