Constipated? 5 Things Your Gut Might Need To Get Things Going

Having a regular poop schedule is one of the most coveted (and sought) daily habits people are after. But many people struggle with constipation. About 16% of people (33% of folks over 60) have difficulty going more than once every three days. 

Dehydration negatively impacts every system in your body—including your digestive tract. Research consistently identifies inadequate fluid intake1 as one of the key lifestyle factors associated with constipation.

Your large intestine naturally absorbs water from digested food to form stool. But when you're not drinking enough fluids, your body conserves water wherever it can, which includes pulling more water out of the intestines. This leads to harder, drier stools that are slower (and more difficult) to pass.

Plain water, seltzer, tea, and even coffee all count toward your daily hydration goals. For women, that's around nine cups a day, and men need around 12.5 cups (but drink what's needed to keep your pee a pale yellow color).

Fiber is so important for bowel health because it helps add bulk to stool while allowing it to retain water, making stools softer and easier to pass. It also supports a healthy gut transit time—the amount of time it takes food to move through your digestive tract.

When your diet falls short on fiber, stools can become smaller, harder, and slower to move through the intestines, making trips to the bathroom less frequent (and often less comfortable).

Aim to eat a variety of fiber-rich foods throughout the day, including fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. And targeted fiber supplements can also be helpful.

Not only do these powders add a productive 6-9 grams of dietary fiber to your day, but certain fibers have been clinically studied and shown to support improved bowel movements and gastric emptying time (which also helps with bloat). 

That’s right. Kiwis are surprisingly good at promoting regularity. They’re an efficient source of fiber, with one kiwi providing about 3 grams of fiber with the skin on! They also contain a natural digestive enzyme called actinidin, which may help support digestion and keep food moving through the gastrointestinal tract. 

In one study, researchers looked at the impact of eating two green kiwis a day compared to taking 7.5 grams of psyllium husk fiber in nearly 200 people (some of which were healthy and others had either functional constipation or constipation-predominant IBS). 

Regular physical activity2 stimulates the muscles that push food through your digestive tract (a process called peristalsis). When you spend long stretches sitting, that movement can slow down, meaning waste lingers in the colon longer. The longer stool sits there, the more water is absorbed from it, making it drier, harder, and more difficult to pass.

Exercise also helps support the gut-brain connection. Stress is a well-known contributor to sluggish digestion, and moving your body is one of the best ways to reduce stress while encouraging healthy gut motility.

Prunes have earned their laxative-like reputation for a reason. 

They're naturally rich in fiber and sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that draws water into the intestines. These compounds make prunes highly effective at softening stool while encouraging it to move through the digestive tract.

While occasional feeling blocked up is going to happen sometimes, having an infrequent No. 2 schedule is not ideal (for your gut, mood, or physical comfort level). Integrating a few of these habits—especially staying hydrated and eating more fiber—can result in significant improvements.