15 Ways to Naturally Relieve Constipation
Anyone who has experienced a bout of constipation knows how awful it feels - bloaty, gassy, full, heavy. Ugh.
When the urge finally does come, stools can be hard, painful, and difficult to pass. As well, excessive straining to eliminate can cause painful hemorrhoids, and I have had some clients report that they get headaches, back pain, breakouts and other symptoms when they aren’t going to the washroom regularly.
Unfortunately, constipation is very, very common. Constipation is defined as having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week (source). In my opinion, only 3 bowel movements a week is not near enough. If optimal health is our goal, we should aim to eliminate at least once per day.
Being able to eliminate waste from our bodies is a crucial part of being healthy. When we do not eliminate regularly, the stool sits in our colon for extended periods of time. The longer the stool remains in our intestines, the more water is absorbed. This results in hard, dry stools which are more challenging and painful to pass than soft stools.
The first step to healing from constipation is being able to talk about it. Everyone has a large intestine, and everyone poops. We need to be able to talk about it professionally and comfortably. Constipation causes a lot of unnecessary discomfort for a lot of people.
Here are some ways we can help relieve constipation and start pooping!
Get Acupuncture
I am an acupuncturist, so this is always at the top of my lists! Acupuncture can improve peristalsis, which is the movement of the intestines, helping stool to pass. It can also help manage other issues that can cause constipation, such as stress, hormonal imbalance, pain, etc.
2. Eat a Real Food Diet
Whole foods, such as whole fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes support our digestive health by feeding our gut microbiome. The fiber from whole foods travel to the large intestine relatively undigested, where they feed our gut bacteria. Gut bacteria are happy when they eat their favourite food - prebiotic fiber. Keeping our gut bacteria happy will reward us with stellar digestion and regular bowel movements!
3. Eat More Healthy Fats
Healthy fats not only makes our food taste delicious, they is also very healthy! Eating fats can help relieve constipation. Fat stimulates our gallbladder to release bile into our small intestine, which has a laxative effect. Just be sure to eat healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter or ghee. Steer clear of inflammatory industrial seed oils such as canola, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils.
4. Get a Squatty Potty
Get a Squatty Potty for every bathroom in your house! I have had clients who have made this one change, and their long-term constipation vanished. (**Link is not a paid advertisement)
5. Avoid Opiate Stimulating Foods
Both gluten, sugar, and dairy contain opiate-like proteins which can slow down our digestion, causing constipation (source). If you suffer from constipation and haven't tried a 30-day gluten, sugar, and dairy elimination diet, it is worth a try. Because these foods stimulate the opioid receptors in our brain, they tend to be quite addictive. This makes it challenging to quit eating these foods.
The best way to give up gluten, sugar, and dairy is to just quit cold turkey. Get rid of any glutenous, sugary, and dairy foods in your house and decide not to buy them any longer. The first few days to a week will be challenging, but after the initial hump, you won't even crave these foods. And once you start pooping regularly, you will wonder why you ever ate gluten, sugar, and dairy!
6. Supplement with Magnesium
Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral because it is required for hundreds of metabolic functions in our bodies. Due to soil depletion and less than optimal dietary choices, many many people are deficient in this vital nutrient. Luckily, we can supplement with magnesium to prevent deficiency.
Magnesium comes in a few different forms. Many people use Magnesium Citrate for constipation, but I prefer Magnesium Glycinate when taken as a daily supplement. Magnesium Glycinate is easily absorbed, so not only can it relieve constipation, but it can also help with insomnia, anxiety, headaches, low energy, muscle cramps and osteoporosis.
7. Take Probiotics
Many people who suffer from constipation have fewer healthy gut bacteria and more pathogenic bacteria in their large intestine. Therefore, supplementing with a good quality probiotic may help relieve constipation by boosting the population of good guys and crowding out the bad guys in the gut. Another great source of probiotics are fermented foods such as sauerkraut, lacto-fermented pickles, and kimchi.
8. Take Prebiotics
Prebiotics are food for bacteria. Humans are unable to digest prebiotics, but our gut bacteria can. In order to have a healthy digestive system, which means eliminating every day, we want to have a happy and healthy diverse colony of bacteria in our gut.
Therefore, feeding our gut bacteria its favourite food - prebiotics - can improve digestion and relieve constipation (source).
9. Eat Kiwis
Kiwis are a delicious way to beat constipation! Eating two kiwifruits a day can improve bowel function and help relieve constipation (source).
10. Eat Prunes
I think most people know all about prunes for constipation. Prunes, which are dried plums, contain sorbitol, a natural laxative. Prunes aren’t my go-to suggestion because they do contain quite a lot of sugar, but they definitely work! The recommended dose is 6 to 8 prunes twice a day or 4 to 8 oz of prune juice in the morning.
11. Exercise
Movement as simple as going for a walk or a hike can help relieve constipation. Moving our bodies helps stimulate peristalsis in the intestines. Exercise also improves blood and lymph circulation, helps manage stress, uses our energy stores, and tones muscles, which can all have a positive impact on digestion.
12. Drink More Water
Dehydration is a very common cause of constipation. Many of us just don't drink enough hydrating fluids throughout the day. Our bodies needs water to function. When we are dehydrated, our large intestine absorbs more water from our stools, making them hard, dry and difficult to pass. If you know that you don’t drink enough water, make it an effort to drink more for a few days, and see if it helps. Also, adding electrolytes to your water can make it more palatable and hydrating, therefore easier to drink.
13. Don’t Ignore the Urge to Go
When nature calls, if we ignore the urge to go for longer than 10 to 15 minutes, the urge may subside for several hours. During this time, the stool in our large intestine will begin to dry out, become hardened, and be more difficult to pass. So, when you feel the urge to go, find a washroom and use it.
14. Self Abdominal Massage
Self Abdominal Massage can stimulate peristalsis of the intestines, which can help relieve constipation. When doing an abdominal massage, always massage from right to left in a clockwise manner. Here is awesome educational video on how to give yourself a self abdominal massage.
15. Get Your Thyroid Checked
If you have chronic constipation, along with symptoms such as fatigue, dry skin, dry hair, low energy, and cold intolerance, you might want to get your thyroid hormones checked. Hypothyroidism can cause a whole host of symptoms, including constipation.
I Would Like To Hear From You!
What do you do to stay regular? What works? What doesn’t?