Many people dread going to the bathroom. Each trip leaves them feeling uncomfortable all over, and it's often something they're too embarrassed to talk about. When constipated, most people think of taking heat-clearing, purgative, or laxative medications, but sometimes these don't work at all, and passing stool remains a struggle. To put it bluntly, this is because the root cause hasn't been identified. Today, I'll share two methods with you to help get your bowels flowing smoothly and bid farewell to constipation.

First, let's talk about clearing heat and promoting bowel movement, while boosting qi and nourishing yin.

In daily life, many bad habits can lead to constipation. For example, frequently eating spicy and heavy foods like hot pot or barbecue, or consuming greasy and rich meals at every meal, along with excessive alcohol consumption, can accumulate heat in the spleen and stomach over time. This lingering heat in the body gradually depletes the body's fluids. When fluids are insufficient, the intestines become as dry and rough as a sunbaked riverbed, making stools dry, hard, and difficult to pass.

People in this condition often experience intermittent bouts of overall body heat, a dry mouth that feels like it's on fire, mild bad breath, a flushed face, restlessness, abdominal bloating, and indigestion. In such cases, it is necessary to clear heat and promote bowel movements while boosting qi and nourishing yin. Adjustments based on the Da Cheng Qi Tang formula can be considered, as it is quite helpful in improving constipation.

Now let’s talk about the second point: soothing the liver and regulating qi.

Nowadays, everyone faces significant pressure in life and work, and who doesn’t experience occasional emotional ups and downs? In traditional Chinese medicine, the liver is closely linked to a person's emotions. If you often feel unhappy or emotionally stifled, it can affect the liver’s function of regulating qi, causing liver qi to become stagnant.

The liver governs free-flowing movement and is responsible for the smooth circulation of qi. Once liver qi becomes congested, the flow of qi becomes stagnant. The movement of the large intestine relies on the propulsion of qi. If qi lacks strength to push, bowel movements naturally become difficult. In such cases, not only are stools difficult to pass and dry, but they are also accompanied by issues such as epigastric and abdominal distension, as well as chest and rib-side distending pain. Each time the mood worsens, constipation becomes more severe. At this point, the congested liver qi must be regulated. You might consider trying modified Liuwu Tang, which can significantly improve the condition.

The content of this article is for knowledge and popularization purposes only. Each individual's condition is different, and the approach to regulation will vary. The information mentioned above is for reference only. If you are genuinely unwell, medication should be taken under the guidance of a professional doctor based on pattern differentiation. That’s all for today’s sharing with everyone. We’ll talk again next time!