Listen, boo. If you’re not pooping two to three times a day, you’re constipated.
And I know you don’t want to talk about it. It’s awkward and embarrassing. But it’s also an important conversation if you want to address symptoms, heal, or take responsibility for your health.
As a nutritionist, it’s my job to ask WHY. To dig into your symptoms to find the cause. Because if you don’t address and heal the root cause then you’re just putting a band-aid on the symptom.
So if you come to me and you’re pooping once a day or less, then you can bet I’ll be searching for answers.
Here are 8 reasons you’re constipated. These are common causes I see with my clients in my practice (and what you can do about them!):
Medications and Supplements
Medications or the wrong supplements can cause constipation. For example, antacids lower stomach acid which is critical for the break down and absorption of nutrients. Also calcium and iron can be constipating.
You need to be on the right supplements and formula’s to make sure they’re helping not harming your gut health. I can help you with that!
Food Sensitivities
When you are sensitive to a food, you’re unable to digest it. When that happens, large particles are left behind to cause trouble. They may irritate the lining of the gut, or fuel the “bad bacteria”. This can cause inflammation and constipation.
A food journal is a great way to track your food, mood, and poops. Keep track for seven days and look for patterns to see if a specific food may be causing your constipation. Not sure? Let’s chat and see if a food sensitivity test would be right for you.
Sluggish Liver or Digestion
If you don’t have enough bile, digestion slows down. Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Often a sluggish liver or sluggish digestion can be the cause of constipation. I always look at the health of the liver!
Hot lemon water 10 to 30 minutes prior to a meal will help support the liver, detoxifcation, and digestion.
Dehydration
Digestion relies on water for proper function. You lose water daily through your sweat, urine, breath, etcetera. Ensuring you’re getting enough throughout the day is critical.
Aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water daily. Herbal teas count towards your water quota.
Lack of Fibre
Both too little and too much fibre can cause constipation. Weird, right? But hear me out!
Too little fibre and you’re not providing your body with the cleaners needed to sweep through the digestive tract. Too much fibre and not enough water can cause you to get backed up too.
Aim for at least 4 to 6 cups of vegetables daily. If you aren’t use to eating this much fibre, increase your quantity slowly.
SIBO
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth is when bacteria move up the large intestine into the small intestine. When you eat certain fibres, they feed off of it before it’s fully digested. This can cause a bunch of symptoms, including constipation.
This is not something you treat on your own. It’s important to get tested for SIBO. Contact me if you’d like to learn more.
Stress, Anxiety, or Depression
Often overlooked, emotional components are huge for triggering constipation. They cause inflammation, lower stomach acid, and pull nutrients away from the digestive tract. They put your body into fight-or-flight which reserves resources instead of using them for digestion.
Use calming techniques like deep-breathing throughout the day. Drink herbal teas like chamomile. Avoid food sensitivities and address any imbalances (SIBO, hormones, etc.).
Poor Quality Sleep
Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can cause inflammation. This is a big trigger for constipation and something I see often in my practice. The best news? It’s an easy fix. Aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
To improve quality, get off all devices at least 30 minutes prior to bed. Make sure you’re in bed and asleep by 10:30pm for the best digestive support.
Constipation is not a symptom to ignore. Exploring it can lead to the root cause and prevent other symptoms from creeping in.
While it’s great to be aware of these 8 reasons you’re constipated, if you’d like to learn more about this topic then follow me on Instagram or Facebook this week as I dig deeper into how to manage and prevent it.
Or, book in a consultation and I’ll personally help you out!