13 Tricks To Have A Great Poop, Every Time13 Tricks To Have A Great Poop, Every Time

It's a common problem that most people avoid talking about. I, on the other hand, love discussing constipation, particularly because it can be a big indicator of your current health. Constipation has many causes, from poor diet and fluid intake to the presence of a pathogen (bacteria, fungi) to emotional imbalance.

Here are my top 13 ways to help get the bowels moving right now:

1. Express yourself­.

Holding on to past memories or emotions can lead to anxiety and amplify stress. During stressful times it's common to hold on to our poo as well. 

In Chinese medicine, when the large intestine (AKA our garbage collector) is out of balance, it's associated with an inability to grieve and let go. As a result, our bowel movements become sluggish and we store and recycle our waste, collecting toxins, bad breath, and all sorts of funky conditions along the way. 

2. Eat fiber­.

Every meal should contain a portion of fibrous food such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, berries, and avocado. 

Fiber helps move waste through our digestive system and is also food for your gut bacteria. A healthy, diverse gut flora is important for regular bowel movements. 

3. Include foods with prebiotics and probiotics.

These guys are food and fertilizer for gut bacteria, stimulating their growth and encouraging regular bowel movements. Good sources of prebiotics are asparagus, artichokes, green (raw) banana, and brown rice (that has cooled down). Good sources of probiotics are kombucha, fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, kimchi, and apple cider vinegar. 

Gradually increase the probiotics like fermented veggies, sauerkraut, and kimchi in your diet to let the gut adjust to a new bacterial environment. Start with 1 teaspoon with meals, increasing to 1 tablespoon. 

4. Drink lots of purified water.

Water has the power to nudge waste out of your colon. The amount will depend on your activity levels, but as a general rule aim for 1½ liters daily. 

Add ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan salt to your water to enhance absorption. Fluids should be warm or room temperature. Warmth loosens, unblocks, and welcomes muscle relaxation. Cold seizes and constricts. 

5. Follow a routine.

Routine can dramatically improve constipation. To promote a healthy evacuation, your morning may include 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in warm water upon rising, followed by a smoothie rich in fats and fiber. 

Relax for 15 minutes post-breakfast, calmly plan your day ahead, read a blog post, or engage in calm conversation. Following breakfast, I stand and read a blog post. 

6. Use a standing desk.

Sitting, particularly after eating, can slow digestion down because it compresses the abdominal organs.

Sluggish digestion can lead to constipation and an imbalance in your gut microbiome (gut flora). Try standing or using a standing desk after meals instead.

7. Add herbs and spices to your dishes­.

Certain herbs and spices nourish the organs of digestion and elimination, such as the liver, kidneys, stomach, and spleen. 

They improve overall breakdown of food and can dislodge the waste that clings to your intestinal walls. Add them to your meals, smoothies, teas, slow-cooked dishes, and salads daily. 

My favorites are: 

• turmeric
• cayenne
• ginger
• oregano
• black pepper
• rosemary
• coriander seeds
• cloves 
• cumin

8. Try Yin Yoga­.

Yin Yoga works on improving the health of organs, bones, joints, connective tissue, fascia, and the mind and incorporates breathwork. 

A class that works on the lungs and large intestine can help unlock constipated colon doors. If you've been holding on to grief and are unable to let go and move forward in life, supporting these organs can dramatically change this current reality. 

5 Yoga Poses to Keep You Regular

9. Do some breathwork.

When the flow of breath is labored or short, the mind becomes agitated, stress and anxiety are amplified, and not enough nutrients get to areas in your body like your digestive system. 

Without breath, there is tension, blockage, and resistance. Ten minutes of breathwork daily can help regulate bowel movements. I find deep belly breathing to be most helpful. 

10. Don't forget the apple cider vinegar­.

ACV improves the production of stomach acid, which means a more effective breakdown and absorption of foods and better elimination of waste. 

Aim for 1 tablespoon of ACV in warm water upon rising or 10 minutes before meals. 

11. Get your intake of healthy fats­.

Our intestinal cell walls are made up of fat; therefore they need fats to function well. 

Healthy fats such as coconut, olive, and macadamia oil; avocado; oily fish; butter; nuts; and seeds lubricate the bowels and help move waste through the colon. 

12. Try a little ileocecal valve massage­.

Sometimes the ileocecal valve, located between the small intestine and large intestine, doesn't work well. This can lead to a backlog of poop in the small intestine and constipation. 

You can massage reflex points to improve its function. 

13. Take your magnesium­.

Magnesium is a muscle (intestinal wall muscles included) and nervous system relaxant, making it perfect for alleviating constipation, stress, and anxiety. I use magnesium bisglycinate as it's easily absorbed and gets to the areas I want to target before performing its magic.

~Thanks to Lynda Griparic

10 Surprising Causes Of Constipation + How To Fix It

Did you know that sales of laxatives supersede that of most medications with the exception of aspirin? $700 million is spent every year on laxatives and other medications to treat chronic constipation. 

There are many problems with longterm laxative use, such as dependency, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, lazy bowels, bowel infections, kidney, and/or liver damage. 

Most people avoid professional support because they are embarrassed or ashamed. But guess what? You're not alone. In fact there's a big tribe of constipated folks out there—and I used to be one of them. 

Discussing pooping patterns along with poop color, texture, and smell with patients is my proud passion. This intimate approach allows me take the embarrassment out of a common problem and is also a big part of my detective work. 

The body uses symptoms and signs, such as constipation and digestive complaints, to gently (or sometimes loudly) poke us when something isn't functioning optimally.

Constipation can be any or all of these: 

• Incomplete emptying of the bowels. You may poop daily but often you feel dissatisfied, as if there is more that can be evacuated
• Hard, dry stools which need excessive strain to pass
• Infrequent or unsuccessful evacuation of the colon
• Other digestive symptoms such as abdominal cramping, excessive wind, or bloating

Reasons for constipation

Constipation has many causes, some of which are:

• Change in diet, water intake, or not enough fiber/roughage
• Sedentary lifestyle or lack of daily movement that slows your metabolic processes
• High levels of stress, emotional trauma, or suppression
• Disorders or malfunction of the colon, rectum, anal sphincter, central or peripheral nervous system
• Neglecting the urge to go out of habit
• A body low in iron does't have enough energy and does not eliminate well;
• Aging
• Pregnancy (and 3 months after birth)
• Menstruation can cause digestive disturbance during different hormonal phases (luteal, follicular)
• Certain medications like antidepressants, antihypertensives, analgesics, antipsychotics, and iron supplements. (I recommend iron diglycinate, a form of iron that is less likely to constipate) 
• Other: the presence of a virus, appendicitis, food poisoning, organic, or systemic disease

We instinctively know that we need to poop and feel uncomfortable when we don't go for days, but do we really know why pooping regularly is essential?

Why is pooping is so important? 

Pooping is our body’s natural way of removing waste, toxins, and hormones. The skin, kidneys, lymphatic system, lungs, and bronchioles are also elimination organs, but it is the bowel that is the most abused and neglected. 

What's Normal? 

There is no “normal” poop pattern, only averages. Studies have shown that people poop anywhere between three times a day to three times a week. I believe that while not always possible, it is important to encourage a nice, healthy poop daily. 

Why daily? I see many people who confess to going every second or third day, or even once a week. I have yet to meet someone who is comfortable with this infrequency. They generally feel “uneasy,” “backed up,” and “full” and often present with a myriad of mild to chronic inflammatory conditions. 

What happens when the bowels don’t cooperate?

Leaky gut 

Toxins can weaken the bowel wall and cause a leaky gut. As the name states, the intestinal lining becomes “leaky,” allowing undigested food, proteins, toxins, cholesterol, and fats to pass through into the bloodstream and lymph where they go on to affect the health of other organs, especially weak ones.

Diverticulitis

When too much pressure is used from straining to poop, we can develop bowel pockets, where the lining of the colon bulges and food and contents collect there. These pockets are called diverticula and can be a house for fermenting, rotting food and other contents. 

Pathogen growth 

Rotting of food in the bowel and the development of diverticula can stimulate the growth of dangerous pathogens such as parasites, bacteria, and fungus.

Poor energy 

Toxicity leads to poor oxygen delivery in the body. Without oxygen, our energy levels are depleted. 

All of the above often lead to chronic inflammatory conditions. In a nutshell, toxicity can aggravate pre-existing conditions or cause pathological change in organs. 

On a more noticeable and at times socially awkward note, chronic constipation contributes to body odor, bad breath, insomnia, bad dreams, itching, and nausea.

I strongly encourage you to start looking at your poop daily and take note of how often you go during the week and notice any changes. 

Remember: We all poop, it’s a natural bodily function, and most of us experience snags in regularity at different times in our lives. Sometimes constipation can be resolved quickly, while at other times further investigation and a long-term repair approach is needed.

Tips for relieving constipation

• Eat fiber with every meal
• Drink about 1.5 litres of purified, room-temperature water daily
• Add herbs and spices to your dishes. Certain herbs and spices nourish the organs of digestion and elimination, such as the liver, kidneys, stomach, and spleen. My favorites are cayenne, liquorice, coriander, fennel, ginger, and turmeric
• Drink 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with water upon rising. ACV improves the production of stomach acid, which means a more effective breakdown and absorption of foods and better elimination of waste
• Eat healthy fats. Good sources are coconut, olive, and macadamia oil; avocado; oily fish (sardines, mackerel, herring); butter; nuts; and seeds
• Avoid excessive protein. Aim for a palm-sized portion per meal
• Take magnesium bisglycinate. Magnesium is a muscle (intestinal-wall muscles included) and nervous-system relaxant
• Do some daily breathwork. Without breath, there is tension, blockage, and resistance
• Move the body. Movement improves metabolism, stimulates intestinal contractions, and tones the muscles in the core that help create healthy bowel movements
• Squat. Squatting or using a squat platform allows for a more natural angle and pressure. It un-kinks the colon and allows for an easier passage for poop to leave

~Thanks to Lynda Griparic

Think you’re too busy to work out?

No Time to Exercise?  Here's the perfect workout for you. In minutes, high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) will have you sweating, breathing hard and maximizing the health benefits of exercise without the time commitment. Best of all, it’s scientifically proven to work.
Click here: 
http://www.nytimes.com/well/guides/really-really-short-workouts

~Thanks to Tara Parker Pope, NYT

Toned Body: The Only 5 Moves You Need

It's the age-old exercise dilemma: If I've only got 20 minutes, should I do cardio or strength-training? I designed this short, simple workout to do both: Each explosive move combines the benefits of high-intensity interval training (for increased metabolism and fat burn) with weight training (for increased muscle tone and physical changes). They can be done anywhere, and they're great for all fitness levels. Grab a pair of light dumbbells (or try it without weights), and let's get started.

Split Lunge With Arm Swing

Courtesy of Mike Goncalves

Step your left leg into a lunge and raise your right arm overhead. Now push off from both feet into a jump and switch the position of your feet and hands, landing in a lunge with your right leg in front and your left arm overhead. Complete 10 jumps (5 on each alternating side) and slowly increase your repetitions as you get stronger.

Speed Skater

Start with feet wide, toes straight ahead, and lower your body forward to touch your left arm to your right foot, right knee bent. Now come through the middle and swing your right hand to your left foot, left knee bent. Continue swinging side to side, mimicking the moves of a speed skater. Complete 10 reps (5 on each side, alternating), then slowly increase your repetitions as you get stronger.

Jumping Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms curled with dumbbells in front of your shoulders. Come down into a full regular squat position and then jump up explosively. On your way up, extend your arms fully overhead to complete a shoulder press. Upon landing, lower your body back into a squat position and repeat. Start by doing 10 repetitions and slowly increase your repetitions as you get stronger and more comfortable with the exercise.

Squat-Jab-Punch Combo

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, facing your left, with your arms up in a boxing position so that your palms are facing the sides of your face. (Feel free to keep you hands open or make fists.) Lower into a squat and, as you come up, jab with your left hand, immediately punch with your right hand, lower back to a starting position. Complete 10 squat-jab-punch combos facing the left, then turn to the right and repeat the pattern (reversed!) on the other side. Slowly increase your repetitions as you get stronger.

Abdominal Flutter Kicks

Lie on your back with your legs together and extended a few inches off the ground. Lift your head, shoulders, and arms (extended overhead) as well. Now lift your left leg and right arm to the sky, keeping them both straight as they touch over your core. As you begin lowering them to their starting position, begin lifting your right leg and left arm, keeping them both straight as they come in contact. Start by doing 20 reps (10 on each side) and slowly increase your repetitions as you get stronger and more comfortable with the exercise.

~Thanks to Mike Goncalves