Your Guide to Constipation
Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints we see in practice. And while it can sometimes be resolved with a simple tweak (like adding magnesium or more fiber) more often than not, especially with chronic or lifelong constipation, the root causes can be much more complex.
🎧 Tune in to this week’s episode on the podcast where Erin and Nicole break down the most common root drivers of constipation and share a real-world client story of how she went from lifelong constipation to daily bowel movements in just three months. In today’s post, we’ll cover simple, practical strategies you can start using now to support better digestion and more regular bowel movements.
Common Root Drivers of Constipation We See in Practice (and what you can do about them)
1. Dehydration + Lack of Minerals
Water is essential for motility, but it’s not just about drinking more. Without enough minerals, your cells can’t properly absorb and use the water you take in. Minerals also play a role in digestive juice production and regulating the muscle contractions our digestive tract uses to push food along. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are especially important for fluid balance, digestive juices, and muscle contractions.
Practical tips:
Aim for half your body weight (lbs) in ounces of water daily – plus more if you exercise and sweat regularly.
Add trace mineral drops or a pinch of mineral-rich salt to water.
Try out magnesium citrate or oxide to gently support motility.
2. Low Fiber Intake
Fiber is critical for bulking stool and feeding good gut bacteria. Soluble fiber, in particular helps draw water into the colon to keep things moving.
Practical tips:
Prioritize prebiotic fibers from plant foods like onions, garlic, bananas, oats, asparagus, and apples. You can find more options for types of fibers and options to include in your diet here.
Consider supplemental prebiotics like SunFiber (PHGG).
🎧Tune in to last week’s podcast episode where Erin breaks down fibermaxxing.
⚠️ If constipation gets worse with fiber, think about motility issues. Motility is how food and waste move through your digestive tract. A key player is the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC), aka your gut’s “cleaning wave” between meals that helps keep things moving. When the MMC is sluggish (from stress, low stomach acid, or gut imbalances), constipation and bloating are more likely. Minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium support the muscle contractions needed for healthy motility, helping the MMC do its job. Without proper MMC function, even fiber can backfire, creating a “plug” that worsens constipation instead of relieving it.
3. Reduced Digestive Capacity
Low stomach acid, sluggish bile flow, or low digestive enzymes can all make digestion sluggish and contribute to constipation.
Practical tools we use in practice:
Digestive enzymes with meals
Betaine HCL (when low stomach acid is suspected or identified)
Digestive bitters before meals
Taurine (1,000 mg twice daily) to support bile flow and bowel regularity
4. Gut Microbiome Imbalances
Overgrowth of methane-producing organisms (methanogens) is strongly associated with constipation. On stool tests, we often see Methanobacteriaceae elevated in these cases. These organisms increase methane gas production, which directly slows motility in the colon and small intestine.
Practical tips:
Consider running a comprehensive stool test to understand if methane bacteria are part of your picture. We use the GI MAP in practice with our clients.
5. Chronic Stress + Nervous System Dysregulation
This is one of the most overlooked drivers of chronic constipation. Stress impacts:
Stomach acid + digestive secretions
Motility + peristalsis
Transit time
Vagal tone (your brain-gut communication highway)
When vagal tone is low, digestion slows. No supplement can replace this — it requires lifestyle strategies that restore nervous system balance.
Practical tools to support vagal tone + motility:
Deep breathing or the Physiological Sigh
Gargling or humming
Cold exposure
Coffee enemas
Gut-directed hypnotherapy (we often refer our clients to Nerva)
TFN Programs like Manifest Your Health, Body Intentions Breakthrough
Ready for Relief?
If constipation has been a struggle for you, here are ways we can support you:
Eat to Achieve™ – Build foundational gut + nutrition habits to support motility.
The Gut Panel – Identify imbalances like H. pylori, dysbiosis, or methane overgrowth.
1:1 Functional C.A.R.E Method™ – For deeper, personalized work to uncover + resolve your root causes.
Constipation doesn’t have to be your “normal” even if you have dealt with it your whole life. Relief is possible.
