Are you suffering from constipation? You are not alone. Approximately 20 percent of the general population experiences constipation. When we eat, food travels from our mouths through our intestinal tract and out of our bodies. Typically, it takes between six and eight hours for the foods you eat to pass through your digestive system. Constipation can slow the process and lead to abdominal discomfort. Knowing the foods that make you poop immediately can help instantly relieve your digestive woes.

Constipation with Junk Food

Causes of Constipation

Before we discuss the foods that help you poop, we need to determine the cause of your constipation. There are many things that can cause constipation including-

  • Poor lifestyle choices
  • Lack of exercise
  • Poor diet
  • Excess stress
  • Dehydration
  • Medical conditions like IBS

So, what is IBS? IBS is an abbreviation for irritable bowel syndrome. This medical condition affects the large intestine and causes abdominal cramping, pain, gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS treatment is designed to help you improve your digestive health. You will need to exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, reduce your stress levels, eat high fiber foods, avoid foods that cause your symptoms, and drink plenty of liquids.

Diet and Constipation

Our busy lifestyles lead us to reach for convenience foods like processed foods, and fast-food restaurants. Our digestive system needs fiber and whole foods to function properly. Fiber works in two different ways. First, it pulls water into the intestines to help soften your stools. Fiber also bulks up your stools and increases gut motility.

Understanding foods that make you poop instantly can help increase the frequency of defecation and make it easier to pass stools. In addition to eating a diet filled with whole foods, you will need to make some lifestyle modifications to improve your digestive health and relieve your constipation.

Lifestyle Tips to Relieve Constipation

If you are constipated, you may wonder what helps with constipation and what makes you poop instantly. Believe it or not, simple lifestyle modifications can improve your digestive health and relieve your constipation.

  • Daily Exercise – Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to help ease constipation. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to optimize your health. Daily exercise improves digestion, increases heart rate, improves metabolism, and helps flush toxins out of your body.
  • Adequate Hydration – Dehydration is one of the leading causes of constipation. Experts recommend consuming one-half of an ounce of fluid for each pound you weigh. However, this amount may need to increase if you play competitive sports, live in a hot, arid location, are feverish, or are constipated. Then, you may need to increase your fluid consumption to one ounce per pound.
  • Adequate Sleep – Believe it or not, the quality and quantity of your sleep can impact your digestion. Getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night will improve your digestive health and help prevent constipation.
  • Stress Relief – Chronic stress causes systemic inflammation which can impact your digestion. One way to improve digestion and relieve constipation is to practice stress relief techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises.
foods that relieve constipation

Foods That Make You Poop

There are several foods that make you poop. Each of these foods will provide instant relief and help you get back to enjoying life. The following list includes high fiber foods for constipation as well as foods that contain natural laxatives to help ease your constipation:

  • Apples – Apples are a superfood when it comes to relieving constipation. They contain both soluble and insoluble food. The pectin in apples also provides a laxative effect to help you poop quickly.
  • Avocados – Avocados contain large amounts of magnesium, which acts as a laxative. Additionally, avocados pull water into the digestive tract to help soften your stool.
  • Kiwi – Kiwi fruit stimulates your digestive tract and speeds up intestinal tract time to help relieve constipation quickly.
  • Oranges – Oranges contain naringenin, which is a flavonol that offers laxative properties to help ease constipation.
  • Pears – Pears contain sorbitol which pulls water into the large intestines and stimulates bowel movements. They also contain fructose which can function as a natural laxative.
  • Prunes – Prunes contain a natural laxative (sorbitol) and are high in fiber.
  • Rhubarb – Rhubarb contains a natural compound called sennoside A. This natural laxative is used in herbal laxative formulas like senna. Rhubarb increases the amount of water in the intestines to relieve constipation.
Apple Cider for Constipation

Drinks That Help You Poop

Many people are surprised to learn that there are several drinks that make you poop immediately. These drinks soften your stool, speed up gut motility, and relieve constipation. Incorporating them into your day-to-day life can help relieve your digestive woes.

  • Aloe Vera Juice – Aloe vera juice contains plant mucilage which can help reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, it acts as a natural laxative to relieve constipation.
  • Coffee – Coffee contains caffeine which stimulates the digestive muscles. As your intestines contract, it can cause a bowel movement. However, it is important to remember that excess amounts of caffeine can lead to dehydration which can further cause constipation.
  • Epsom Salt – Epsom salt looks similar to regular salt; however, it contains magnesium, which increases the amount of water in your intestines. Increasing water in your intestines softens your stool and causes you to defecate quickly. For best results, mix 2 to 4 teaspoons of Epsom salt in an 8-ounce glass of water. Stir well and then quickly drink the solution to provide almost instant relief.
  • Hot Drinks – Hot drinks like herbal tea, hot apple cider, and coffee cause the blood vessels in the digestive system to dilate. Additionally, the heat softens your stools making them easier to pass.
  • Kefir – Kefir is fermented milk rich in probiotics. Probiotics improve stool consistency, speed up bowel movements, and increase stool frequency. Additionally, probiotics increase the number of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract for improved digestion.
  • Kombucha Tea – Kombucha is a sweetened, fermented tea (both black and green tea can be used) that is used to help relieve constipation. Kombucha tea is a probiotic-rich drink that balances the gastrointestinal tract to promote healthy digestion.
Foods that Make you Poop

Ready To Heal You Gut?

Everyone will experience constipation from time to time. Although there are medications that can help you achieve regularity, when you are constipated, bloated, and experiencing digestive discomfort, you want to know how to poop fast! Getting daily exercise, getting a good night’s sleep, reducing your stress levels, and eating foods that make you poop can give you instant relief. Finally, taking a probiotic supplement helps proliferate the intestinal tract with beneficial bacteria to improve digestion and relieve constipation.

A gut doctor specializing in functional medicine can help improve your overall digestive health and provide relief from bloating, constipation, diarrhea and other GI disorders.