Eat more fiber. Fiber makes stool bulkier and softer so it's easier to pass. Gradually increase the amount of fiber in your diet until you're getting at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. Good sources include whole grains found in cereals, breads, and brown rice, beans, vegetables and fresh or dried fruits.
Eat high-fiber foods such as whole-wheat grains, fresh vegetables, and beans. Use products containing psyllium, such as Metamucil, to add bulk to the stools.
Some people have them three times a day. Others have them just a few times a week. Going longer than 3 or more days without one, though, is usually too long. After 3 days, your stool gets harder and more difficult to pass.
If you have a persistent feeling of incomplete evacuation, call your doctor. This could be a sign of a more serious condition like IBD or colon cancer. Depending on your symptoms, they may refer you to a gastroenterologist for further testing. Incomplete evacuation of stool will almost never require a trip to the ER.
Summary. Incomplete evacuation, the sensation that a bowel movement is not complete, is common in people with chronic constipation and chronic diarrhea, particularly those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
However, most doctors agree healthy people poop somewhere between three times a day to three times a week. If you cross that upper threshold and have fewer than three bowel movements in a single week, you're getting into the danger zone.
Eating When you Have Constipation. Try these things to relieve your constipation: Do not skip meals. Avoid processed or fast foods, such as white breads, pastries, doughnuts, sausage, fast-food burgers, potato chips, and French fries.
First, try drinking a cup of warm water, wait 30 minutes, and then gently massage your lower abdomen to try to stimulate the area. If that doesn't seem to help, take a hot shower, with the water concentrated on your lower back.
Fecal impaction often occurs in people who have had constipation for a long time and have been using laxatives. The problem is even more likely when the laxatives are suddenly stopped. The muscles of the intestines forget how to move stool or feces on their own.
Add Fiber to Your Diet
Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that can help slow down the digestion process, so you can have regular bowel movements. Foods high soluble fiber include oats, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and some fruits and vegetables.
Stimulant Laxatives
Some popular brands include bisacodyl (Correctol, Dulcolax, Feen-a-Mint), and sennosides (Ex-Lax, Senokot). Prunes (dried plums) are also an effective colonic stimulant and taste good, too. Note: Don't use stimulant laxatives daily or regularly.
If you are unable to have a bowel movement in one week (six days), it's time to seek help from a doctor. Bacteria from fecal matter that collects around your colon could spread and cause infections in other parts of your body. Rectal bleeding may be one of these signs.
Osmotic laxatives such as polyethylene glycol (brand name Miralax) are well-tolerated by most older adults, and can be used daily.
Laxatives work in different ways, and the effectiveness of each laxative type varies from person to person. In general, bulk-forming laxatives, also referred to as fiber supplements, are the gentlest on your body and safest to use long term. Metamucil and Citrucel fall into this category.
But you may not have to give up dairy -- just eat less of it and change your choices. Try yogurt with probiotics, live bacteria that's good for your digestive system. It may help relieve constipation.
Foods that help ease constipation
Consider adding some the following fibre-rich foods to your diet to help ease constipation: High fibre cereals such as: bran flakes, Weetabix, porridge, muesli and shredded wheat. Whole grains.