Top Foods to Add to Your Diet for Constipation Relief

If you’re reading this, it’s probably safe to assume you’re in the chronic constipation club. Hi, welcome. We’re here to discuss poop and evidence based solutions for slow motility.

There is an almost endless supply of advertised miracles that will supposedly help you “go” instantly (or nearly). I’ve tried them all. Some do, in fact, work, but not permanently.

So if you suffer from a case of chronic constipation, understand something: The only way to truly vanquish the problem in the long term is to repair the microbiome. To do that, you need to increase plant diversity. Turns out that “eating the rainbow” is actually good advice. 

What Can Help:

✔️Try magnesium. Magnesium glycinate, in particular, is a stool softener. It draws water into the intestines, working as an osmotic laxative. It’s sold over the counter and beneficial for several other reasons, but you should always check with your doctor before taking supplements. 

✔️Gentle but frequent exercise. Going for a walk, a jog, or joining a pilates class is great for your motility. Exercise does more than tone your muscles. It’s essential for regular bowel movements and can also help stimulate intestinal contractions.

✔️DIY belly massage. Abdominal massages can relieve constipation and help you release gas. It also reduces your level of stress, which can also help with the discomfort associated with bloating.

• Just lie on your back and use both hands to put gentle pressure on your belly area.

• Start from the right lower side of your abdomen, making gentle circles in a clockwise direction.

• Release and do it again on your left side.

• Then, use your fingertips on both hands to firmly but gently press into your abdomen, pulling up.

• Repeat 2 or 3 times. 

✔️Adequate water intake. Assuming the first thing you tried was to eat more fiber (good for you), you should probably drink more water to help soften and bulk up the stool, as fiber absorbs a lot of water and can become dry and hard - which in turn makes going to the bathroom even more difficult. 

✔️Try a toilet stool. Now listen, this may seem too simple but there’s plenty of evidence that proves they work! A toilet stool basically corrects your posture: squatting moves your colon into the ideal position to go more easily. 

What Doesn’t Help:

👉Dairy Products. Cheese, milk, ice cream, and other dairy products have a high concentration of calcium, which may lead to constipation in some people. Dairy also lacks fiber, which also doesn’t help its cause, if we’re talking about constipating.

Homemade yogurt and kefir, however, are a whole different thing. These are not only allowed but encouraged due to their high concentration of beneficial bacteria that aid digestion. 

👉Avoid foods with a high fat content. Processing fat takes a lot of energy from your body, so if you eat a lot of fatty foods, you’ll likely end up with an overworked gut. Cut down on the heavy, fried food, if you can. 

👉Red Meat. Red meat is not necessarily bad for you, but it tends to be fattier than other proteins, and it’s also higher in protein, which means it can take a lot longer to be digested. Once more, red meat is devoid of fiber, the most important nutrient when it comes to fighting constipation. 

👉Processed Snacks. Hey, we all resort to ready-made, convenient options sometimes, and while we know those foods are not great (nutritionally speaking), it also won’t kill you when eaten in moderation - but you could end up feeling backed up. Snack foods are often lacking in fiber, and high in fat, salt, or sugar. Avoid those if you can. 

Best Foods for Constipation:

🥤Daily smoothies - smoothies are an easy (and tasty) solution. You can load them with antioxidants and greens to help your bowel get moving!  

🌾Whole grains - I know some people are terrified of grains, but increasing your whole grain intake (brown rice, quinoa…) is crucial to beat constipation as it lowers inflammation in the body.

🥝Fruit - Increasing your overall fruit intake is a good idea anyways, but kiwis, prunes and figs are rich in natural laxatives and so especially great for motility! 

🧉Probiotics - Probiotic rich foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha can greatly improve gut health and bowel function. It’s all about feeding the good bacteria in your gut! 

🥗Fiber, fiber, fiber - Leafy greens, broccoli, nuts, sweet potatoes… All great sources of fiber. Fiber-packed legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas can also alleviate constipation and are highly nutritious!

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