When you have irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C), pooping can be a pain in more ways than one.
Fortunately, there are several at-home strategies you can use to help increase what’s called, in medical-speak, gastrointestinal (GI) motility — the movement of food from the mouth through the digestive tract and out of the body. Increase your GI motility, and you may increase your odds of having a bowel movement.
If you’re not having success with these remedies, see your doctor about other medical treatments for IBS-C, including pelvic floor physical therapy or medications such as stool softeners, laxatives, or prescription drugs, says gastroenterologist Stephanie Moleski, MD, an associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
1. Stay Hydrated
One of the first places Dr. Moleski starts with her patients is explaining the importance of hydration for supporting regular bowel movements. Water helps keep stool soft and moving through your system. She recommends downing at least 64 ounces of water (or other sugar-free fluids) over the course of each day for most people.
Keep in mind that consuming more than that amount hasn’t been shown to help relieve constipation. It’s also important to know that eating juicy fruits and vegetables can also contribute to your fluid intake for the day.
2. Up Your Fiber Intake
Fiber — particularly soluble fiber, which dissolves in water and forms a gel — adds bulk to stool, making it easier to pass. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are low in FODMAPs (types of fermentable sugar that are more likely to trigger IBS symptoms), such as grapes, oranges, and zucchini, can provide GI-friendly fiber.
3. Get Your Heart Rate Up
When your body doesn’t move, your bowels likely won’t either. Physical activity is one strategy, along with consuming water and fiber, that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends as a lifestyle treatment for constipation.
Research shows that aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, may be particularly effective. Although more study is needed, the authors say, the constipation-quashing benefits were seen with at least 140 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week.
Once you get a good routine in place, stick with it: Research shows that increasing your physical activity for three months can improve IBS symptoms and also have a positive effect on energy levels and mood.
4. Snack on Kiwi
One food shown to be a star constipation reliever (and is also a low-FODMAP food) is kiwifruit. Eating two green kiwis a day for four weeks has been shown to help people who were constipated have more complete bowel movements per week, compared with their baseline, and help improve their abdominal discomfort.
This could be because the fiber in kiwi can absorb a lot of water to soften stool, but the fruit also contains compounds that promote pooping. “People also find that they can often tolerate kiwi better than typical fiber supplements,” says Moleski.
5. Give Prunes (or Their Juice) a Chance
If you don’t like kiwifruit, go for prunes (aka dried plums). One study, which analyzed the effects of consuming kiwi, prunes, or psyllium (a type of fiber that acts as a gentle laxative) for four weeks, found that all three were effective in helping relieve constipation.
But, according to Monash University in Australia, which developed the FODMAP scale, prunes are a high-FODMAP food and caloric. They contain fiber and sorbitol, which act as natural laxatives, but sorbitol can also trigger IBS symptoms in some people.
What to do? Monash says that kiwi may be a better first choice if you’re using fruit to treat your constipation, but prunes may be a viable option. Just try a small amount at first, see how your body reacts, and make a decision from there.
6. Sip on Senna Tea
Senna — which comes from the fruit or leaf of the plant Senna alexandrina — is often labeled as a digestion-friendly tea which can also be helpful with symptoms.
7. Go for Peppermint or Ginger Tea
These two herbs can be soothing to your digestive system, says Moleski. “Peppermint can relax the gut, if you’re experiencing pain and bloating,” she says. Ginger, too, can soothe digestive discomfort. Sipping on these warm teas can also promote GI motility to ease constipation.
The Takeaway
To manage IBS with constipation (IBS-C), drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet with low-FODMAP fruits and veggies for fiber, and include more physical activity in your routine.
Kiwis, prunes, and herbal teas including senna, ginger, or peppermint have been shown to help ease IBS-associated constipation.
If natural constipation remedies don’t have the effect you’re looking for, consider talking to your doctor for more personalized care as there are many therapies available.
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