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Doctors Say Try This First for Constipation ReliefDBenitostock – Getty Images<\/p>\n
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You sit on the toilet thinking positive thoughts of landslides and waterfalls, but no matter how hard you try, you can not get that poop to come out. Or, when it finally does emerge, it looks like a couple of sad little chocolate M&Ms floating around the bowl.<\/p>\n
Hey, it happens. (Or, to be more graphic, the lack of something that rhymes with it happens.) Constipation, which involves changes in the frequency and consistency of your bowel movements, can be especially problematic if you\u2019ve been traveling, says Supriya Rao, MD,<\/a>a clinical assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and managing partner of Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in Boston<\/a>. \u201cYou’re off your regular schedule, there have been changes in circadian rhythm<\/a>, and you\u2019re eating different types of foods,\u201d she says. Plus, you may have been a little skittish about using a bathroom on the plane or in the hotel, because who knows how many butts have perched on that same seat?<\/p>\n \u201cConstipation is partly behavioral, and it\u2019s partly your environment,\u201d adds Neha Mathur, MD,<\/a>a gastroenterologist at Houston Methodist, who says that dehydration, diet, and lack of exercise can also contribute. Certain medications can also affect your bowel movements, including some antidepressants, iron supplements, opioids (something to keep in mind after you\u2019ve had surgery), and GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic.<\/p>\n Chronic constipation may be a sign of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)<\/a>or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); a gastroenterologist can recommend both lifestyle changes and medications to help. But for occasional bouts of acute constipation, you can try some home remedies to make yourself go.<\/p>\n Home Remedies for Constipation1. Pop a squat<\/p>\n You may have heard friends raving about the Squatty Potty\u2014a footstool that fits around the base of your toilet so you can lift your knees up while bearing down\u2014and both experts say it really works. \u201cThe Western-style toilet is not great ergonomically,\u201d says Dr. Mathur, who points out that in many other countries, people squat on toilets low to the ground to poop. The elevated toilet seat we use in the United States isn’t optimal for pooping, she says. Using a footstool to bend your knees and angle your bottom can align your body for easier bowel movements.<\/p>\n 2. Drink more water<\/p>\n When life gets busy, refilling your water bottle is often one of the first things to slip down the to-do list. But staying hydrated plays a big role in keeping things moving. When your body has enough fluids, your stools stay softer and easier to pass. In fact, according to the American College of Gastroenterology, low fluid intake<\/a> is one of the most common causes of acute constipation.<\/p>\n 3. Have a cup of coffee<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a regular morning coffee drinker, you may notice that you hit the bathroom after you down your latte. That\u2019s because caffeine increases motility in the gut<\/a>, says Dr. Mathur. If you’re not a coffee drinker, caffeinated tea can be an alternative.<\/p>\n 4. Snack on kiwis<\/p>\n These cute and tangy fruits taste a whole lot better than a pill or powder, and they may actually get the job done. \u201cStudies have shown that two kiwis a day work just as well as over-the-counter laxatives<\/a> for helping some patients go to the bathroom,\u201d says Dr. Rao. For maximum fiber, she recommends eating the fuzzy fruit skin as well. Other berries, like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, can also help thanks to their fiber and water content.<\/p>\n 5. Eat a high-fiber diet<\/p>\n Fruits and veggies can help keep your digestive system running smoothly. \u201cIn addition to eating more greens and vegetables, you can add bran, nuts, cereal, and breads with high fiber,\u201d says Dr. Mathur, who recommends aiming for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day. Fiber helps bulk up and soften stool,<\/a> which makes it easier to pass. \u201cMake sure you\u2019re drinking enough water with your fiber,\u201d adds Dr. Rao. Other high-fiber foods to add to your plate include popcorn, beans, lentils, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, prunes, broccoli, apples, and pears.<\/p>\n 6. Take a fiber supplement<\/p>\n If you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet\u2014or just need an extra boost\u2014taking a supplement such as psyllium husk (in brands like Metamucil) or methylcellulose (in brands like Citrucel) can help. Many of these formulations are dissolved in water, which is important because the water helps soften stools and move them through the colon, Dr. Mathur explains. Start with a small dose and gradually increase until your bowel movements become regular, the American College of Gastroenterology<\/a> advises.<\/p>\n 7. Move more<\/p>\n You may notice that skipping your regular exercise routine can leave you feeling backed up. \u201cA more sedentary state leads to more constipation,\u201d says Dr. Mathur. She adds that exercises that engage your core muscles, like yoga, can help strengthen your pelvic floor, which in turn helps you generate the abdominal pressure needed to push out your stool. Studies have shown that exercise, in general, can help ease constipation<\/a>.<\/p>\n 8. Eat fermented foods<\/p>\n Dr. Rao recommends adding fermented foods such as kimchi, miso, and kombucha to your diet. Some studies have shown that the probiotic benefits of these foods can help with gastrointestinal issues<\/a>, including constipation.<\/p>\n 9. Cut back on dairy<\/p>\n Just as some foods can help you go, others can slow things down. \u201cDifferent people respond to dairy in different ways,\u201d says Dr. Rao. \u201cIt can cause diarrhea for some, and constipation for others.\u201d You can try switching to plant-based milk and ice cream for a few days to see if it makes a difference.<\/p>\n 10. Walk after meals<\/p>\n After you finish that high-fiber meal, go outside and get some steps in. \u201cI tell patients to take at least a 15 to 20 minute walk after their meals to help them digest,\u201d says Dr. Rao. Studies have confirmed that walking can help ease the symptoms of constipation<\/a> by stimulating the stomach and intestines.<\/p>\n 11. Take an OTC laxative<\/p>\n When diet and exercise aren’t quite enough to make you go, you can step it up with over-the-counter laxatives. There are two basic kinds: stimulants and osmotic. Stimulants contain substances such as senna (in brands including Senokot) and bisocodyl (in brands including Dulcolax) that stimulate the walls of the large intestine, causing them to contract. \u201cMy patients seem to really like the stimulants, because it really makes them feel the urge to go,\u201d says Dr. Rao. \u201cOsmotics such as Miralax pull water from the surrounding tissues into the gut to help you go,\u201d she adds. These should only be taken for short periods; check in with your doctor to make sure they are right for you. <\/p>\n 12. Try a magnesium supplement<\/p>\n You may know that magnesium supplements can help with insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. But did you know they’re also useful for constipation? Dr. Mathur recommends taking 200-400mg per day. \u201cIf you’re a patient who has one to two bowel movements a week, magnesium may not be enough to fix everything,\u201d she says. \u201cBut if you’re mild and need a little softening, then magnesium is very safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Antonio Hugo Photo – Getty Images<\/p>\n FAQWhat are the signs of constipation?<\/p>\n To put it bluntly, constipation is when you\u2019re having trouble pooping. That could mean you\u2019ve gone a day or two without having a bowel movement, the consistency of your poop has changed (think small rabbit pellets rather than runny diarrhea), you\u2019re straining hard with no satisfactory results, or you go but don\u2019t feel like you\u2019ve successfully gotten everything out. \u201cSome people say, \u2018I’m having small bowel movements, but I’m going multiple times a day,\u2019 and that can still be under the umbrella of constipation because of the change in frequency and the consistency,\u201d says Dr. Mathur. \u201cIt’s really just unsatisfactory defecation with changes in frequency and stools that are difficult to pass.\u201d<\/p>\n How do you get rid of constipation ASAP?<\/p>\n Many of the cures for constipation involve changing your diet, exercising more, and drinking plenty of water, and these can take some time to have an effect. But if you need to go right now, the fastest methods will be using a squatting stool and taking over-the-counter laxatives.<\/p>\n Should you use laxatives?<\/p>\n Yes, if other lifestyle changes aren\u2019t doing the job, it is safe to take laxatives, says Dr. Mathur. She adds that stimulant laxatives should only be used for a limited period of time, as a \u201crescue\u201d med (taken in the moment for an acute case rather than as a long-term treatment). And if you find yourself reaching for them more than once a week, check in with your doctor.<\/p>\n When should you see a doctor?<\/p>\n If you have three or fewer bowel movements in a week for four to six weeks (and this is a change from your normal schedule), you should consult a doctor, says Dr. Rao. Not only can they help you come up with a plan for better bowel habits, but they can also recommend prescription meds if necessary. And, most importantly, they can evaluate whether your constipation may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, thyroid disease, or an inflammatory bowel condition.<\/a> They may also recommend a colonoscopy to rule out colon cancer or other bowel obstructions, says Dr. Mathur. \u201cThat\u2019s less likely if you\u2019re 18 than if you\u2019re 70, but if there are ongoing symptoms and you’re reaching for more and more over-the-counter therapies, then definitely seek medical counseling to make sure that nothing more serious is going on,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n You Might Also Like<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Doctors Say Try This First for Constipation ReliefDBenitostock – Getty Images “Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618413,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[54359,13611,97,45511,45512,268191,268190,241309],"class_list":["post-618412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-bowel-movements","tag-constipation","tag-health","tag-inflammatory-bowel-disease","tag-irritable-bowel-syndrome","tag-mathur","tag-neha-mathur","tag-supriya-rao"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3c1d07336230d8c5ef0c45ebf25499b8.jpeg\"\/)
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