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!

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.

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.

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! 

Nutritional Therapy helps identify the underlying causes of IBS symptoms and personalises a gut-healing plan that addresses: 

• Diet.
• Lifestyle.
• Suspected food intolerances.
• Nutritional deficiencies.
• Leaky gut.
• Optimal absorption by supporting enzyme levels, bile and stomach acidity.
• Balancing gut bacteria: parasites, worms, dysbiotic (bad) bacteria, and yeasts as well as normal bacteria.
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

Comprehensive clinical tests are available which may offer further guidance.
You can also find out more about IBS here. I think you'll find it refreshing! 

​Nutritional Therapy works alongside medical treatment and should not be misconstrued as a replacement for medicine. I always work with your GP to ensure you get the best support and results.  I can also write to your GP if necessary and/or advise you of tests  available on the NHS so you can discuss further with your GP (if you are in the UK). 

Please be aware that IBS must be diagnosed by a medical doctor so that serious disease can be ruled out. And if you experience any of the following please consult your doctor urgently:

• Very dark stools or blood in the stool
• Unexplained weight loss
• Anaemia
• A family history of ovarian or colon cancer
• A sudden change in bowel movements
• Are over the age of 50.

A really interesting (and exciting!) review of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has just been published. It considers whether or not IBS truly exists! 

In the review, the author, Ben Brown (Brown, 2019), explains how IBS is not one disease but an umbrella term or ‘catch-all’ for multiple identifiable and treatable digestive symptoms which may be triggered by a combination of nutritional and lifestyle factors. 

While symptoms may include excessive gas, bloating, and chronic diarrhoea or constipation, researchers found that it may not be one condition but a whole range of them. This is why the author poses the question ‘Does IBS exist?’ because it is rarely one thing. 

Sadly, what frequently happens is people get labelled as IBS sufferers and told ‘there’s not much we can do about it’. However, doing this doesn’t address the underlying issue or issues and by clustering multiple digestive symptoms under one label risks “lazy thinking” and delays recovery. 

The paper explores multiple nutritional factors that could be underlying IBS including:

1. Nutritional factors
2. Lifestyle and environmental factors
3. Functional imbalances, for example:

• leaky gut
• pancreatic enzyme deficiency
• chronic constipation
• low-grade inflammation

These are all things nutritional therapy can provide support for.  Find out how nutritional therapy could help you if you have IBS in my blog post here.

Brown concludes that personalisation of treatment, including diet and nutritional support, is essential for supporting people with IBS because everyone will respond differently. He outlines potential management and treatment approaches, including nutritional therapies as a way to address the root causes of imbalance. Find out more here. 

Please be aware that IBS must be diagnosed by a medical doctor so that serious disease can be ruled out. And if you experience any of the following please consult your doctor urgently:

• Very dark stools or blood in the stool
• Unexplained weight loss
• Anaemia
• A family history of ovarian or colon cancer
• A sudden change in bowel movements
• Are over the age of 50.

Find out  more and book your place now. 

Do you suffer from excessive gas, bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation? If you think you have “just” a digestive problem you might want to think again.

The health of your digestion determines which nutrients are absorbed and which toxins, allergens, and microbes are expelled. As a result, your digestion is central to your overall health and it is connected to everything that happens in your body.

​Keeping your digestive system healthy is critical because ultimately you are not what you eat but what you absorb!

Here are a five simple ways to tune up your digestion:

1.  Eat more gentle fibre
It's common for many people to reach for bran and wheat when things get sluggish on the inside. Wheat bran is the opposite of gentle fibre. It is often processed (think crunchy (i.e. sugary) Bran Flakes and All Bran). It is a common food allergen and may promote bloating, sluggishness and indigestion, making it the worst choice for someone with constipation or other digestion problems.  

Switch to a gentle source of fibre such as pysllium husks and/or ground flaxseeds. Eat them daily for best results, starting slowly. Make sure you drink a minimum of 1-1.5 litres of water each day.

Leave the sugary, processed ‘breakfast cereals’ where they belong: ON THE SHELVES (or give them away if you've already bought them). This one simple swap could keep things moving more regularly for you!

2.  Eat more vegetables
Eating fibrous plant foods is a very important step in supporting your gut bacteria and digestion. The diversity and number of vegetables you eat will be reflected in the diversity and number of ‘good’ bacteria in your gut; the more the better. Aim for two to three servings of fruit, and six to eight vegetables daily. Eat the rainbow!

3.  Make friends with fermented foods
​Fermented foods provide a great natural source of probiotics and prebiotics (see below). Probiotics support the balance of good bacteria (flora) in your gut. Try water kefir or milk kefir, a tangy, slightly fizzy drink that’s packed with healthy bugs. I’m hoping to post a video soon on how to make your own. It’s a really easy and cheap source of probiotics.
 
Other probiotic powerhouses include naturally fermented sauerkraut and kimchi; they contain both live bacteria and prebiotics that nourish your gut bacteria and support gut healing. The best way is to make your own but if you decide to buy sauerkraut make sure it is raw. The stuff in the supermarket won't do because it is pasteurised. Look for products that say “live and active cultures” on the label.
 
Organic tofu and tempeh are also good choices. They are made from fermented soya beans.
 
4.  Include prebiotic foods
Prebiotics are a type of soluble fibre found in certain plant foods that act as “food” for probiotics. They are like fertilizer helping probiotics grow and flourish in your gut. Prebiotic-containing foods include Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, leek, onion, asparagus, and shallots. Eat some type of prebiotic food every day.
 
5.  Eat bitter foods
Bitter foods such as watercress, rocket and apple cider vinegar stimulate digestive enzyme production and aid digestion. Stomach acidity shortfalls, and enzyme deficiency could be a root cause of digestive disturbance and is easily supported through supplementation and dietary improvements. Sometimes this is all it takes to see improvements in digestion.

Still having problems with your digestion?
If you have already tried these steps and you are still experiencing an irritable digestive system, contact me for a personalised plan. You have many options for supporting digestion so don't give up! Contact me here

If you suffer from diarrhoea read my blog post natural way to support diarrhoea >>

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