If you strain to have a bowel movement, pass dry/hard/lumpy stools, or have less than three bowel movements per week, you may be constipated. Constipation is a sign your gut might be out of balance. Maintaining a healthy gut not only will help you digest your foods better, but improves your overall physical and mental health. After all, your gut is the source where all your energy to your body comes form. Here are some tips to helping you prevent constipation.
1. Drink Warm Water: Stay hydrated by drinking at least half your body weight in ounces a day (i.e. 150lb person would drink 75oz of water, which equates to ~9 cups/day)
· Drinking in a squat position helps create pressure within and promote bowel movement
· Also, you can eat more water containing foods (i.e. soups, watermelon).
· Dink Tea: Especially, ginger, mint, dandelion, licorice root, and senna teas.
vRecipe: In a cup of hot water, add 1 piece of grated gingerroot, tear in some mint leaves, and let it steep for ~ 10 minutes. Drink this 2-3x/day after meals to help sooth stomach lining.
2. Eat more Fiber: Women should consume 21-25 grams, while men 30-38 grams of fiber a day to help soften (insoluble fiber) and bulk up (soluble fiber) your stool.
· Sources of Fiber—Fruits (i.e. prunes/black raisins), Veggies (i.e. cabbage, beets), Whole grains (i.e. oats, brown rice, quinoa, rye, barley), Nuts/seeds (i.e. Almonds, chia, pumpkin, sunflower), Beans/lentils.
vRecipe: Soak prunes/raisins ~10-15 min, and eat 3-4prunes/day, or ¼ cup raisins/day, or ~1 tsp of its jam/day. This will store well in the fridge for ~4 days
vRecipe: Blend and drink 1-2 tsp of chia seeds soaked in 1 liter of water
vRecipe: Blend and drink 1 cup of cabbage with 1 cup water.
vRecipe: Boil 3 cups of water, and 1 cup of old fashioned oats, and let it simmer on low heat for ~20-30 minutes until water is absorbed. Enjoy a bowel for breakfast. This will store well in the fridge for ~4 days
· Avoid low fiber foods (i.e. cheese, milk, eggs, meat, white processed bread, fast foods), or at least balance the meal with high fiber foods.
3. Eat more Prebiotics and Probiotics: Prebiotics (plant based fiber) help provide food for the healthy probiotic bacteria in your gut. Thus, promoting a healthy gut flora that helps digest the food into nutrients your body can use.
· Sources of prebiotics – Onions, garlic, chicory, bananas, asparagus, artichokes.
· Sources of probiotics – Fermented food such as pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, kefir, yogurt with Lactobacillus acidophilusand/or Bifidobacterium bifidum.
4. Eat more Healthy Fats: To help stimulate the forward motion in the colon.
· Sources of healthy fats – Avocado, olives, nuts/seeds, wild salmon, coconuts.
vNote: Fats do take longer to digest. Avoid saturated fats, trans fats, and deep-fried foods.
5. Eat more Magnesium: To help draw water into your intestines, and soften your stools.
· Sources of Magnesium—Nuts/seeds, dark chocolate, leafy greens (Spinach, collard greens), unprocessed plant foods.
6. Adjust your diet:
· Irritable bowel syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C): If you have abdominal pain/bloating with your constipation, you might have IBS-C. Consider eliminating high FODMAP (Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharide, and polyols) foods in your diet and then slowly reintroducing them to find out which ones your body can tolerate.
· Gluten intolerance or Celiac disease: Avoid gluten protein containing foods such as grains (wheat, barley, rye).
· Lactose Intolerance: Avoid milk/dairy products if have sensitivity to protein found in cow’s milk.
7. Exercise daily: To help your gut move things along, preferably after your meals for ~30 min/day.
· Gently massage stomach in a clockwise motion to help move stool along.
8. Reduce stress and get enough sleep: To help your gut relax/digest get at least ~7-8 hrs of undisturbed sleep.
· Avoid large meal just before sleep.
9. Incorporate mindful eating: Chew slowly and in a relaxed way.
10. Incorporate bowel training: Go to the bathroom at the same time every day, and when needed. Preferably, ~20-40 min after eating.
What habits do you do to help promote gut health and prevent constipation?
Photo source: badgut.org
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