Eat More Plums, Pears, and Apples Plums, pears, and apples are good choices because much of their fiber can be found in their edible skins — and they're also high in pectin, a naturally occurring fiber. Both an unpeeled small pear and a medium apple with skin contain 4.4 g of fiber each.
“The BRAT diet ― bananas, rice, applesauce and toast ― is one we recommend for a range of digestive issues, and it can help with both constipation and diarrhea.
Movement and exercise can help you empty your bowels. Increasing activity will help you to improve your bowel function. Aim for 30 minutes of activity a day, for example, swimming, walking or gardening.
Eating a lot of high-fat meats, dairy products and eggs, sweets, or processed foods may cause constipation. Not enough fluids. Water and other fluids help fiber work better, so not drinking enough liquids can contribute to harder stools that are more difficult to pass.
Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools.
Dairy Products
“On the opposite end of the spectrum, fermented dairy products such as yogurt or kefir can improve gut health and may decrease the likelihood of constipation,” she notes.
Rightly known as the king of fruits, mangoes will improve your poop time for sure, thanks to its polyphenols. Snack up on mangoes every day in this season and it will work as a wonderful laxative. This delicious fruit will enhance stool frequency, shape and consistency.
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.
Insoluble fiber is the most beneficial for softening stools. It does not dissolve in water and helps food pass more quickly from the stomach to the intestines. Wholewheat flour, nuts, beans, and vegetables, such as cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes all contain insoluble fiber.
Kimball says any yogurt — not just those that advertise they're good for gastrointestinal health — can be a good source of probiotics that help relieve constipation. “I usually look for a low-sugar Greek yogurt,” she says.
Dulcolax® Stool Softener is a stimulant-free laxative made to relieve occasional constipation. Each tablet contains 100 mg of the #1 doctor-recommended stool softener ingredient — docusate sodium.
The most common causes of a loose poop are things like viruses, food allergies and medication side effects. Some chronic conditions can, too: Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis.
Foods that have little or no fiber sit longer in your intestines. The extra time lets your colon soak up more water. That's a recipe for hard, dry stools. Do this: Cut down on fast food, chips, hot dogs, and some microwave dinners.
If you eat a lot of high-fiber foods but experience slow digestion, you may still feel bloated or constipated. The slower your food moves through your digestive tract, the more time it has to absorb water and create hard, difficult-to-pass stools.
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.
Osmotic laxatives such as polyethylene glycol (brand name Miralax) are well-tolerated by most older adults, and can be used daily.
If you are not used to high levels of fibre in your diet but you wish to try prunes to ease constipation, it would be advisable to start with 1-2 prunes each day, with adequate amounts of water, and build up slowly to find your tolerance.