Table 8 Integrative therapies for diarrhea and constipation.

Symptoms	Diarrhea	Constipation
Mind-body medicine		Jacobsonʼs progressive muscle relaxation technique, relaxation methods Stress reduction
Acupuncture		Stomach 36, Conception Vessel 12, Pericardium 6, Large Intestine 4, and Liver 3
Exercise therapy		Increased exercise (primarily endurance training), e.g. walking
Phytotherapy	Green or black tea Dried blueberries Psyllium husks (ready-to-use preparations: Agiocur®, Mucofalk®, Pascomucil®) Diarrhoesan® (apple pectin + chamomile extract)	Wheat bran Flaxseed Psyllium husks Aloe vera extract, alder buckthorn bark, rhubarb root or senna leaves
Nutritional therapy	Avoid poorly digestible foods which cause irritation to the mucosa (coffee, milk, raw fruits and vegetables, strong spices, pulses) Plenty of pectin-rich foods (apples, carrots, bananas), rice, potatoes and rolled oats Drink plenty of fluids to compensate for fluid loss (tea, mineral-rich vegetable stock, cocoa made with water) Medicinal clay (Luvos®)	Fiber-rich foods (rolled oats, fruit, vegetables) Avoid sugar and sweets Avoid irregular meals or meals eaten in haste Laxative foods (e.g. soaked prunes, dates, figs, kiwi fruits) Increased fluid intake (at least 2 l/day) Natural flaxseed oil or olive oil pre- und probiotic foods (e.g. Jerusalem artichokes, yoghurt, etc.)