Constipation is uncomfortable, it increases your risk of appendicitis, metabolic disorders like obesity and/or diabetes, and even increases your risk of cancer.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some easy ways to relieve chronic constipation that will improve the quality of your life, and lead you to better overall health.
1. Exercise
Exercise improve the bowel transit time by increasing motility through the mammalian motor cortex (MMC). If you think exercise is a four letter word, maybe you can reframe it as “moving your body.” Simply move around—that’s it! Why not go for a walk shortly after sunrise to improve your MMC function and also improve your circadian rhythm at the same time? There’s a beautiful world out there! Go enjoy it!
Don’t like that idea? Maybe just turn on some music and move around to a few songs? Any sort of movement will work and it will move your health needle in the right direction.
If you are capable of doing a bit more, try a bit more and see how it feels. Maybe this simple health investment will turn into a lifelong habit that will produce all sorts of benefits!
2. Magnesium
On of our most popular articles on Fix Your Gut is Magnesium, The Most Important Mineral for Improving Your Health and it’s not by accident. Magnesium is great for keeping you regular, it’s cheap, and all you have to do is swallow it. To increase your bowel transit time, the most recommended form of magnesium is magnesium citrate, but if you are taking a dose larger than 300mg, it might be wise to blend in some glycinate, malate, or in severe cases, ascorbate.
3. Coffee
Coffee has been shown to increase bowel transit time. It is important to note that in studies, people drank their coffee black. Additives may reduce the effectiveness, so make sure to get a high-quality coffee that tastes good black. Check to see if there is a local roaster in your area so that it is roasted fresh, and get a good quality grinder so that you can grind it fresh. If you can make great tasting coffee, you won’t miss the additives one bit!
If you have high blood pressure, risk of stroke, or heart disease, please consult your doctor before drinking coffee. It is also a good idea to not consume more than four cups of coffee a day.
At Fix Your Gut, we advise that you drink your coffee, and not insert it the other way. Coffee enemas do more harm than good, and we do not recommend them under any circumstances.
4. Squatty Potty
The Squatty Potty is designed to improve your posture and improve your gut health. It’s easy, just place it under your toilet boll and put your feet on the sides to squat. We recommend that you get the wooden squatty potty instead of the plastic because plastics emit VOCs through a process called outgassing, and if you are have issues with constipation, you should avoid toxins.
5. Reduce FODMAPs
FODMAPs are a group of foods that ferment in the gut and create an imbalance in the microbiome. Most cases of chronic constipation are caused by having too many microbes in the gut, and if you reduce the amount of fermentable foods that you eat, their population will decrease. For more information on FODMAPs check out Low FODMAP Diet, What is it and How to Make it Work For You.
Which of these five ways to relieve chronic constipation seems easiest to you? Give it a try and tell us about your results!
