Hello all!!!
Hope evryone's doing swell this first day of July...2001!!!
Was just making out my grocery list, as I am getting ready to make another batch of the Yakima Fruit Paste, and realize that it's been quite awhile since I posted the recipe for it!!
For all the newbies here wondering just what in earth I'm talking about, the Yakima Fruit Paste is a paste that you can make at home that acts as a natural laxative. For any chronic-pain patient on daily opiods, constipation is probably the #1 side-effect of daily opiod use....as I'm sure you already know.
Well, there are plenty of OTC medications that can be taken for this, but some may have unpleasant side-effects to them as well....such as abdominal cramping/pain(which was true for me)....not to mention a pain in the pocket-book, as most are quite costly to boot!! Also, there are prescription laxatives that your Doctor may prescribe for you, but if you would rather go for a natural approach, the "Yakima Fruit Paste" is a tasty and effective laxative!! It is fairly easy to make a batch, somewhat sticky, but it becomes easier to make with each new batch. You shouldn't have any trouble finding the ingredients at your local healthfood store, and substitutions can be made for some of the ingredients.....which I believe Joey has some suggestions on...(Joey, will you share them with us??? Thanks!!) This recipe came from Hospice...and truly is effective and TASTY !!
Okay...here's the recipe!!
~*I urge you all to save this*~
Painfree wishes to all,
Laura
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Yakima Fruit Paste Recipe
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DOSE: 1-2 tablespoons per day
1 pound prunes
1 pound raisins-pitted
1 pound figs
4 oz senna tea (look in your health food store, it looks like a bunch of leaves)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup lemon juice
1. Prepare tea-use about 2 1/2 cups boiled water added to tea and steep 5 minutes.
2. Strain tea to remove tea leaves and add only 1 pint tea to a large pot, then add fruit.
3. Boil fruit and tea for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add sugar & lemon juice. Allow to cool.
5. Use hand mixer or food processor to blend fruit mixture into smooth paste.
6. Place in plastic container and place in freezer. (Paste will not freeze but will keep forever in freezer).
7. Spoon out what you require each day.
Enjoy eating it straight off the spoon.
Spread it on toast or add hot water and make a drink.
* If the fruit paste is not working (you are not having bowel movements) then you need to increase the amount of fruit paste you are taking.
* If the fruit paste makes you have very loose stools then you need to cut down on the amount of fruit paste you are taking. Perhaps even taking it every other day in some cases
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I just want to mention.....this treatment is more for maintenence, a daily intake, rather than for an emergency situation...like if you haven't had a bowel movement in several days to a week. As in that case, start the paste on a daily basis AFTER you have taken care of that situation and had a bowel movement, to PREVENT further emergency situations.
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