Do you have such a situation? You drink plenty of water every day, yet constipation still shows up, and the stool you pass is as dry as sheep feces—pellet by pellet. You strain for a long time without relief. Why does this happen? Today, let’s discuss it and share a genuinely effective method.

Actually, the problem isn’t about how much water you drink, but rather that there’s insufficient body fluid in your intestines. Don’t think body fluid is just ordinary water—it’s actually the natural lubricant in the intestines. It moistens the stool, making it soft so it can move down the intestines smoothly. If this lubricant is lacking, no matter how much water you drink, the water won’t stay, and the stool will still be dry, stuck in the intestines, making bowel movements very difficult.

What's worse is that if the fluids in the intestines are severely depleted, it can easily lead to "deficiency heat," similar to how a riverbed overheats when it's dry for too long. In this case, the water you drink evaporates in the intestines due to this deficiency heat before it can even moisturize them. Therefore, the key to resolving this type of constipation isn't drinking more water but replenishing the fluids in the intestines and also calming that troublesome deficiency heat.

In traditional Chinese medicine, fluids are considered part of yin and primarily function to moisten the body and nourish its organs. The kidneys, in particular, govern the yin of the entire body and act as a reservoir for fluids. If kidney yin is insufficient, the reservoir runs low, and the supply of fluids to the intestines naturally dwindles. Thus, when replenishing fluids, it's also important to nourish kidney yin in order to resolve the problem at its root and prevent recurrence.

For this situation, I’ll share a classic formula passed down from our ancestors — the "Zengye Decoction." This formula is specifically designed to treat constipation caused by insufficient fluids, helping to nourish yin, moisten dryness, replenish the lacking fluids in the intestines, and simultaneously calm the deficiency heat.

This formula uses three straightforward herbs: Scrophularia root nourishes yin, calms heat, and moistens dryness while promoting fluid production; rehmannia root paired with ophiopogon clears deficiency heat in the body and enhances the effect of nourishing yin and moistening dryness. Together, these three herbs gradually replenish the fluids in the intestines, eliminate deficiency heat, relieve intestinal dryness, and allow stool to pass smoothly without straining.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; individual circumstances vary, and so will the approaches to regulation. If constipation persists, do not tough it out. Seek medical advice promptly, follow professional recommendations for regulation, and avoid self-diagnosis to prevent delays!