end laxative use, and feel the releif of a lighter, flatter stomach
END Constipation & Laxatives for a naturally flat tummy
If you’re suffering with constipation and bloating, this is the most comprehensive guide you’ll ever need. We’ve been helping women with stubborn constipation for almost two decades.
We offer straight solutions and focus on the root cause. We don’t believe in relying on pharmaceuticals to feel less bloated or blocked up - they simply act as a plaster. Here, we’ve included guidance to help you understand what type of constipation you have, so you can find the right constipation remedy. And if this isn’t enough, we’ll show you where to go and who to ask for more help.
We want you to end laxative use, and feel the relief of a lighter, flatter stomach straight away.
This guide includes lots of advanced information only our paying client’s normally get to hear.
Let’s dive right in:
Jump to section:
What you’ve been advised about Constipation via your GP or Dr Google hasn’t helped? Here’s why.
Diet for constipation: NHS Recommendations - why they don’t always work
Where is constipation pain felt?
What is the cause of constipation?
Can constipation make you gain weight?
Can constipation cause hormone imbalance?
Microbiome and Menopause, PCOS and Irregular periods
Can constipation cause body pain, joint pain and fibromyalgia?
Is the Fodmap diet useful in IBS Constipation (IBS-C)?
Constipation relief - Simple tricks that empties out your bowels immediately
Effects of constipation on the body
What fruit is good for constipation
Are you constipated if you don’t go to the toilet every day?
Help for constipation in children or babies
What you’ve been advised about Constipation via your GP or Dr Google hasn’t helped? Here’s why.
GP advice is out of date and overly generic in our view. Medical text books were written before we understood the intricate workings of gut bacteria, and the function of the colon was poorly understood.
I want to show you a few simple therapies that have helped me resolve constipation for hundreds of women. Whilst they are not new, I’m going to help you be very specific on how to do it, with detail on who it’s likely to work well (or not well) for.
Whether you’re a health bunny or just starting out on your health journey to fix your constipation, I hope you get a lot of value from this post.
Diet for constipation: NHS Recommendations - why they don’t always work
Focussed around adding fibre, hydration and lifestyle.
But here’s the deal:
If there’s something more fundamental not working properly - more fibre can sometimes make the situation worse. Read on to learn more.
Constipation symptoms
You may be going to the toilet every day - but still be significantly constipated!
Can you easily clear a ‘back-log’ for any days missed? If so, you don’t need to be very concerned - simply watch your water intake very carefully and eat two raw carrots a day for fibre. If you’re very windy or bloated, go for one carrot.
IF however you’re bowel moments never feel 100% complete and/or you miss odd days and never ‘catch up’, you need to take action.
Why do you need to take action?
Unless addressed, you’ll feel very bloated and windy, and food may not sit well after eating.
Where is constipation pain felt?
It can be felt anywhere. Pain is often sharp or sharp-pinch like. Often due to wind that can’t escape very easily.
What is the cause of constipation?
Here are the three most common causes we see.
1. Insufficient water intake. If you are constipated you cannot afford to be dehydrated, even for a few hours. If you don’t drink enough, anything else you do is not going to be very effective. Get hydration in first.
2. A poor diet: high in processed carbs, convenience foods which tend to be high in non-natural fats, and not enough in vegetables or fruit.
3. Gut Microbe imbalance: the most overlooked cause, but also incredibly common. Not having enough good bacteria in the gut slows down gut transit.’Bad’ gut bugs can block effective digestion.
Can constipation make you gain weight?
Yes. This is a common complaint, in particular in SIBO or dysbiosis (imbalance in gut bacteria). Gut bacteria has been shown to have strong links with our metabolism. Read more HERE
Can constipation cause hormone imbalance?
Yes it can. Constipation can impact how we clear hormones (‘oestrogen dominance’). This is an important topic which we’ll write a separate blog on, so sign up to get this delivered straight to your inbox.
Microbiome and Menopause, PCOS and Irregular periods
Plant Phytoestrogens (from vegetables, similar to body oestrogens) have shown high binding towards Oestrogen receptors (our cells ‘docking’ station for Oestrogen, which ’activates’ it). This helps balancing oestrogen in a natural and healthy way. This is thought to benefit female fertility and prevent breast cancer. Plant foods are therefore a very important part of a women’s diet.
If however, you have IBS and can’t tolerate FodMap foods or many vegetables, you may struggle to get enough. In addition, how well phytoestrogens work for you is strongly dependent on the our gut microbes.
This can be tested for via our Gut Microbiome | IBS Test | Bloating Test.
Can constipation cause body pain, joint pain and fibromyalgia?
Absolutely yes. The wrong type of bacteria can be very inflammatory, and fibromyalgia has even been correlated with SIBO. More on this topic is coming shortly.
Is the Fodmap diet useful in IBS Constipation (IBS-C)?
Usually not, however it may reduce wind and bloating. Why? Because it reduces the substrates (raw material) that the wind and bloating is reduced from.
But here’s the kicker:
In the long run, FodMap diet may worsen the problem. The basis of the Fodmap diet is to remove foods that cause wind and bloating, typically in IBS (a term we’re not a fan of). When you remove them however, you’ll lose the ability to process many wholefoods even more. You may find your diet even more limited when the foods are re-introduced.
FAST CONSTIPATION RELIEF
Simple tricks that empties out your bowels immediately
Whilst we are all about the root cause, here are some helpful short term tips for when you feel really bloated and blocked up:
1. High dose Vitamin C (note may cause diarrhoea or cramping, so go slow). Take one gram at a time, at roughly an hour’s interval. Total dose in a day 4-5 grams (though there are people who have taken much much more). Can cause a quick bowel movement.
2. Water ‘Fast’: Start the day with water only. Two large glasses. After a 2-3 hour fast, eat a large-ish breakfast until you’re 80% full, followed by a small but strong coffee (if you drink).
3. Soaked prunes and flax seeds. Soak 4 prunes in water over night. In a separate bowl, soak 1 tablespoon of flax seeds in water over night. The next morning, pour the water off, then add the prunes and flax to a smoothie (blend) for breakfast.
4. Magnesium citrate and/or herbal laxatives. If possible, take every other day or third day instead of daily. Senna and Segrada can be very harsh and stop working after some time.
5. Foods: Papaya: Must be ripe (yellow), eat a generous portion. Ginger: ginger and lime juice shots. Two kiwi’s (if your gut responds well to fibre. If not, it won’t help).
What is the best thing for constipation.
Our guts need fibre to stay healthy. However your gut function and bacteria have really broken down, you may not be able to process fibre. In this case, a lower fibre diet may be useful. Which is why a FodMap diet can sometimes be an effective temporary ‘plaster’.
HOWEVER;
This is not a suitable long term solution - and care should be taken to try and resolve the underlying problem, which is often to do with gut bacteria to avoid it getting worse.
Effects of constipation on the body
Constipation always leads to bloating, and bloating usually leads to wind - and sometimes fatigue and weight gain too.
What happens when constipated for too long
The colon is designed to stretch when full. Nerves in the colon can sense when it’s stretched - signalling the need to eliminate. This triggers the muscular movement needed to move colon content forwards and out. However, if you don’t go to the loo every day - or your bowel moments are incomplete, a ‘car jam’ can quickly accumulate. This can cause the body to ignore the signals.
The transverse colon (the part that goes across your abdomen as opposed to up/down) can then become overfilled and heavy, which could increase the ‘kink’ where the colon curves (think about a kinked hose). Could this make elimination harder?
If you think about it - if you miss 1 day of elimination out of 7, and don’t clear the ‘backlog’ very easily, you’d be ‘one day behind’ for the rest of week!
This scenario can cause a constant stool delay. This upsets the microbiome, with bloating and wind as a consequence.
Constipation danger signs:
See your GP if you experience:
- Not going to the toilet for many days or weeks, with a very small bowel movement.
- Soiling or prolapse (see a private Pelvic Physio).
- Loose or watery stool at the same time as constipation.
what fruit is good for constipation
- 2 kiwis for breakfast.
- 1 Small ripe papaya.
- Prunes - soak them first. Use 3-4 a day if you wish, but note that people with SIBO can be a little sensitive to the sugars in prunes, so if you feel worse, speak to a practitioner.
how you can get un-constipated asap: Flush out your bowels
A quick home-made laxative Remedy:
1. 2 litres of water a day! A must if you are constipated. Go for water, not teas or cordials, etc.
2. Ginger and lemon shot daily for 10 days.
3. Soaked prunes and flax seeds - or psyllium husk.
Constipation; Foods to avoid
The food most common foods that worsened constipatin for many of our clients:
• Gluten (‘sticky’!)
• Dairy - common cause of constipation experienced from childhood. Don’t just remove from diet though without ensuring you get enough calcium.
• Very oily food (doesn’t exist in nature): Indian take out / fish and chips / creamy sauces?
• Too many grains or wholegrain, such as an over reliance on porridge, bread, pasta and brown rice. This can overwhelm the gut bacteria needed to process these foods.
• Snacking or grazing. Our MMC (the muscular movements propelling the stool forwards) need pauses. Ensure you get 4-5 hours between meals. If that’s hard - you need to address your blood sugar and reduce sugars.
Simply avoiding these foods is a short term solution. Do work to improve your diet, hydration and microbiome. Movement, your posture and how you breathe is also important. This is because these mechanisms are directly attached to digestive organs (and calm breathing massages our digestive organs).
You might be wondering:
Are you constipated if you don’t go to the toilet every day?
Yes, is the short answer. Most of us consume significant volumes of food daily, continuously topping up the food arriving in the colon to be processed and eliminated. Because of how food collects in the gastric tract, not eliminating fully every day causes a backlog.
This isn’t a problem if you’re an efficient eliminator who can clear the ‘backlog’ easily, but if you can’t, note that if you’re someone who eats very small portions and/or very little fibre, you may be someone who does skip a day here and there and still feel comfortable, but I’m going to guess this is not you, if you’re reading this article.
If none of the above helps, you may have a deeper imbalance in your gut bacteria or digestion. Here’s what to do:
Help for Constipation in children or Babies
This requires a more personalised approach. Please get in touch or book a FREE discovery call to discuss you’re concerns. We’re here to help, and have decades of experience under our belt.
Feeling Confused? Drop us a line with details of your current symptoms and we’ll give you a free assessment.
