If you are having trouble going to the bathroom, you may be wondering about senna tea for constipation. This herb is a powerful laxative and will provide great relief. However, there are some serious side effects if you abuse it.

You’ll see how senna works, how to take and tips on staying completely safe in this article. Before you do, let’s take a look at some important information first.

Senna Background Information 

Botanical Names: Cassia marilandica

Common Names: American senna, locust plant, wild senna

Parts Used: Leaves

Medicinal Properties: Laxative, vermifuge, diuretic

Constantly Constipated 

Constipation is a very common problem in developed nations; the diet enjoyed by these people is mostly to blame. In countries where the food is natural and plenty of fiber is eaten, constipation is rarely a problem.

One British researcher noted the non industrial people of East Africa have no problem evacuating their bowels. Only the wealthy people in Africa who ate the same diet as Americans suffered.

Refined foods that have been devitalized don’t contain the life giving properties that aid in digestion.

Food is the most common cause but not the only one. Other causes include:

• Lack of muscular tone in the bowels
• Not digesting food properly and not chewing enough
• Too much meat
• Eating foods that don’t go well together
• Excessive use of coffee and tea
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Lack of exercise
• Excess of prescription and over the counter medications

There’s some debate about how harmful constipation really is. Some believe it is a minor problem while others believe it to be more serious. I tend to think it is more serous than people think. If rotten food and waste material just sit in your bowels it will poison your whole system. Some people believe it gets recirculated into your blood and effects every tissue and organ in your body. This can impact your health negatively.

Besides not being able to use the restroom, common symptoms include:

• Coated tongue
• Foul breath
• Backache
• Headache
• Inability to concentration
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• And various pains

As you can see, constipation is something you want to take care of. And In my opinion, you should do it in the most natural way possible.

How Senna Helps With Constipation

Senna is a powerful herbal laxative and has been recognized for hundreds of years as such.

There’s a chemical in this herb, anthraquinone, that makes it so useful. This chemical is found in other herbal laxatives like aloe and cascara sagrada and stimulates the colon. Senna is also found in many over the counter laxatives.

Senna tea gets a ringing endorsement in two popular herb books, Back To Eden by Jethro Kloss and The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman, for constipation.

Who’s Opinion To Trust

Is it important that senna isn’t FDA approved for constipation? Not really.

Here’s why: It costs 500 million dollars to get something approved by them for a specific problem. Big pharmaceutical companies are the only ones who can afford this and they make the money back very quickly after they receive a patent for the condition.

You can’t patent a herb so there would be no way to get the initial 500 million back. This is why you never see herbs approved by the FDA. It’s not because they are ineffective.

There is a government agency, Commission E, in Germany that regularly test herbs and gives them a fair chance. They are the German version of the FDA and are the most trusted government authority on herbs in the world. They endorse senna for constipation and as a laxative.

How To Make Senna Tea And Some Warnings

Making the tea is very simply. All you need is 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and then strain. You will only want to drink 1 glass per day.

There are a few negatives to this tea. The first is it tastes absolutely terrible. It is highly recommended that you mix a pleasant tasting herb like anise, fennel, peppermint, chamomile, ginger, coriander, cardamom and licorice to cover the unpleasantness. You can mix sugar, honey and lemon with it too.

Also, and unlike most herbs, senna comes with some bad side effect. This is a powerful laxative and should be used sparingly, and only after other methods haven’t worked. You shouldn’t take it for more than 2 weeks either. If you do, you run the risk of developing lazy bowel syndrome. This means bowel movements will only be possible with chemical stimulation. Not good.

Large amounts of senna can lead to:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Severe cramps
• Dehydration

It can cause skin rashes to people who are sensitive to plants too. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid this herb. Don’t give to children under 2.

Lastly, people with chronic gastrointestinal complaints like ulcers, colitis and hemorrhoids should avoid.

Always talk to you doctor before taking medical amounts of anything.

A Few Tips On Getting Rid Of Constipation

Do the following for regular bowel movements:

• Eat plenty of fiber, fruits and vegetables
• Eat food as dry as possible and chew thoroughly
• Drink before and after meals, not during
• Get plenty of exercise and deep breathing (the oxygen helps to break food down)
• Drink a lot water throughout the day

If none of that works than you should take additional steps and consider seeking medical advice.

Hope This Helped!

Senna tea is a great, albeit powerful, remedy for constipation. There are some negatives, like awful taste and side effects if taken in large amounts, but it will definitely do the job.

If you are looking to buy this herb I would like to suggest Starwest Botanicals. This is personally where I purchase my herbs and I’ve never had a problem. They are highly trusted and well known for their quality products. If you would like to know more click below.

Learn More About Starwest Botanicals

If you have any further questions or opinions comment below and I’ll respond as fast as possible. Also, share on social media for friends and family to see.

Thanks for reading!