If you are not pooping every day, you are constipated. Constipation is SUPER common, but it isn’t normal. I was always told that a bowel movement every day isn’t that important, but once I learned about how digestion works and what the body’s objective is in pooping (removing waste and toxins from the body!) I realized that we really should be pooping every day, at least once a day and up to two or three times. When I ask new clients if they are constipated, they almost always say no - until I let them know that unless they are pooping daily, they are constipated.

Pooping is an important part of drainage. Drainage is our body’s way of removing waste, toxins, and pathogens and the colon is one of our drainage pathways and probably the most obvious. Other drainage pathways include the liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and glymphatic systems which basically can be related to sweating, peeing, and pooping. While they are all important, we are going to focus on the colon drainage pathway today, aka pooping. When we’re not pooping regularly all of the waste and toxins just keep recirculating in the body and can lead to a whole host of issues in the long term.

This is the drainage pathway that I usually focus on first with my clients as it is probably the most important for getting waste and toxins out of the body.

Am I constipated?

Here are some signs that you might be constipated.

• You regularly are gassy or bloated

• You are not pooping daily with ease

• Your stool is hard and lumpy at times

• You have difficulty pooping or strain at times

• You feel like you have to poop, but are unable to

• You are pooping, but you don’t always feel like you’ve fully eliminated

Why do I get constipated?

There are many reasons why we get constipated. Sometimes it is just dehydration, stress, or being out of your normal routine in some way, but it can be a sign of something bigger going on. Constipation may be caused by a signaling issue with the vagus nerve which controls peristalsis, emotional trauma or stress, a structural issue with the digestive organs, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, gut dysbiosis, parasites, pregnancy, bacterial or viral infections, food intolerances or sensitivities, gallbladder issues, bowel obstruction and more. Oftentimes, constipation is caused by a combination of things. In my practice, we always start by working on opening up the drainage pathways. This might include nutrients and herbs to support the liver and gallbladder (which play a huge role in moving things through the digestive tract) and/or the bowels. I use labwork and muscle testing to hone in on specific supplements and nutrients needed, but a great place to start to support the drainage of these organs is the CAB Salad with meals for the liver and pure aloe vera juice for the bowels.

How to relieve constipation now

Try adding in one thing at a time or pick a strategy you haven’t tried before so you can evaluate if it is something that works for you or not. Remember that these strategies will address the symptoms, but not necessarily the root cause. Given that it is SO important to be pooping at least once a day, if you’ve been struggling with this chronically, I highly recommend getting help to determine the root cause(s) of your constipation. Chronic constipation can cause other issues if the imbalances are not figured out and corrected.

• Drink 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or digestive bitters in a glass of water 10-15 minutes before meals to improve digestion

• Drink more water / Hydrate

• Try adding in some herbal teas like fennel, ginger, peppermint, and licorice

• Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods, sometimes this can have the opposite effect though so pay close attention to and even write down what foods seem to make things worthwhile and try eliminating those foods for a time

• Aim to eat more cooked foods, especially more cooked veggies instead of raw veggies like salads, as they are easier for the body to digest

• Castor oil packs over the liver and stomach, you can also apply castor oil directly onto your liver and stomach in the evening and wear an old t-shirt to bed

• Add in small amounts of fermented foods, start low, and go slow if this is new to you

• try a serving or two of Mag citrate / Natural Calm before bed to aid in morning elimination

• Eat a serving of prunes

• Smooth Move Tea / Senna tea - 1 cup at bedtime

• Aloe Vera Juice - 2 ounces, 3 times per day

• Optimize your elimination ergonomics by using a small wooden stool or “squatty potty” when you are on the toilet

• Meditation/breathwork (I love the Insight Timer App (it is free!) - get parasympathetic and relieve stress which can trigger constipation

• Up your movement, but in a gentle way - walking, gentle yoga twists and poses

• Do some self-massage

• Stimulate your vagus nerve by gargling water, singing loudly, or splashing cold water on your face multiple times a day

Read on for some longer-term solutions.

Longer-term solutions to address constipation

• Find a practitioner who performs visceral adjustments/manipulations to see if the problem might be structural

• Focus on your emotional and mental health and address any emotional trauma or trapped emotions that may be affecting your gut health and causing constipation

• Work on improving your vagal tone through practices like regular mindfulness and meditation, breathwork, connect with others.

• Work with a practitioner (like me!) who has experience in gut health and digestion that can run labs and/or use muscle testing to determine your internal imbalances and root causes like dysbiosis, parasites, or stealth infections

Are you constipated pretty regularly? Ready to finally get to the root cause and get to pooping every day?