6 Steps to Eliminate Constipation

About one third of all those with irritable bowel syndrome have constipation, including me. Unfortunately, it is the most difficult kind to get completely under control and you have to take several distinct steps to manage this. I have outlined these in the video so that you can do this for yourself. Good luck and let me know in the comments if you have any other tips that could help us.

6 Steps to Eliminate Constipation

Today I want to talk about irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and how to deal with it.

My name Suzanne Perazzini and I’m the author of two low FODMAP cookbooks and creator of several low Fodmap coaching programs.

This is an updated video about constipation including many things that I’ve learned from the hundreds of clients that have been through my coaching programs. Here are six points for you to try to create a situation where your gut resists being constipated.

1. The first one is, of course, the low FODMAP diet and we now know conclusively that this will significantly reduce your symptoms of IBS. We just had the University of Michigan come out with the results of their study a few months ago that back up the results of the Monash University’s research study on the low FODMAP diet almost a decade ago now. So we’ve got two research centers saying exactly the same thing. So definitely put the low FODMAP diet in place. But for those who suffer with constipation, this is often not enough by itself. You do have to do a few extra things that those with diarrhea don’t have to take into account as much.
2. The second point is your fluid intake. This is absolutely essential for everybody. They’ve done a research study that shows that about 95% of those in the US are dehydrated, that sounds rather dramatic but it’s a research study I’ve read recently. So with constipation, we need that fluid to help the movement of the stool as well as the consistency of the stool. Try to get eight glasses of water a day or that could be replaced by herbal tea, but you have to be very careful of herbal tea because many are high Fodmap. But not ordinary tea or coffee because they actually have a dehydrating effect – don’t count those for your fluid intake. The very best drink for us is water – make sure you’re getting eight glasses a day.
3. The third point is exercise. Again, we all know that we should be exercising and how good it is for us from many different points of view. But this is just about constipation and we need exercise to get the gut moving to relieve cramps, to relax muscles, to get the blood flowing in the area. So try to get 20 to 30 minutes exercise every day. Walking is fine. We don’t need to be pole vaulting or long distance running or anything like that. In fact, we don’t want to irritate our internal organs too much with violent exercise. So, a good 20 to 30-minute walk a day will get that gut moving.
4. Point number four is fat levels. We know that fat is a gut irritant, which causes a bit of an issue for us. How much fat can we have? Your constipation needs the fat since it helps the consistency of the stool and therefore helps it to move along and out. But too much fat and you will get your IBS symptoms of bloating and cramping. The fine line between helping and hindering is different in all of us. My level has to be quite low or I’ll get symptoms. But I have IBS with constipation so I’m constantly pushing against that fine line to see how much I can get in before I get symptoms.
5. Number five is fiber. Fiber’s a double edged sword, a little bit like fat, because too much and we get bloating. All of us who have tried the doctor’s advice to take fiber supplements, will notice that it can make us worse. So again, we have that fine line we have to push against, because we need the fiber for the consistency of the stool. But too much, and we have symptoms. So we have to start very gently with fiber, and build it to a level where we touch that line. I advise my clients to start with one tablespoon of chia seeds with their breakfast and they soak this overnight in a little bit of water to make a jelly. So chia seeds are fiber, and it’s also a good food nutrient-wise for clients. That alone might solve the problem. If it doesn’t, then make sure that each day you get in your diet either brown rice or quinoa. They’re really good sources of fiber. Quinoa in particular, which even though it’s called a grain, comes from a seed and has quite a lot of protein in it. Not everybody can tolerate brown rice, so just test it, go easy, and be aware that itt might tip you over that line. Quinoa shouldn’t. So that’s kind of the second step in building your fiber. Now the third step that I get my clients to take is oats. Rolled oats, instant oats, cooked or raw, for breakfast. I don’t put that immediately into their diets, because it can be too much fiber, and certainly irritates some people. And I advise you to have no more than a quarter of a cup in the raw measurement. There are many different types of oats and if you look at the Monash University app, you’ll see a whole lot listed. And there are different amounts you can have of each. So in order not to go over the top with it, because of the confusion with the different amounts, I always have a quarter of a cup of oats. And I find that enough anyway. Now that might be too much fiber for some of you, but it might be that piece of the puzzle that gets your bowel moving nicely. Once you’ve taken those three steps, you should be at that line. And if you’ve tipped over it, just pull back a little bit. But you might already reach that line just with the chia seeds. So take it gently as you build those fiber levels.
6. The very last thing, and do this after you have everything else in place and still you’re having some problem with constipation, is magnesium citrate. I take 100 milligrams every morning, and that just keeps things moving nicely. Magnesium citrate is something that those of us with IBS are naturally low in, so it’s a good thing to have, but it has a laxative effect. So I’m not going to advise it for people with IBS with diarrhea, unless they go really easy on it. But for people with constipation, this is certainly something that will help you. Start with 100 milligrams, and then build it to whatever level you need it to be at. I get tablets because the tablets are 200 milligrams and I can snap them in half to get my 100 milligrams. If you get a capsule, that’s much harder to do. You have to start with the higher amount, and that could cause problems where you could be running to the toilet, like happened to me the very first time I took it, I just took the dose that was on the bottle, and I spent most of the day in the toilet, so don’t make that mistake. Don’t follow the instructions, in other words. And also it often says to have it at night, and that’s because it can help sleep. I prefer to have it in the morning, so that I have the slight laxative effect during the day and not at night when I’m wanting to sleep.

Those are the six tips. Just build on those gradually until you actually solve your problem. If you haven’t solved your problem within those parameters, then I would certainly be getting some testing done to see what is happening in your bowel. I’ve not yet had a client who hasn’t solved their issues by following this system.