Q. My husband is bed-ridden at home. He has always been constipated, even when eating vegetables and fruit.
When he got sick I experimented with this recipe and it works great against constipation.
Oatmeal Pudding
Combine:
1 package of cinnamon apple instant oatmeal
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons applesauce
Stir in prune juice until the mixture is soupy. Cook it in the microwave until it thickens and add 1 four-ounce carton of Activia yogurt.
My husband loves both the taste and the effect.
A. This sounds reminiscent of the constipation remedy “Power Pudding,” a mixture of wheat bran, applesauce and prune juice washed down with plenty of water. Many people have reported that nurses frequently recommend such a concoction after surgery to make bathroom visits more comfortable.
Activia contains the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis that is supposed to promote colon health. A study in Argentina demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms of functional constipation among women who were given two cartons of Activia a day for two weeks (Acta Gastroenterologica Latinoamericana, Mar., 2008).
