A HEALTH influencer has revealed her top three tips to relieve constipation.
Dr Janine Bowring, a naturopathic doctor from Canada, said the habits will help you “poop instantly”.
Dr Janine Bowring, a naturopathic doctor from Canada, has revealed her top three tips to relieve constipationTiktok/@j9naturally
In a video shared on TikTok, she took her 870,000 followers through how to loosen their bowel movements.
1. FIBRE FIX
First, people should increase how many figs they are eating.
She said: “Figs are fantastic, loaded with fibre, fabulous to help with that constipation.”
Fibre is an essential nutrient that has been shown to slash your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
It is also vitally important to ensure normal bowel movements, softening and increasing the weight of your stools.
Three to five dried figs contain around five grams of fibre — about a sixth of the NHS’s daily recommended amount of 30g.
Dr Duane Mellor, a nutritionist at Aston University, told The Sun: “The main thing to support healthy bowel habits is to eat a variety of foods formed from plants so that enough fibre is consumed.
“There are a variety of sources of fibre, from wholegrain foods, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables.”
2. HYDRATION, HYDRATION
Next, Dr Bowring said you have to make sure you drink plenty of water.
She said: “Of course, you need to be properly hydrated with good quality water to keep things moving.”
The NHS recommends Brits drink six to eight cups of water a day to ensure they stay hydrated.
Hydration is key for normal bowel movements because it helps keep stools loose and able to pass through your bowels more easily.
Dr Mellor said: “To get the most benefit from consuming fibre, plenty of fluid is needed so that the extra bulk from the food does not stick like straw in a pipe.”
3. SHOT OF OIL
Third, Dr Bowring recommends drinking your coffee with olive oil.
She said: “This is a recipe that I shared – you’re going to love this. It helps with weight loss as well.”
She highlighted a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2018, which showed having extra olive helped reduce body fat and blood pressure in women.
Separate research published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition in 2015 showed having just over a teaspoon of olive oil every day reduced constipation in 50 volunteers.
Coffee is also known to help speed up bowel movements, with the naturally acidic drink causing the body to boost levels of the hormone gastrin.
This stimulates muscle contractions in your stomach to get the bowels moving.
However, experts warn while the combination of coffee and olive oil may be effective in relieving constipation, it is not necessarily the most healthy for you.
Dr Mellor said: “Although olive oil and coffee may speed up your bowel this is largely by irritating the bowel.”
He added: “It is important also to remember that physical activity is important to keep a regular and healthy bowel habit as part of a healthy lifestyle.”