NontoxicLifestyle: Health Benefits of Senna Leaf

Cassia Senna/ senna alexandria

When you're constipated and want to prevent bloating you would want to eat less salty food, drink purified alkaline water and make Senna Alexandrina your cleansing friend. Senna leaves and pods have been used for centuries as a laxative. In china, the leaves are known as fan xie ye, and in Sanskrit the whole plant is known as rajavriksha------"king of trees". Senna has a bitter-sweet to cooling taste but when you use this herb for cleansing your colon you can be certain that it will do the job well. In my experience, senna is a stimulating colon cleanser--- laxative, anti bacterial and it is the number one herb that is truly effective for expelling worms and cooling the system.
The Chinese have been known to use dried senna leaf (fan xie ye) as a purgative to help habitual constipation, and as a cooling remedy to clear heat that can lead to abdominal bloating and discomfort in the digestive system.
Many western practitioners have used small dosage of pods in treatment because it is milder in strength than the strongly purgative leaves and to avoid the adulterated over- the counter products. Senna can soften stool so it is beneficial for people who have bleeding hemorrhoids or and fissures.
Senna is beneficial because it contains sennosides (rhein-dianthrone diglucosides), aglycones, monoanthraquinone glycosides, dianthrone diglucosides, flavonoids.
You can purchase ballerina tea containing mostly senna leaves at a Chinese grocery store for a quick fix when constipated.

How to use Senna Alexandrina:
When using leaf tincture, take 10-30 drops per dose in the morning with water.

You can infuse 1/2 tsp dried leaves with 1 tsp fennel seeds per cup of boiling water for severe constipation. Do not continue for more than seven dayz (7) and make sure to take breaks at least wait 2 week after each cleanse before repeating the cleanse.

When using pods, leave the pods in a cup of warm water overnight and drink first thing in the morning. Add a slice of fresh ginger root, or 1tsp of fennel seeds to combat cramps.

Pills/powders 1-2tsps granules or 2-4 pills, taken in the morning.
Generally, the leaves are used in infusions, powders and pills. It is effective in irritating the digestive tract and encouraging peristalsis.

Caution:
Do not use senna in pregnancy, while breasting feeding, or if you have inflammatory bowel disease. Keep in mind that long-term habitual use can weaken the digestive system, and senna should be avoided if there is inflammation in the gut, as in crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Do check with your naturopathic doctor before you begin if you have any medical concern.......

You can find senna at health food store like iherb or grocery store at walmart and Walgreen. Senna is in Nopalina flax-seed plus powder product; Ballerina tea also has senna in it.