- Constipation can be a literal pain, but there are home remedies you can try to get things moving again.
- Drinking coffee or prune juice, enjoying kiwis and doing belly massages are just some options you can try.
- To prevent constipation, make sure to meet your fiber needs, get regular exercise and stay hydrated.
After a day of unusual eating, travel or even hours of sitting in back-to-back meetings, your body may get thrown off schedule. This can leave you feeling backed up and straining on the toilet. Constipation is when you have stools that are painful or difficult to pass, stools that are hard or dry, or have fewer than three bowel movements a week.
Since everyone’s bathroom habits differ, it’s important to know what’s “normal” for your own body. While occasional constipation is common and just short-term, if it becomes a regular occurrence, it may be a sign of an underlying medical issue.
The upside? There are plenty of home remedies you can try to find relief from occasional constipation. “Trying a home remedy is a good starting point; it may be all you need to give relief, and there’s less potential for side effects that you may see with medications,” says Amanda Sauceda, M.S., RD, a registered dietitian specializing in gut health. Read on for seven expert-approved home remedies to help you poop.
1. Eat Kiwis
Beyond their sweet, tart flavor, kiwis are a surprisingly juicy way to get your bowels moving. Eating two green kiwis per day is one of gut-health dietitian Stephanie Mendez, RDN’s first recommendations to anyone who needs poop support. Kiwis are 83% water, and two kiwis provide about 6 grams of fiber.
Kiwis also contain the enzyme actinidin, and research shows that this combination of fiber, water and actinidin helps increase water retention in the colon and provides a mild laxative effect, leading to more frequent bowel movements. “It’s thought that the type of fiber found in kiwi helps to soften stool as well as help with mucus production in the gut, which can aid in better bowel function, adds Sauceda.
2. Drink Water
Sometimes, finding relief from constipation is as simple as drinking more water. It’s free and available right from your faucet. Experts agree that it’s especially important to get plenty of water when eating fiber-rich foods. (Fiber is a key nutrient that supports regular poops.)
“Consciously drinking more water throughout the day helps soften hard stool, making it easier to pass,” explains gastroenterologist Rosario Ligresti, M.D. “The large intestine absorbs water from food waste, and if you are dehydrated, your body will pull too much water from the stool, leaving it hard and dry.”,
So find your favorite way to drink more water—over ice, at room temperature, sparkling or with a hint of flavor—to help keep things moving.
3. Enjoy Prunes or Prune Juice
Prunes and prune juice have long been touted for their digestive benefits, including their ability to promote regular bowel movements. “Prunes have fiber content and they also contain sorbitol, which is poorly absorbed by the colon, so it creates an osmotic laxative effect, pulling water into the colon, which then softens stools,” says Andrew Moore, M.D., a gastroenterologist.
Just a quarter-cup of prunes (or about four to six prunes) contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, while 1 cup of prune juice provides about 2.5 grams.,
Sauceda cautions not to overdo it when it comes to noshing on prunes. “You want to be very mindful of how many prunes you eat at one time, because they can stimulate your gut and bring on a bowel movement.”
Prunes are sweet, chewy and portable. Pack some with you when you’re traveling if you’re prone to constipation while on the road.
4. Drink Coffee
Coffee drinkers may already know drinking a cup of joe can help you poop—and there’s science to prove it. Sipping coffee stimulates the gastrocolic reflex, a natural mechanism that increases motility in the colon. This reflex can also be triggered after a meal and is typically most active in the morning, says Mendez.
Research shows that coffee not only wakes you up, but it also stimulates stomach contractions and secretions and increases the production of digestive hormones—all of which trigger gut motility.
Try a cup—hot or iced—to naturally rev up your bowels.
5. Go for a Walk
Have you ever noticed how moving your body can help you feel warmer? Your gut works in the same way—sometimes it just needs to be warmed up before it can get moving. Even a quick walk can help.
“An active body promotes an active bowel,” says Ligresti. “Engaging in light physical activity, like a 15- to 20-minute walk, helps stimulate peristalsis—the natural muscle contractions of your intestines that move stool along.” Ligresti also explains that exercise strengthens abdominal muscles and encourages the natural intestinal contractions necessary to move stool efficiently through your system.
So if you need a little help going No. 2, take a quick walk around the block to see if that gets things moving again.
6. Give Yourself a Stomach Massage
If you’re backed up, your belly may need a little TLC. Experts recommend giving your tummy area a gentle massage as an effective way to help you poop.
“Abdominal massage is a simple, cost-free method that can be performed at home,” says Mendez. What does an abdominal massage look like exactly? Mendez suggests using gentle, circular motions in a reverse U-shape pattern, starting at the lower right side of the abdomen, moving across the upper abdomen, and finishing on the lower left side of the abdomen.
Give this a try next time you help poop help.
7. Sit in a Squat-Like Position
Did you know that how you sit on the toilet seat can make a difference when trying to poop? Instead of hunching over, which many of us may be inclined to do, Moore recommends sitting in a squat-like position or using a “squatty potty” device to help. “This straightens the rectum and allows the muscles to relax, which makes it easier to have a bowel movement.”
Another way to achieve proper positioning is by using a footstool. “Elevating feet on a footstool so that the knees are above the hips and leaning slightly forward,” says Mendez. “This position relaxes the puborectalis muscle and straightens the angle where the stool needs to pass through, making it easier to have a bowel movement.”
Other Ways to Prevent Constipation
- Eat at least 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day: Meeting your daily fiber goals can help prevent constipation. Consistent, regular intake helps keep your bowels moving smoothly by adding bulk and softening stool. Ligerti explains that insoluble fiber acts like a “broom” sweeping waste through the digestive tract, while soluble fiber absorbs water to form a soft, gel-like substance that makes stool easier to pass. Work at least one high-fiber food onto your plate at each meal, such as a cup of raspberries, oats, beans, edamame, kale or a baked sweet potato.
- Stay Hydrated: “When we are dehydrated, our bodies can pull water out of the stool in an effort to stay hydrated. This can result in hard, pebble-like stools that can be hard to pass,” says Mendez. Staying well-hydrated can help keep stool soft and easier to pass, thereby preventing constipation. Remember, hydration isn’t just water; 100% fruit juice, milk, smoothies, broth-based soups and water-rich fruits and veggies all contribute to meeting your daily fluid needs.
- Engaging in Regular Physical Activity: Moore shares that getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day can help maintain regular bowel movements and alleviate mild constipation by promoting gut motility. Do activities you enjoy so you want to do it regularly, whether that’s walking, jogging, cycling or joining a fitness class.
- Eat Regularly Throughout the Day: Skipping meals can worsen constipation, but eating every three to four hours can optimize gut motility by utilizing the gastrocolic reflex, says Mendez. Plus, eating regularly will make it easier to meet your daily fiber goals.
Meal Plan to Try
Our Expert Take
If you find yourself with occasional constipation and need a little help to poop, experts recommend trying to resolve the issue with some simple home remedies. Eating two kiwis a day, drinking plenty of water and enjoying prunes or prune juice are just some of the options to help get things moving.
To prevent constipation from occurring in the first place, experts recommend strategies like eating 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily, staying well-hydrated and engaging in regular physical activity. Try any of these tips next time you find yourself in a less-than-pleasant situation.
