Constipation is more than just an occasional inconvenience—it can significantly impact your quality of life. It’s characterized by infrequent bowel movements (usually fewer than three per week), difficulty passing stools, and symptoms like abdominal discomfort and bloating. At Greystones Health, our naturopathic doctors understand that digestive health is foundational to overall well-being, and we’re here to help you tackle constipation from its roots.
What Causes Constipation?
Constipation can have a variety of triggers, including:
- Dietary Factors & Supplements: Often fiber is considered either as a dieary factor or supplement. Although this can help many people it can also cause many people to suffer or to feel worse. It is important to know when to use fiber and when not to use it. There are other vitamins and minerals that can be a fast solution as you do some deeper work to know the underlying cause.
- Gut Microbiome Imbalance: An imbalance in the bacteria in your digestive tract can slow down bowel movements. Conditions like Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) are often linked to chronic constipation.
- Stress: The gut-brain connection is strong, and stress can disrupt normal digestive function, leading to constipation.
- Lack of Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps stimulate intestinal contractions, which can aid in moving stool through the digestive tract.
A Holistic Approach to Treating Constipation
At Greystones Health, our naturopathic doctors use a comprehensive, three-phase protocol to address constipation and other digestive concerns:
- Re-establishing Gut Balance: We start by restoring a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. This might involve probiotics, dietary changes, and sometimes herbal treatments to address bacterial overgrowth or imbalances.
- Dietary Factors and Supplements: It is important to get the bowels moving, so we can find some immediate relief with some supplements. This allows us to explore the underlying cause without you the patient feeling uncomfortable in the meantime.
- Building Resilience: Finally, we focus on building long-term resilience and stability, so you can enjoy a wide variety of foods without digestive distress. This phase includes dietary guidance, lifestyle modifications, and possibly stress management techniques.
Dietary Changes That Can Help
Modifying your diet is one of the most effective ways to manage constipation:
- Increase Fiber Intake: Foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains can help add bulk to stools and promote regular bowel movements.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is essential for keeping stools soft and easy to pass.
- Incorporate Healthy Fats: Healthy oils like olive oil and flaxseed oil can help lubricate the intestines and make bowel movements smoother.
Testing and Personalized Care
Before jumping to solutions like a low-FODMAP diet or extensive supplement regimens, we recommend a thorough assessment. Tests like a comprehensive stool analysis can reveal if there’s a deeper issue, such as microbiome imbalances or an under-functioning digestive system. With this data, we create personalized treatment plans tailored to your unique needs.
If you’re struggling with constipation and want to address the root cause, consider scheduling a consultation with one of our naturopathic doctors. Together, we can develop a plan to restore your digestive health and overall well-being.
For more information, you can call the clinic at 416-636-6675 or book an appointment online.