Top 15 Life Hacks for Constipation
- Brainz Magazine
- Feb 5
- 6 min read
Written by Amber Walker, Owner of Origin Wellness
Amber Walker is a Doctor of Physical Therapy-turned author with a passion to empower others to heal from chronic illness. As the owner of Origin Wellness, Amber utilizes an approach based on a blend of functional/natural medicine, nervous system tools, nutrition, movement, and emotional healing to help patients move from surviving to thriving.
Have you ever noticed how good it feels to “drop the kids off at the pool”? It's undeniable that having a good poop impacts us as humans. The gastrointestinal tract is one of our biggest toxin exit routes, and the quantity, quality, and frequency of our bowel movements have a profound impact on our mental and physical health. Read on for the common causes of constipation and 15 helpful remedies.
Most people have no clue that they are chronically constipated. I’ve had clients who were having bowel movements only two to three times per month; in those cases, there was an obvious problem. However, most people experience a less extreme version of constipation. They think that a bowel movement every one to three days is normal. By mainstream medical standards, that may not be considered constipation. However, in holistic medicine, you should technically be having one bowel movement after every meal.
We excrete toxins through our kidneys and urinary system, our lungs, our skin, and our gastrointestinal system. When the gut gets backed up, toxins tend to get reabsorbed from the small intestine back into systemic circulation, causing collateral inflammation and extra strain on the other pathways that clear them. This often results in lymphatic and circulatory system sluggishness, as well as symptoms like skin issues or breakouts, headaches, anxiety and depression, fatigue, irritability, achiness and joint pain, urinary symptoms, and much more.
Simply put, pooping is important for everything!
What causes constipation?
Let’s start by looking at common causes of slow gastrointestinal transit:
Certain prescriptions, including antidepressants, pain medications, and Parkinson’s disease drugs
Poor-quality (unfiltered) drinking water
Chronic dehydration and a lack of healthy minerals
Excess vitamin D and calcium
Deficiencies in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin E
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, bacterial infections, and candida
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Tethered cord and spinal subluxations
Vagus nerve or other cranial nerve issues
Endocrine disorders like hypothyroidism and diabetes
Celiac disease and food allergies
Parasitic infection and liver flukes
Bile flow issues
Ileocecal valve issues
High-protein or ketogenic diets
Toxicant exposure, including mold and heavy metals
Stress, travel, and being off routine
Additionally, overuse of laxatives containing ingredients like senna, lactulose, and Epsom salts (internally) can damage the nerves of the colon, creating a vicious cycle.
Mind-body connections
Of course, it’s important to be mindful of the impact that our mental health and stress have on constipation as well. If the nervous system does not feel calm and safe, it will be much more challenging to have consistent bowel movements. Both freeze and fight-or-flight responses can be problematic for gut motility.
It’s no surprise that most people get constipated when traveling, particularly on airplanes. Higher stress, being off routine, hydrating less, eating more junk, and exposure to a big dose of electromagnetic radiation can all influence gut motility.
Certain parts of the intestinal tract tend to be linked to specific emotions. The stomach often reacts to emotions like anxiety, disappointment, disgust, or feeling burdened by high demands. The first part of the intestines, the small intestine, tends to harbor emotions of abandonment, guilt, self-doubt, loneliness, and feeling unvalued. Perfectionism, unworthiness, control, uptightness, insecurity, and procrastination may all be connected to the colon (large intestine) if it is inflamed or not functioning well. Emotional healing and emotional release work can profoundly impact constipation for many people.
Top 15 remedies for constipation
Explore herbal remedies and supplements for bowel motility with the help of your care team.
1. Avoid laxatives, and instead consider
Magnesium. Not all types of magnesium impact constipation, but generally, magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide tend to be used the most.
Mineral supplements
Artichoke and ginger
High doses of vitamin C
Digestive bitters
Aloe vera
Triphala
Probiotics (the type depends on the person; spore-based probiotics tend to help the most)
Digestive enzymes, pancreatic enzymes, and bile support (when appropriate)
Senna leaf may be used, with caution, because it can be habit-forming.
2. Evaluate your water source
Often, people don’t drink enough water and end up dehydrated because their subconscious senses that the water source has toxins in it. Switching to distilled water has made a big difference in many cases of constipation and chronic dehydration.
3. Create a calming environment to aid in the process
Build quiet, uninterrupted time first thing in the morning into your schedule. Utilize a step stool under the feet while on the toilet to elevate the knees to reduce straining, and avoid spending more than ten minutes on the toilet.
4. Move your body to move the gut
Be consistent with walking and other exercise/movement each day. Incorporate daily stretches with trunk twisting which can impact the diaphragm and vagus nerve, thus impacting gut motility.
5. Hydrate well
Drink a large glass of water before bed and first thing in the morning.
6. Play with Intermittent Fasting
Fasting may seem counterintuitive at first, but it gives the gut a chance to process and heal between meals. Intermittent Fasting or other types of fasting can help with overall motility.
7. Sprinkle in herbs, teas, juices, and seeds
Consider celery juice or lemon water first thing in the morning. Explore whether artichoke-containing tea supports your bowel motility. Consider the use of chia, hemp, or flax seeds (1-2 tbsp. per day), and cleansing herbs like slippery elm and triphala.
8. Enhance the process with foods to support bowel motility
Certain fruits, vegetables, and legumes may help with gut motility. Consider organic strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, citrus fruits, prunes, dates, apples, pears, plums, sweet potatoes, unsalted nuts, beans, broccoli, and artichokes.
9. Support the physical structures of the body
Include attention to spinal alignment, visceral organs, energy flow, and cerebrospinal fluid flow through modalities like visceral manipulation, fascial work, acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy. At-home ileocecal valve release and self-intestinal massage (“ILU”) techniques can also be helpful.
10. Consider topical treatments over the skin to support detox, drainage, and gut motility
Try Epsom salt baths and mud soaks. Castor oil packs over the gut or liver also tend to help. Explore whether your case is appropriate for colonics. At-home enemas or working with a colonic practitioner may be supportive for a season.
11. Evaluate your external environment for toxins and whether there are ways to reduce electromagnetic frequency exposure
For example, some patients find that turning off their Wi-Fi at night and putting their phone on airplane mode make a massive difference in their bowel health. Others find that their constipation is significantly impacted by environmental variables like mold in buildings, radon, household products and chemicals, etc.
12. Integrate somatic exercises and strategies to help self-soothe and ground the autonomic nervous system
When the nervous system is in fight or flight or freeze, the body does not prioritize bowel function. Focus on tools that help the system feel calm and connected.
13. Use music to reduce constipation
Solfeggio frequency music may help shift the autonomic nervous system into “rest and digest” mode and there are free playlists online. The Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) is a program you can explore with a practitioner to help re-wire the nervous system away from hypervigilance and toward a place of safety. Read more about auditory therapies for the nervous system here.
14. Explore energetic and emotional healing modalities
Trauma is often held in the abdomen, and emotional release through techniques like Mind Body Spirit Release™ (MBSR™) can help the system to shed emotional imprints on a subconscious level without revisiting old trauma consciously.
15. Work with a foundational medicine practitioner
Seek out customized care with someone who can further guide you on strategies for detoxification, drainage, lymphatic support, and whether variables like mold toxins, heavy metals, dental health factors, and parasites may be impacting your health and gut motility. Not sure what foundational medicine is? This article goes deeper.
Keep in mind that a high-fiber diet, particularly one with cereals and products like Metamucil, is somewhat of a Band-Aid approach and can stretch the colon, causing long-term problems. In the long run, helping the body eliminate toxins and clear parasites tends to be the most effective way to reverse constipation.
Read more from Amber Walker
Amber Walker, Owner of Origin Wellness
Amber Walker is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, author and the owner of Origin Wellness. She is passionate about a root issues approach to healing from chronic illness and has advanced training in functional medicine, nutrition, nervous system healing, Mind Body Spirit Release™ (MBSR™) and CranioBiotic Technique. With over 16 years of experience working with clients all over the world, Amber specializes in conditions such as mast cell activation syndrome, mold biotoxin illness, long Covid, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Lyme disease, autoimmune conditions, and chronic mysterious ailments. When not on a surfboard, she enjoys hosting telehealth groups, 1-on-1 care, and retreats in Mexico. Her mission: Help you go from surviving to thriving.
Additional resources:
If you’re interested in diving deeper into this topic, consider the following resources:
Constipation Course (free!)
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