Constipation

"ml" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My mother, who is constipated most of the time, has taken some of the top
detox items but to no avail.

It seems that the only thing that works the best is "prune juice".

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk laxative
should be given a good try first.

Make sure she is assessed properly medically. Many different conditions
can be interpreted by patients as constipation, and most will not be helped
by laxatives.

Peter Moran.

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/12/2004 2:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:
<[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk laxative
should be given a good try first.

Peter...

anything wrong with prune juice as a daily juice..or better still,,,munching on
dried prunes?? as well as water,,etc

I always thought prunes were considered OK...

curious

TIA
hawki.....

I thought prunes acted by having a high fiber content.
Is there some other active ingredient in prunes?

j.
PS. Dried Prunes are one of my favorite snacks.

Hawki63 said:

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/12/2004 2:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:
<[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk laxative
should be given a good try first.

Peter...

anything wrong with prune juice as a daily juice..or better still,,,munching on
dried prunes?? as well as water,,etc

I always thought prunes were considered OK...

curious

TIA
hawki.....

Say not the Struggle nought Availeth <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I thought prunes acted by having a high fiber content.
Is there some other active ingredient in prunes?

Sorbitol, which acts as an osmotic laxative.

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/12/2004 4:19 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:
<[email hidden]>

"ml" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My mother, who is constipated most of the time, has taken some of the top
detox items but to no avail.

It seems that the only thing that works the best is "prune juice".

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk laxative
should be given a good try first.

High fibre diet, yes, bulk laxative first, nope.

Grandma aways knew best.

Jan

Quoted message said:

Make sure she is assessed properly medically. Many different conditions
can be interpreted by patients as constipation, and most will not be helped
by laxatives.

Peter Moran.

"Eric Bohlman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Say not the Struggle nought Availeth <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I thought prunes acted by having a high fiber content.
Is there some other active ingredient in prunes?

Sorbitol, which acts as an osmotic laxative.

I wouldn't have thought there would be enough of this sugar to do that, but
this article supports your suggestion. Remarkable sorbitol content, even in
the juice (6.1G/100g).

1: Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2001 May;41(4):251-86. Related Articles,
Links

Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional
food?

Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M, Bowen PE, Hussain EA, Damayanti-Wood BI, Farnsworth
NR.

Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Illinois at
Chicago, USA.

Prunes are dried plums, fruits of Prunus domestica L., cultivated and
propagated since ancient times. Most dried prunes are produced from cultivar
d'Agen, especially in California and France, where the cultivar originated.
After harvest, prune-making plums are dehydrated in hot air at 85 to 90
degrees C for 18 h, then further processed into prune juice, puree, or other
prune products. This extensive literature review summarizes the current
knowledge of chemical composition of prunes and their biological effects on
human health. Because of their sweet flavor and well-known mild laxative
effect, prunes are considered to be an epitome of functional foods, but the
understanding of their mode of action is still unclear. Dried prunes contain
approximately 6.1 g of dietary fiber per 100 g, while prune juice is devoid
of fiber due to filtration before bottling. The laxative action of both
prune and prune juice could be explained by their high sorbitol content
(14.7 and 6.1 g/100 g, respectively). Prunes are good source of energy in
the form of simple sugars, but do not mediate a rapid rise in blood sugar
concentration, possibly because of high fiber, fructose, and sorbitol
content. Prunes contain large amounts of phenolic compounds (184 mg/100 g),
mainly as neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, which may aid in the
laxative action and delay glucose absorption. Phenolic compounds in prunes
had been found to inhibit human LDL oxidation in vitro, and thus might serve
as preventive agents against chronic diseases, such as heart disease and
cancer. Additionally, high potassium content of prunes (745 mg/100 g) might
be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Dried prunes are an important
source of boron, which is postulated to play a role in prevention of
osteoporosis. A serving of prunes (100 g) fulfills the daily requirement for
boron (2 to 3 mg). More research is needed to assess the levels of
carotenoids and other phytochemicals present in prunes to ensure correct
labeling and accuracy of food composition tables in order to support dietary
recommendations or health claims.

Peter Moran

"Jan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/12/2004 4:19 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

<[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"ml" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My mother, who is constipated most of the time, has taken some of the

top

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

detox items but to no avail.

It seems that the only thing that works the best is "prune juice".

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk

laxative

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should be given a good try first.

High fibre diet, yes, bulk laxative first, nope.

I agree (ouch!!!) , and that was my intention.

Peter Moran

Quoted message said:

Grandma aways knew best.

Jan

Quoted message said:

Make sure she is assessed properly medically. Many different conditions
can be interpreted by patients as constipation, and most will not be

helped

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by laxatives.

Peter Moran.

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/13/2004 2:20 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:
<[email hidden]>

"Jan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Subject: Re: Constipation
From: "Peter Moran" [email hidden]
Date: 4/12/2004 4:19 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

<[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"ml" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> My mother, who is constipated most of the time, has taken some of the

top

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> detox items but to no avail.
>
> It seems that the only thing that works the best is "prune juice".

Prune juice is just another herbal laxative. It is not the ideal way of
dealing with simple constipation, and a high fibre diet and bulk

laxative

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

should be given a good try first.

High fibre diet, yes, bulk laxative first, nope.

I agree (ouch!!!) , and that was my intention.

Peter Moran

If you say so, sure didn't sound like it.

Jan