Are you Constipated?
Are you Constipated?
I’m excited to dive into this (very sexy) topic of…constipation! When it comes to digestive issues, constipation is actually a really, really common one I see frequently with my clients. (I have to laugh also at the photo my amazing assistant chose for this post!)
Firstly let’s define what a normal bowel movement even looks like to know where you fall on the spectrum!
This might come as a surprise to you, but a normal bowel movement is supposed to happen 1-3 times per day. If you are not having a normal bowel movement every day or it's every other day or sometimes even three to four days, that's the sign that you are constipated. Also, if you are having a hard time eliminating, straining to eliminate having hard stools or incomplete elimination it’s a sign that you're not eliminating fully and that you are indeed constipated.
Eliminating fully is really important in order to get out toxins from our body. We eat food, it's broken down and absorbed, we get all the nutrients we need from it and we want to get rid of everything else that we don't need. If you are not eliminating 1-3 times per day or fully eliminating, waste is getting backed up in your system. This not only causes digestive issues like gas and bloating with waste backing up and allowing things to remain stagnant in the gut, but it also doesn’t allow us to get toxins out of our body.
Bowel movements are one of the main ways that we get toxins, and also certain hormones like estrogen, out of our body. Once the liver processes estrogen for elimination, it is up to your gut to move it out! If you are experiencing constipation, there is a good chance your estrogen isn't making its way out, but instead, going back into circulation in the body. High level of estrogen in the body, or an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, can lead to things like PMS symptoms, fibroids, heavy periods, and many other symptoms that come with this estrogen dominance.
So check in and see just where you are at! Sometimes we don't know until we use a tool to track our digestion and see, oh, actually, yeah, I haven't gone in two days or I didn't go today or I went once but it really doesn't feel like I'm actually getting everything out. You can download my free Food and Symptom Journal to get started!
Common causes of constipation
Common causes of constipation are:
Food allergies or sensitivities
Lack of good bacteria in the gut
Intestinal permeability or damage to the mucosal lining of the gut
Dehydration
Thyroid or other hormone imbalances
You can see that it really depends, like so many things, on what the underlying cause for the individual is. This means that you're going to address constipation differently depending on what’s going on for you. That being said, there's the three easy things that I always look at first when it comes to troubleshooting constipation.
3 easy ways to troubleshoot constipation
Hydration. Our digestive system needs water to function properly. When dehydrated, our digestion slows down and our stools become harder to pass. A good rule of thumb is to divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water per day. This will of course vary depending on your individual needs, climate and how much you sweat!
Get enough good fats in your diet to help lubricate the digestive system. (Think olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, coconut oil, coconut meat, olives, etc.)
Increase fiber. Fiber is really important for supporting our digestive process and add bulk to the stool. Fiber is the main food for the 70-100 trillion microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. And when you eat plenty of fiber, it’s harder for pathogenic bacteria to grow in your digestive tract. A simple way to get in more fiber is to load up on good veggies like these roasted root veggies or sautéed kale throughout the day! To see what works for you I recommend slowly increasing your fiber intake. Don't feel like you have to like dump a ton of fiber and just start eating a ton of raw veggies. In these colder months I liked to include warm, cooked veggies for fiber which are a bit easier on the digestive system. Sometimes I like to have the “one, two, three” rule where you have one veggie at breakfast, two at lunch, three at dinner. See if you can experiment with that!
Click here to listen in iTunes
Click here to listen in Stitcher
If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life.
If you suffer from:
Fatigue and energy crashes
Brain fog
Poor digestion
Painful periods and PMS
Symptoms of autoimmunity
Stress and overwhelm
...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail.
In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.
I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.
