Kim (00:04.312)
you cranky -pated? I don't know about you, but my day cannot really begin until I have had a poop. Not just any poop, but a number four on the number two chart. If you don't know what I am talking about, stay tuned. In this episode, we will look at what constipation is, why it can happen, how we can tell if we are constipated and it isn't just about heart, past, stool, and then of course what we can do about
So what is constipation? Many think that constipation is when you don't poop or you poop but it's hard to pass. And constipation is not just about infrequent bowel movements but rather the inadequate emptying of the bowels and the undesirable symptoms that show up as a result. Ideally, we are pooping at least once a day but if you poop well every other day and you feel great and you feel empty then it's not necessarily a bad thing.
So what does pooping well really mean? As we said earlier, a good poop should feel complete and satisfying, and it should be a number four on what I call the number two chart, which is the Bristol stool chart. It's a graphic you can use to evaluate your poop, and I'll have a link to that in the description. Number three on the Bristol stool chart is pretty good, but the crazy thing is you could be a number seven, which is really, really runny.
basically diarrhea and still be constipated. Many people think that they can't possibly be constipated if they have loose stools, but oftentimes diarrhea can be a result of a really big logjam as Dr. Will Belsiewicz, author of Fiber Fueled says. So the symptoms of constipation are gas and bloating. Those are the two most common symptoms of constipation.
Constipation causes gas and gas causes constipation. And this was shown in research where methane gas slows bowel motility and peristalsis and transit time. Some of the other symptoms of constipation are not pooping, incomplete emptying, abdominal pain, specifically lower left quadrant, which is the most common, belly button pain, which is mostly gas pain usually, fatigue, brain fog,
Kim (02:20.343)
that irritation, as I call it, cranky -pated, food sensitivities, diarrhea, feeling full quickly, nausea, queasiness, loss of appetite, and heartburn. If you are not emptying completely, the colon will send a message to the body that there is no more room down here, so the stomach stops emptying, and instead of sending things down, it will send things back up, which leads to the nausea and the queasiness, loss of appetite, heartburn, and feeling full very quickly.
The X -rays and CAT scans can actually show constipation, but sonograms or MRIs are not really great. this, you, based on that symptom list, aren't sure you can have an X -ray or a CAT scan, but I think most people can have it determined without having to go down the screening route. In terms of the causes of constipation, there are so many contributors to constipation that are often missed when exploring why we're not pooping well.
A very commonly overlooked contributing factor is medications and supplements. The medications most likely to contribute to constipation are narcotic pain medications, tramadol, antihistamines, antispasm, antidepressants, antipsychotic, and blood pressure medications. Some supplements that are linked to constipation are calcium, aluminum, and
Another commonly overlooked linked to constipation is the thyroid. Individuals who have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism will often experience constipation. Most of these people are women and most of these women actually have the autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's that presents the same as hypothyroidism. Of note, many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's are also similar to perimenopause symptoms.
It's important to work with a care provider who understands the nuances and who will test with a full thyroid panel that includes TSH, T3, T4, reverse T3, TPO, which is an antibody, and TGA, which is also an antibody. And I myself was in this category where I didn't know the term perimenopause. Once I started to think that it
Kim (04:35.589)
somehow hormone related. I had my hormones checked and I was quote unquote normal. As I continued to try to seek out answers, I started to learn about perimenopause. I started to learn about thyroid. I learned about Hashimoto's and once I had that full thyroid panel, I realized that I was one of the people that fall into that autoimmune category. Other diseases and conditions that are linked with constipation are diabetes,
Parkinson's, MS, and disordered eating. A common reason why some disease states contribute to constipation is because of slow motility. When things aren't moving through you, you get gas and bloating. And when you have gas and bloating, things don't move through you. You need to get things moving and get to the root is, or sorry, and getting to the root is often poor gut health and or pelvic floor dysfunction like pelvic dyssynergia or
A fun way to test your transit time, which is how long it takes for food to move through you, is with the Blue Poo Test. I first learned about the Blue Poo Test from Dr. Rachel Faubère, and that's a previous episode I have on the podcast, and of course I needed to try it. So the Blue Poo Challenge was developed by a group of researchers at Zoey, which is a healthcare science company. Their aim was to provide people with important information about their gut health.
take part in the blue poop challenge, you simply need to eat two muffins that have been dyed blue for breakfast and then wait to see how long it takes to see blue or bluey green poop in the toilet. I will link to the muffin recipe that I used. So Zoe studied 863 people who took the challenge and found that the average time between eating the muffins and pooping was 28 .7, so pooping blue.
28 .7 hours later was the average. The researchers then compared each person's transit time with the microorganisms in their poop. In their published study, the researchers found that shorter gut transit times were associated with better overall health, healthier gut, healthier responses to food, and less abdominal fat. A shorter gut transit time, the time between eating the muffins and seeing blue poop,
Kim (06:58.862)
A shorter gut transit time, the time between eating the muffins and seeing blue poop could indicate better gut health. Longer transit time could indicate an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria, which may indicate the changes in diet and lifestyle may be beneficial to a person's gut health.
The first time I did it, I messed up the test because I made the muffins in the afternoon and I couldn't resist eating them, so I ate two muffins at 5 p and my poop was blue the next morning at 7 .45. So that next morning I then ate two more and the following morning, 24 hours -ish later, I pooped blue again. So my transit time is between 14 and 24 hours, which I guess is not too bad. I then made a post about it and when I shared the post, it was my
viral video. So at the time of recording and sharing this on the blog, it had over six million, almost seven million views and counting, which is kind of crazy. Excuse my voice today. The most common comments in that post were why not beets? Why not corn? Why not sesame seeds? And I learned that only 14 % of people get red poop and pee from
Kim (08:23.769)
The corn and seeds may interfere with true transit time. So the blue dye is preferred. People were freaking out about the blue dye and I found myself saying this is just a test. I don't recommend this as a healthy way to eat. I don't eat foods with dyes very often and I'm not suggesting that it is healthful. It's a test that's easy to do and it's kind of fun. It can tell you a lot. And also corn, that's one of the most contaminated
props that we have. So I don't know if you could argue that it's less toxic than blue food dye. Anyway, moving on, how can we overcome constipation? Fiber is usually what people think about first. And while it can be helpful, it's super important. It can also make things worse for some people. So it's important to get things moving first and then play around with fiber to find your magic amount.
Generally speaking, we want to aim between 25 to 35 grams of fiber. I do recommend Dr. Wilb also its book, Fiber Fueled. I also recommend the episode that I did with Rosalyn Kent from Plants First Nutrition. Moving on to hydration, it's essential when it comes to optimizing your poop. I recommend two to three liters of water per day, and it can also be beneficial to add in some electrolytes.
Without optimal hydration, our poop will be dry and will not be moving very well. So we need water to, if you think about those rides at the park, the little log rides, usually in kind of going along tracks through the water and you splash down, well, we need the water to move that log along. Exercise and movement are also important. Pooping well requires optimal digestion, foods, hydration and movement. If we are sluggish and not moving, our bowels will be too.
We need to establish a rhythm. Our bowels love a routine and having a set bedtime and wake time is important and leaving time in the morning to poop will really help. Waking up, hitting snooze several times and then rushing to get out the door or onto your first Zoom call will not foster the state we need our bowels to be in to eliminate. Drinking half a liter of water, perhaps warm water with lemon can help in the morning. Caffeine is...
Kim (10:42.399)
known to stimulate a bowel movement for many and even the process of anticipating the coffee or first meal can help. Digestion begins in the brain with the sign of food or drink. We don't want to ignore the urge. If we delay voiding after we have the urge, the poop that was ready to be eliminated will get stuck and it will start to dry out, not allowing other waste to pass and then we it's a little bit harder next time we want to avoid. So when you feel the urge, find the toilet
quote unquote, let that shit go. Ideally with a squatty body. Pelvic Chlorophysical Therapy. If the reason why you are constipated is because of anatomical issues or tight muscles, working with a pelvic floor physical therapist is essential. I argue that even if you are not constipated, it's essential. If you know me, you know I'm preaching that every single person should be seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist once a year for a checkup. You already know that. Releasing tension, improving erectocele,
Helping optimize your potty posture are all helpful strategies and a pelvic floor physical therapist can help you understand the status of your pelvic floor and if that is something that is contributing to your constipation. I mentioned the squatty potty and in an ideal world, all toilets would have a squatty potty. I like to call it a stool stool to help elevate the knees above the pelvis. This relaxes one of the pelvic floor muscles called the puborectalis which will unkink the hose so to speak.
and allow for easier elimination. I have used backpacks, suitcases, stacks of towels, stacks of toilet paper rolls, upside down trash cans, whatever's around me when I didn't have my now Porta Squatty. So it's a portable squatty potty with me. As for supplements, there are several herbs and supplements that can promote optimal gut health and may also help you establish a rhythm with your bowel movements. Prebiotics like acacia powder, psyllium husk, and guar gum are great.
These are what feed the probiotics in the body. Probiotics are well established to help with gut health. And my favorite probiotic is Puforia, which is soon to be released. Stay tuned for that. And it includes turmeric, which can help support inflammation, aloe vera, which is known to support digestive health, slippery elm, which is a prebiotic that helps increase mucosecretion to lubricate bowels, and inulin, which is a prebiotic form of chicory root that can help promote more frequent bowel movements and better stool consistency.
Kim (13:06.952)
Magnesium citrate or oxide are also known to help with constipation and magnesium bisglycinate can also help promote relaxation, which in turn may help with digestion and elimination. Laxatives and stool softeners like colase or Senna can play a role in helping you establish a rhythm. And Rosalind Kent from Plant's First Nutrition talks a lot about this in her episode and on her platform. It can also help you when you travel, when you're
circadian rhythm gets disrupted. So whenever I travel, I take some Senekat -S with me and help myself get back into a rhythm, especially when there is a time zone change. Optimal digestion and pooping cannot be overlooked as an integral part of managing our pelvic health. Hydration and constipation are always the first things addressed in my community. So don't overlook
Pelvic Chloro -Physical Therapy, all the things that we talked about here. Drink your water, eat your fiber. Stay tuned for more with Dr. Will B. Highly recommend again his book, Fiber Fueled. And that is all for now. I'm wishing you all a daily poo for
