{"id":16411,"date":"2022-11-18T23:01:47","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T23:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/?p=16411"},"modified":"2023-05-17T01:49:56","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T01:49:56","slug":"4-tips-to-relieve-constipation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/4-tips-to-relieve-constipation\/","title":{"rendered":"4 tips to relieve constipation\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"Ugh. We all know what it\u2019s like to be backed up \u2013 your pants feel snug, it\u2019s uncomfortable, frustrating and sometimes even painful. Sure, the toiletcan be a great place to catch up on your social feeds (orsend off an email) but going number 2 shouldn\u2019t be a time-consuming task. If you\u2019re dealing with occasional constipation and looking for ways to have better bowel movements (BMs) \u2013 here\u2019s 4 we recommend.1. Eat enough fiberOne of the best ways to aid in easier, smoother and regular BMs is to up your fiber intake. Surprised? Probably not. Fiber-rich foods help add bulk and soften your stool, making it easier to pass.1 If you\u2019re not familiar \u2013 there\u2019s 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. While most foods have both in different proportions, insoluble fiber is generally the most effective in alleviating constipation by increasing the water content in your stool.As important as fiber is, only about 5 percent of Americans are reaching their daily recommendations. Men should aim for 35 grams a day and women should aim for 25 grams. Start your day off with a bowl of bran cereal with berries or grab a handful of almonds and peanuts to help keep things moving.2. Stay HydratedEver sit down after a long day and realize you haven\u2019t had a sip of water? Not drinking enough water can make it harder to pass those poos. Drinking fluids, especially water, can help keep your stools soft and easier to pass.2Water impacts every cell in your body, including those in your intestines. When you\u2019re not giving your body enough, it pulls water from your stool, causing it to harden, and making it difficult to pass through.If drinking water is a struggle for you, try carrying a reusable water bottle or adding sugar-free flavoring to your drink. These simple changes will make you more likely to stay hydrated. You can also eat your water by adding high water-content foods such as berries, melon and celery to your diet to help with hydration.3. Stay ActiveWhether you\u2019re an avid gym goer or just enjoy walking outside \u2013 moving can help, well&#8230; get things moving. Light or moderate exercise can keep your stools soft and easy to pass by reducing the amount of water your gut absorbs from your stool.3Plus, activities that cause your heart rate to rise are not only good for your heart, but they also help with muscle contractions in your intestines, helping your BMs to move through quicker.Remember: exercise doesn\u2019t have to be hardcore; find something that you enjoy and works well with your schedule like walking, biking or joining a yoga class.4. Try probioticsBy now, you\u2019re probably familiar with probiotics. They\u2019re beneficial microorganisms that promote a healthy microbiome to support a list of health benefits. If you\u2019ve recently been feeling backed up more than usual, try adding probiotic-rich foods to help rebalance your gut microbiome and promote regularity.Probiotic foods include:yogurtkefirkombuchakimchimisosauerkrautTakeaway:Constipation is an uncomfortable situation most of us have experienced. As frustrating as it can be, there are simple things you can do to keep things moving easily. Getting enough fiber, staying hydrated, and staying active are just a few of the ways to keep your digestive system on the track. Interested in learning about 8 tips to help reduce gas and bloating?About AuthorNatalie is a nutritionist with a Bachelor&#8217;s in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of North Florida. Natalie believes that proper nutrition doesn&#8217;t have to be complicated and is determined to help others reach their health goals.Do you have questions about supplements? Reach out to one of our experts, or take Persona\u2019s free nutrition assessment, and learn exactly what you need to take your wellness to the next level.*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information from this article for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this article.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ugh. We all know what it\u2019s like to be backed up \u2013 your pants feel snug, it\u2019s uncomfortable, frustrating and sometimes even painful. Sure, the toilet&nbsp;can be a great place to catch up on your social feeds (or&nbsp;send","protected":false},"author":491,"featured_media":18499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1819,1893,1901],"tags":[96],"class_list":["post-16411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digestion","category-wellness-journey","category-wellness-journey-digestion","tag-fiber"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/491"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16411"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16411\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18501,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16411\/revisions\/18501"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}