Natural Solutions for Constipation

We live in a toxic world. In fact, we’re exposed to over 84,000 chemicals (that we know of) every single day. These toxicants can build up in the organs and tissues of our bodies creating systemic inflammation that leads to weight gain, brain fog, aches, pain, anxiety, and even insomnia.

Ensuring that your channels of elimination - the colon, kidneys, liver, skin, lungs, lymph - are open and flowing is, in my opinion, an essential first step to any health, wellness or detox protocol. If you’re not having daily bowel movements, urinating throughout the day, and exercising vigorously enough to break a sweat at least a few times per week, you’re in trouble.

Did you know that by many practitioners’ standards, only having one bowel movement a day means that you’re constipated? Before the modern world (where stress and schedules started getting in the way), humans had BMs after every single meal. Nowadays, the average person eliminates just a few times per week - if he/she is lucky. This is a HUGE problem.

Here are a few of my top tips to alleviate constipation:

1. Drink 1/2 your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water a day - I recommend having a 20 oz. glass of water first thing upon rising and/or a mug of lemon water before doing anything else, especially drinking coffee. Then, drink as much water as you can between, rather than with, meals - click here for details. If you’re a coffee drinker or active individual, add 1 cup of water for every 8 oz. of coffee and 30 minutes of exercise. Finally, limit your intake 2-3 hours before bedtime to prevent waking in the middle of the night.

2. Eat a high-fiber diet - include foods with both soluble (digestible + gel-like) and insoluble (indigestible + bulking) fiber. Where do you find these? In plants! Vegetables, fruits (especially apples, pears + berries), whole grains (especially oats + bran), legumes (beans, peas, lentils), and nuts and seeds (especially flax + chia) are great sources.

3. Cut the packaged foods - if you’re eating those “high-fiber” cereals and crackers thinking you’re doing a service for your bowels, think again. These products can actually cause constipation! Why? First of all, they’re loaded with chemical-laden ingredients (that you may be sensitive to - click here for details). Secondly, they’re incredibly dry and the majority of people aren’t drinking enough water to move that concentrated (often fortified, might I add) fiber through their systems. The solution: eat foods that are naturally rich in fiber (see number 2) AND contain a high water content - for bulking, then flushing…does that make sense?

4. Establish a morning routine - stress shuts off digestion. If you don’t create space for yourself in the morning to drink water, eat breakfast and allow the elimination to happen, chances are, it won’t. Especially not if you’re headed to work or out ‘n about for the day where a restroom may be hard to come by.

5. Take a light walk after your meal(s) - a 10-15 minute walk after lunch/dinner can do wonders for digestion!

6. Incorporate twisting poses - these movements “ring out” your colon and encourage detoxification. A simple exercise: sit upright in your chair with your feet on the ground and legs at a 90º angle. Twist to the right side and hold for 3-4 deep belly breaths, then turn to the left side and repeat. Advanced version: pretzel twist or a yoga flow sequence that includes poses such as crescent lunge twist and supine spinal twist.

7. Take magnesium citrate - magnesium is Mother Nature’s naturally “calming” mineral that helps with up to 800 different functions in the body, including relief from anxiety, insomnia and constipation. There are different forms of magnesium that can be applied in different ways; however, if you tend towards, or are currently experiencing, constipation, I recommend using magnesium citrate before bed as this will encourage a morning elimination. Click here for supplemental recommendations.

8. Gently massage the colon - manual manipulation can help move hard, impacted stools through the colon. Try incorporating this simple exercise: while laying down (on an empty stomach), start working your way (applying pressure from with both hands) from the lower-left quadrant of your abdominal region directly across to the right side, then upwards to the top right quadrant, over to the upper-left quadrant and directly down. Cycle through this exercise a few times as often as needed to get relief.

9. Take a probiotic - your colon is home to 2-6 pounds of bacteria. In fact, we are 10 times MORE bacteria than we are human cells! When bad, opportunistic bacteria take over, a multitude of issues can occur from bloating and gas to increased sugar cravings, weight gain, neurological impairments, increased food sensitivities and allergies, and bowel changes. Probiotics promote the growth of good bacteria to help rebalance this ecosystem and normalize the body. This has been INCREDIBLY helpful for many of my clients. Click here for supplement recommendations.

10. Use digestive enzymes - with stress, age, low-fiber diets and poor food combining comes less digestive enzymes, thus less food breakdown in the gut. Give your system a helping hand by taking digestive enzymes with, or directly before, your meals.

Constipation happens - perhaps you’re traveling, out of your routine, haven’t been drinking enough water - BUT, it shouldn’t happen all the time. If you’re not eliminating at least one time per day, I encourage you to incorporate these practices into your daily regime. If you still aren’t making progress, please contact me and I can offer further assistance.

Want more personalized guidance? Click HERE to book a One-On-One Coaching Session with me.

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