Natural Constipation Protocol

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There are likely many underlying issues that can contribute to constipation symptoms, such as gut dysbiosis or recent chemotherapy. Some of these recommendations will be focusing on the acute while others will focusing on the long term. The goal is to get you symptomatic relief in a healthy way without having to rely on long-term quick fixes like Miralax or even psyllium husk on a regular basis.

 

• For someone experiencing chronic constipation, I would highly recommend a professional colonic by a colon hydro-therapist. Most people have multiple pounds of impacted fecal matter stuck in the walls of their colon after decades of poor diet/lifestyle, causing things to be sluggish and function very inefficiently. Do at least 2 of these treatments on back to back days, and then follow up once per month after that until symptoms improve. 

  • You can also do DIY enemas at home, which are great but they don’t work quite as well as colonics. 

• Another way to clean out your system from the top down is to do an oral enema with Epsom salt water or castor oil. This is wonderful for quick relief as well as to clean out old material that is stuck. It has the added benefit of cleaning in a different way to enemas/colonics in that it is from the top-down. Please reach out to me if you’re interested in this. 

• For quick/easy symptomatic relief, I’m a fan of the following herbs/supplements to help move the bowels (not to be taken long term). Do not combine these, just take one or the other: 

  • Calm Magnesium Powder - take as directed  

  • Triphala - take as directed  

  • CleanseMore - take as directed 

• The number one dietary recommendation for constipation is to simply eat more fiber. Vegetables. 95% of men in the US are not getting the daily recommended fiber intake, it's that much of a problem in our Western diet. You do this through vegetables and fruits. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are important. Use curries, stews, soups, salads and veggie snacking to get more vegetables in your diet. Use the recipes I've provided and please always ask for more if needed. 

  • One easy way to start is to make a roasted veggie sheet bake in your oven. Pick at least 6 vegetables, in a variety of colors, cut and toss them in olive oil and spices, put on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cook for 30min at 400. Eat with olive oil and you can even add a 1/2 can of Eden brand beans heated up. That's it.  

  • At the same time, while you're experiencing constipation symptoms, you want to reduce or eliminate your intake of dairy, gluten, meats and eggs. Just go vegan for at least a week and watch your symptoms improve. 

• The first 1-2hrs after you wake is a super critical window for hydration. Fill up your water bottle with the filtered water and a tiny pinch of Celtic sea salt and take it up to bed before you sleep. Have it first thing in the morning. If it’s a lot of water, you can drink about half immediately and then the rest as you're getting ready for your day. You can also have cucumber juice water or lemon juice water which are both incredibly hydrating.    

• Throughout the day, drink at least 2 more of your water bottles, with more frequent sips preferred to less frequent big gulps (for better absorption). The general rule of thumb is to drink ½ your body weight (lbs) in oz’s.  

• Take a high quality digestive enzyme complex that contains betaine HCL in it and take one dose with every meal.

• Continue your 8-9 hour eating window. Try not to snack, allowing your digestive system to work its motions in your fasting state between meals. Always eat in a relaxed state. Maybe take a pause before your first bite, take a few deep breaths while feeling gratitude for the food on your plate, and proceed to eat calmly, joyously with friends/family, chew well and eat slowly. Many people don't take this tip seriously, but I promise you it's a big one to get right. You must be in a more relaxed state where your parasympathetic system (vagus nerve) is activated in order for your digestion to work properly. Read more here.

• Another big component of chronic constipation besides dysbiosis, low fiber, and dehydration is simply a lack of movement. Keep aiming for one leisurely walk per day, but in addition to that, follow along with one of these qigong exercises at least once per day (very low intensity and calming):

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSpPr5jki9Y 

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btMVtLgLEAg

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahRQcLBTfeI

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBTWwu5XPXA     

• Make this tea and drink it twice per day in between your meals. This will help with gut motility. I've included the easiest method here, but feel free to use whole ginger and lemons (preferred):

  • Mix 2 Tbsp of ginger juice and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice with hot water in your tea cup (electric kettle recommended for frequent tea drinking).

• You would also benefit from a high quality probiotic (such as Megaspore). If you don't want to add another pill to your regime, then try and eat something fermented at least once per day, every day. This is kefir (coconut or goat’s milk), probiotic sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, beet kvass or kombucha. Always low to no sugar. Always grass-fed organic pasture-raised if dairy.   

• The modern seated toilet position is actually very unnatural and contributes to the build up of impacted fecal matter over the years (multiple pounds on average!). Consider getting a foot stool to put your feet up while seated, which will eliminate much more efficiently. Squatty potty is a popular one.  

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Give these recommendations an honest try for a minimum of one week and watch your symptoms improve!