3 Tips for constipation that don't involve laxatives!

You've probably found this blog post because you're struggling with constipation and it's making your life really miserable. The pain from being backed up can include back ache, cramps, bloating and it can impact on your mood. You want to get to the bottom of the problem and feel better, right? 

Many of the people I've worked with over the years have come to me with painful constipation and have been offered laxatives as a solution. Sadly, it's a temporary fix and unlikely to solve the root issues at play. 

In this post, I'm going to share the 3 main causes of constipation and I'll explain what you can do to start to feel better. Sound good? Let's go!

1. The foods you're eating

Something we've grown up hearing is that you should eat bran when you're constipated. Don't do it! It's actually really difficult to digest and possibly going to make things down there worse. 

So what should you actually be eating? 

• I recommend switching to gentle wholegrains - brown rice, oats, buckwheat and brown rice pasta. 
• Soak nuts, seeds and oats overnight to make them easier to digest. 
• Eat more legumes (if tolerated) and mash your root vegetables so your gut doesn't have to work as hard to break them down. 
• You could try the 3 Ps - pears prunes and peas - to get things moving. 
• Slippery elm can be added to smoothies (read more about that here!).
• Don't forget to increase your hydration.

2. Stress​ is a major cause of constipation

Not many of us are aware of how our bodies work and how in sync our brains are with our digestive system. There is something called the "gut-brain-axis (GBA)" which is a two-way communication between our brain and our enteric nervous system, (neurons in our gut that control the function of our gastrointestinal tract). Basically what this means is that when you're stressed, your digestive system reacts. 

You might not think you're stressed right now, but your body has been living in fight or flight mode for a year during the pandemic. You might be working from home and trying to juggle home schooling, but if you're a key worker and have been on the front lines, that is a whole other level of stress. 

And what happens is the body "holds on to" waste because of the stress (the bowel is unable to relax fully) and we risk the reabsorption of toxins from the colon back into circulation in the body.​

So what can you do to reduce stress in the gut?

• Drink green tea - contains l-theanine, an amino acid shown to reduce stress
• Up your Vitamin B foods 
• Take magnesium baths and eat foods rich in magnesium (nuts and seeds are great, but soak them first!)
• Breathing exercises can help you calm your nervous system (watch my IGTV chat with Katy Wakefield about yoga nidra, breath and stress here.)

Try the above strategies, which can all be used together, and I bet you'll feel calmer and see a change in you gut sooner than you might think.

3. You've got high levels of a certain bacteria linked to constipation.

If you keep getting constipated or you've had life long constipation, and haven't found a solution yet, it could be that you have a particular bacteria (Methanobrevibacter smithii) taking up too much real estate in your large intestine. It's associated with IBS-constipation (IBS-C) because it produces methane, which delays gut transit time. This can be investigated by completing a comprehensive stool test.

Stool tests can be carried out through a qualified nutritional therapist (like me!) and then after a thorough analysis, we'd work on addressing the balance of bacteria in your gut. This would be through dietary changes and tailored supplementation advice.

I hope you've found this blog post helpful and there's some things in here that you've not tried yet. It can be so hard to see the wood for the trees when you're in pain and no one is listening to you. But I urge you to try some of the options I've listed, because they will help heal your gut for good rather just than temporarily easing your suffering. 

If you're suffering from constipation, there is light at the end of the tunnel!  “Ease your gut, beat the bloat” is my new 5 week programme where we work towards your optimal gut health. Email me to join the waiting list for the next start date.

​Need a little more support? Get in touch with me about working 1-2-1 over 90 days or book in for comprehensive digestive stool testing.

Living with tummy pain shouldn't be considered normal. I want to change the way we look at our digestive health. Find out more about my work and passion for helping you feel better over on Instagram!