Struggling with Constipation? What You Need To Know
- Susan Davis Nutritionist
- Apr 22
- 5 min read
Constipation is not your normal topic of conversation. Even in families in our modern society it is not discussed openly, people suffer with the symptoms of constipation silently. It maybe due to embarrassment, anxiety or simply looked at as not a problem to be talked about. In this blog post I'll walk you through how natural remedies like diet and lifestyle can make a difference to feeling sluggish and bloated due to constipation.
Am Feel Bloated and Sluggish. Am I Constipated?
The definition of constipation from the book; Record of Medical Science dated 1854 goes like this:
Constipation should be defined, a difficulty in the execution of the faecal matters, independent of any organic lesion.
The NHS definition of constipation is:
Where you have changes to how you poo, including not pooing as often or finding it hard to poo.
The NHS also says diet and lifestyle play a factor as the text book from 1854 does. The NHS says it is normal not to go for 3 days in a week and that every individual have a normal baseline.
I find this strange and uncomfortable why would you not want to poo everyday? I am a person with a natural tendency to constipation and if I do not open my bowels daily I do feel bloated, heavy and awful. Strangely enough many people live with very sparse bowel movements not thinking it is a problem. Even when they do not feel comfortable. People take their dogs out for daily walks and lets be honest it is not just to exercise the dog it is to ensure they open their bowels just like they have a good pee! Every day and sometimes twice a day. So why would you not do the same for yourself paying attention to how often you open your bowels and taking necessary measure to ensure you do.
But it is possible to feel bloated and sluggish for other reasons also. I find many of my clients may feel sluggish because of the foods they are eating. It maybe a food sensitivity, or intolerance and it maybe a thyroid problem with undiagnosed hypothyroid condition(low thyroid) being the reason for feeling sluggish. Bearing in mind a low functioning thyroid may be the cause of not having a poo! So lets pay attention to bowel movements with this post and how we can optimise them.
I want to share with you some approaches that have helped me and my clients over the years.
But first lets identify:
Are You Constipated?
The Bristol Stool Chart is a way to identify how your stools are performing by looking at your stools consistency!
Here I am sharing only the first half of the chart as we are discussing constipation. The ideal poop is type 4 all the above points to varying degrees of constipation. Especially if you are type 1 then I would recommend to address the underlying reasons. As type 1 stool is dry it represent rabbit droppings and is difficult to pass. Sometimes constipated individuals may not go for days and end up passing a very large and bulky stool that can be painful and cause bleeding and tears in the anus and this is not good either. So what is an optimal poo?
What Is The Optimal Poo?
The optimal poo is one that passes regularly and with ease. You should not feel a discomfort and once you open your bowels you should feel satisfied in a sense that you have completely emptied your bowels. Following your bowel movement you should not have the feeling that you may have some more that needs to be eliminated. The stool would resemble a sausage formation and may fall apart in the pan. The smell should not be over powering to the point of discomfort and this could also a sign that the stool was siting in the bowels for tool long.
What Causes Constipation?
High consumption of ultra processed foods, made with refined flour and sugar
Low fiber in the diet-aim for 30 gr per day
Low physical activity-move your body
Reduced liver & bile production
Side effects of some drugs-pain killers, antidepressants, anti-psychotics
Some Iron supplements
Long term use of laxatives such as Senna
Having a condition called SIBO-small intestinal bacterial or methanogen overgrowth
Imbalanced microbiome
Having a low functioning thyroid
Magnesium deficiency
Being stressed
Being in unfamiliar environments
Not following your body clock-Do you try to open your bowels each day at the same time?
Not drinking enough water!
How To Improve On Constipation?
First start with your diet. Take a look at he foods you eat daily. Is your diet deficient in fibre? Remember the daily recommended amount of fibre is 30 gr per day. This may not help shift your bowels straight away but in the long run it is most likely to make a difference.
Drink water to keep hydrated. Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea are dehydrating so are alcoholic drinks.
Do you think you may have an imbalanced microbiome. Sorting out your diet with variety of plant foods that contain different colours and eating fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut can be helpful. There are also fermented drinks that can be drank to support digestion and gut health. It is your microbiome that helps you digest foods, make vitamins and extract nutrients from the foods you eat that give your energy. they also are involved with stool formation and elimination. Did you know most of your poop is made up of bacteria?
Being deficient in Magnesium can definitely affect bowel movements and elimination. Magnesium helps your muscles relax and makes it easier to open your bowels to have a poo! Supplementing with some magnesium forms such as oxide and citrate draw water into the bowels helping with constipation in some cases. Nuts and seeds and green leafy vegetables are good sources for dietary magnesium.
If your medication is contributing to constipation there is still lots that you could do with your diet and supplements to keep you regular. One simple solution is to take soaked seeds rich in soluble fibre in some water to top up your fibre intake and to help bulk up the stools with water softening them and making it easier to pass. Think about soaking chia seeds or flax seeds for this. Chia pudding anyone?
Optimising liver function by eating bitter foods and drinking artichoke leaf tea and fresh lemon tea in the morning can be helpful to open bowels.
If you are stressed think about incorporating meditations or time out for relaxing and self care so life does not control your. When you are stressed your digestion shuts down this also can have an impact on your bowels.
Even in 1854 diet and lifestyle was recognised as factors that contributed to constipation. Move your body with purpose. Find ways to incorporate exercise into your day. Can you park your car at the furthest spot to walk more. Could you take the stairs instead of the lift? Could you walk to the shops instead of driving?
Finally we need to eat enough food to have a bowel movement. Yes this can be a problem if you are feeling bloated and constipated. The truth is if you do not eat enough your peristalsis will not work as efficiently. Peristalsis is the muscular contractions that move food along the digestive tract. The food also needs to fibre rich to stimulate peristalsis.
When ever you increase your fibre intake you may experience bloating so do this gradually to your gut can adjust the dietary changes.
If you or someone you know is affected with constipation share this post with them or get in touch with me for a more holistic approach to solve your gut related challenges Contact
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