Ayurveda for constipation in San Ramon

Going every other day, straining, or feeling that you never quite finish: constipation is common and often goes unmentioned until it has lasted months. Preeti Gupta, an Ayurvedic Doctor-level certified practitioner in San Ramon, asks about it plainly, because bowel habits tell her a great deal about your digestion.

Preeti does not diagnose pathological conditions from a Western perspective, so her work sits alongside the care of your physician and never replaces it.

What Ayurveda looks at

Ayurveda ties dry, hard stools to vata, the dosha of movement and dryness, and to how well the day supports regular elimination. Preeti looks at:

• Dryness in the diet and the day: little oil, too few warm meals, not enough fluids.

• Rhythm. A bowel that likes a regular wake-up time, breakfast and bedtime often follows them.

• Travel, stress and long hours of sitting, which can slow the gut down.

What a First Visit covers

A First Visit is 90 minutes ($250). Preeti reviews your daily routine, diet, digestion, exercise and sleep, using a health history, pulse analysis and tongue diagnosis. For constipation, expect time on:

• How often you go, what the stool looks like, and what has helped before, including laxatives and fibre.

• Your water, tea and coffee through the day, and the fats in your cooking.

• A morning and evening routine you can follow, with food ideas that bring fibre and moisture.

You leave with a written diet, herbal and lifestyle plan. Follow-ups are $125 for 60 minutes. See pricing.

What you can start this week

Two dishes from her recipe pages:

• Instant vegetable dosa. Her page says the mix of lentils and flours adds fibre and protein, supporting regular bowel movements.

• Cumin-roasted sweet potatoes and yam. Her page calls sweet potatoes and yam nourishing and easy to digest, with plenty of fibre.

See your physician first if

• Blood in the stool, black stools, or very thin, pencil-like stools.

• A change in bowel habits that lasts more than a few weeks, especially in midlife or later.

• Severe belly pain, vomiting, or being unable to pass gas or stool. Seek care at once.

Common questions about constipation

Can Ayurveda replace my laxative?

Preeti does not tell anyone to stop a laxative or any other medicine. Food, fluids and routine can sit alongside it, and any change to what you take belongs with your physician.

What does Preeti mean by a bowel routine?

A predictable day. Waking, drinking something warm, eating and sleeping at similar times gives the gut a rhythm to follow. She sets small steps you can keep and reviews them at your follow-up.

Will ghee help?

Ghee is the cooking fat in most of her recipes. Whether and how much suits you depends on your digestion, your cholesterol and your medication, so it is something to ask about at your visit rather than start on your own.

Ayurveda is a traditional system of wellness and is not a substitute for medical care. Content here is educational. Please consult your physician about any medical condition. Preeti Gupta is not licensed by the State of California as a healing arts practitioner; Ayurvedic services are complementary to the care of licensed providers.