Let’s Talk About… Constipation: What Your Gut’s Trying to Tell You

Constipation. It’s not exactly the most glamorous topic, but if you’re someone who’s been dealing with it—whether it’s a regular annoyance or a sudden change—it can affect so much more than just your bathroom habits.

As a nutritional therapist, I hear this from clients often: “I’ve just learned to live with it.” But let’s change that.

This blog is for you if you’re stuck in a cycle of bloating, incomplete bowel movements, or only going a few times a week. You deserve better gut health—and it starts with understanding what your body’s trying to tell you.

What Is Constipation, Really?

Clinically, constipation means having fewer than three bowel movements per week. But even if you're going daily, if it's hard, dry, difficult to pass, or feels incomplete—you might still be experiencing constipation.

Your gut is meant to eliminate waste daily. When it doesn’t, it’s like a traffic jam: things back up, toxins recirculate, and inflammation can increase.

Root Causes – It’s Not Just Fibre

Many people assume constipation is just a fibre issue. Yes, fibre helps—but constipation is often more complex:

• Hydration: Without enough fluid, fibre can actually worsen constipation.

• Magnesium deficiency: Magnesium helps the muscles of the bowel contract.

• Thyroid function: Low thyroid activity can slow gut motility.

• Nervous system: Chronic stress activates the fight-or-flight response, slowing digestion.

• Gut bacteria: A balanced microbiome supports healthy motility. Dysbiosis (imbalanced gut flora) can contribute to constipation or IBS.

• Dietary triggers: For some, dairy or gluten may exacerbate sluggish bowels.

• Medication side effects: Painkillers, antidepressants, iron supplements and PPIs can all result in constipation.

Functional Clues From Your Stool

As unglamorous as it sounds, your stool tells a story. I know it sounds uncomfortable but get used to looking at your stools they can tell you a lot about what's going on in your gut.

Tools like the Bristol Stool Chart help identify where your gut may be struggling.

• Type 1–2: hard pellets/lumps → typical of constipation

• Type 3–4: smooth, sausage-shaped → ideal

• Type 5–7: soft or watery → potential diarrhoea or fast transit

We also look for signs like undigested food, mucus, or very dark/pale stools, which might hint at deeper digestive or bile flow issues.

Natural Strategies That Work

If constipation is your norm, here’s what I typically explore with clients:

1. Hydration – Aim for at least 2L daily (herbal teas count!). Warm lemon or ginger water in the morning can help stimulate the bowels.

2. Fibre variety – Rather than just loading up on bran, try a balance of soluble (e.g., oats, chia) and insoluble (e.g., flaxseeds, veg skins) fibre.

3. Magnesium – Especially magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide, which gently draw water into the bowel.

4. Movement – Walking, yoga, and abdominal massage can all help get things moving.

5. Bowel routine – Sit on the loo after meals (when the gastrocolic reflex kicks in), feet on a stool to mimic a squatting position (a squatty potty).

6. Microbiome support – Prebiotic fibres like PHGG, and strains like Bifidobacterium lactis, can improve motility.

7. Stress management – Breathing, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation matter just as much as fibre.

When to Seek Help

Constipation isn’t something to ignore, especially if it’s new, severe, or accompanied by weight loss, bleeding, or fatigue. That's the time to contact your GP as it can also be a symptom of underlying conditions like diverticular disease, SIBO, thyroid dysfunction, or food sensitivities.

If you’ve tried all the basics and nothing’s shifting, working with a nutritional therapist can help get to the root of whats going on.

Want to chat more about how to get your gut back on track?

Book a free discovery call with me and let’s get things moving—literally.

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