Top 10 Nutrition and Lifestyle Recommendations for Constipation

  1. High fibre: Increase your fibre intake gradually and aim for a high fibre diet of at least 25 g per day for women and 38 g per day for men. High fibre foods include whole vegetables and fruits with the skin, nuts and seeds, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, black beans), popcorn, and whole grains (oats, brown rice, rye bread, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, teff, buckwheat groats). Berries are especially high in fibre, so consider adding blueberries or raspberries to your morning oatmeal or overnight oats, along with one tablespoon of chia seeds, hemp hearts, or flaxseeds, for a fibre-packed start to your day. When reading food labels, choose high fibre products that have >15% of the daily value (DV) of fibre. If the daily value (DV) is <5%, then the product is considered low fibre.
  2. Fluid intake: Aim for at least 8-10 cups of fluid per day. This could include water, herbal teas (e.g., fennel, dandelion, peppermint), 100% vegetable and fruit juices, milk and milk alternatives, and broth. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about your individual needs.
  3. Physical activity: Regular physical activity is important to help prevent and reduce constipation. Moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking and biking can help with constipation. Health Canada recommends that adults have at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. Take the time to find an activity that you enjoy and can look forward to doing consistently. If the gym is not for you, that’s alright, there are so many other alternatives!
  4. Include natural laxatives in your routine: Prunes, prune juice, papaya, rhubarb, figs, kiwis, and coffee all have laxative effects. You can make your own fruit spread with some of these ingredients, or buy them at the store (e.g., Fruit Rite™).
  5. Consider a fibre supplement: 100% ground psyllium husk and flaxseeds are especially effective at reducing constipation. They help bulk up stool and move the products of digestion along your digestive tract. Start with ½ to 1 teaspoon per day with 1-2 cups of water, and gradually increase the dose from there as needed (e.g., 1 teaspoon two or three times per day). It is important to increase your fluid intake as you increase your fibre intake to help prevent bloating and abdominal discomfort.
  6. Consider a probiotic supplement: Try a daily probiotic with bifidobacteria and/or lactobacillus strains for at least one month and monitor symptoms. Check out the annually updated and evidence-based Canadian probiotic guide for brands that have research supporting their efficacy at probioticchart.ca.
  7. Consider a magnesium supplement: Research shows that magnesium citrate is effective in reducing constipation, especially for constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). Ask your doctor, dietitian, or pharmacist if this is a good option for you.
  8. Check your current supplements: Certain forms of iron and calcium supplementation can slow down motility in the gut and make constipation worse. Talk to your doctor, dietitian, or pharmacist, to see if the forms you take are contributing to constipation.
  9. Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement: Make time to have a bowel movement the moment you feel the signal. Holding in stool causes the colon to absorb more water from the stool and can worsen constipation and make it more difficult to handle.
  10. Consider alternative therapies: Abdominal massage by a registered massage therapist, pelvic floor physiotherapy, and gut-directed hypnotherapy are additional tools to explore to help treat and reduce constipation.
Anne-Marie Stelluti, RD
Image: VadimGuzhva | bigstockphoto.com