Irregular bowel movement. Any tips?

I believe I've been taking mostly healthy foods, however, my bowel movement is still irregular.
-Drinking at least 2 liters of water a day.
-Eating at least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
-Including fish and chicken and pork in my diet.
-Eating instant oatmeals in the morning and trying to include yogurt daily as my snack.
STILL, i don't poop everyday. Any tips to have a regular bowel movement like daily.
I poop every other day or after 2 days, sometimes three!
I do not like to take pills as much as possible though...
«1

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Some people don't poop as often as others. Also if you cut down your food intake you'll be cutting down your poop coming back out. It isn't necessary to poop every day if that isn't normal for you.
  • tawanda6329
    tawanda6329 Posts: 139 Member
    You can try mixing Miralax with a drink daily and see if that's help. It doesn't cause your body to become dependent on it. I personally used Magnesium Citrate every couple of days.
  • bsuew
    bsuew Posts: 628 Member
    I have had this problem most of my life! I have started taking a probiotic pill every day. I've tried just about everything, I've even on a high dose for IBS. It doesn't seem to be working either. This is working so far to my amazement! What I got comes from our local grocery store Ingles. The name of it is Nature Made Digestive Health Probiotic. Hope this helps!
  • nena49659
    nena49659 Posts: 260 Member
    Once a day? I'd be happy with once a week.
  • alechua
    alechua Posts: 224 Member
    I have had this problem most of my life! I have started taking a probiotic pill every day. I've tried just about everything, I've even on a high dose for IBS. It doesn't seem to be working either. This is working so far to my amazement! What I got comes from our local grocery store Ingles. The name of it is Nature Made Digestive Health Probiotic. Hope this helps!

    Wish we have that available here in our country. :(
  • alechua
    alechua Posts: 224 Member
    I want to poop once a day. I feel uncomfortable not being able to poop daily. :(
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If you've always felt ok but just never pooped every single day, I don't see what the problem is. Some people go every other day. Some people go three times a day. There's not a pooping standard we all need to abide by.
  • nitaleotta
    nitaleotta Posts: 24 Member
    Chia seeds.
  • chaoticdreams
    chaoticdreams Posts: 447 Member
    I've found magnesium to be really helpful in that department. I take Natural Calm every night before bed as it helps me sleep, but it turns to magnesium citrate as its digested. I hate taking pills and you just mix this in some hot water. So far so good.....
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I want to poop once a day. I feel uncomfortable not being able to poop daily. :(

    Physically uncomfortable? Or mentally uncomfortable? If physically, what part feels uncomfortable? The stomach? Or do you just feel like you have to poop but can't?
  • minky_r
    minky_r Posts: 95 Member
    try pitted prunes...they are soo good and they work...5/6 pitted prunes 100 cal. :)
  • betrishy
    betrishy Posts: 52 Member
    Try eating 5 prunes for breakfast and have a 8oz glass of hot prune juice. Try that and a nice run should get things moving in there! Always works for me.
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
    If you were doing Keto/PSMF/RFL, then no poop wouldn't be unusual.

    But with the amount of fruits and veggies you get? That should be more than enough fibre to move things along.
  • alechua
    alechua Posts: 224 Member
    I want to poop once a day. I feel uncomfortable not being able to poop daily. :(

    Physically uncomfortable? Or mentally uncomfortable? If physically, what part feels uncomfortable? The stomach? Or do you just feel like you have to poop but can't?

    Yeah, somewhat mentally, because I feel it is much healthier to poop daily, like to detorxify...
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    If you've always felt ok but just never pooped every single day, I don't see what the problem is. Some people go every other day. Some people go three times a day. There's not a pooping standard we all need to abide by.

    ^^^^ this

    - eat a healthy diet
    - include fibre in your diet
    - drink plenty of water (fibre alone doesn't help, it needs water to help it along)

    then just let your body fall into its own natural pattern. Don't try to force your body to meet a specific standard based on averages.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Works every time.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I want to poop once a day. I feel uncomfortable not being able to poop daily. :(

    Physically uncomfortable? Or mentally uncomfortable? If physically, what part feels uncomfortable? The stomach? Or do you just feel like you have to poop but can't?

    Yeah, somewhat mentally, because I feel it is much healthier to poop daily, like to detorxify...

    it isn't healthier to poop daily. It's healthiest to poop when you get the urge to. Holding it in too long when you need to go is bad for you, but if you go when you need to go and that happens to not be every day, then don't worry about it.
  • PoisonDartFrog
    PoisonDartFrog Posts: 220 Member
    I take two gummy fiber and two gummy probiotics a day...It's like my little "candy" treat....I count the calories. It helps immensely. I have been irregular my entire life and have be mostly regular since stating this routine.
  • alechua
    alechua Posts: 224 Member
    Will try to include prunes in my diet. Hope it works. :)
  • AccioFitness
    AccioFitness Posts: 244 Member
    Not everyone has a bowel movement every day. It doesn't make a person "irregular", it is an assumption that started several decades back but has no bearing on how one's GI tract functions. Our GI tract is built to absorb nutrients and it doesn't follow a strict schedule all the time. If you are constipated/have excessively hard stools, straining when having a BM, have tenderness in your lower abdomen, blood coming with your stool (bright red blood tends to be a sign of internal hemorrhoids, however if the blood is dark go to the doctor IMMEDIATELY), or other symptoms taking a laxative or psyllium could be used. If it is merely that the timespan between BMs is further than 24 hours there isn't reason to worry.
  • haymancm
    haymancm Posts: 280 Member
    Decrease your sodium to around 1500, drink more than 1/2 your body weight in oz for water, & increase your potassium with a goal of 40% your goal weight, by eating more bunny foods (salads & veggies). I have an issue with this myself & have found that it helps tremendously!!

    Add me if you'd like to be on my support team!!! :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Are you getting enough dietary fat? fat helps the digestive tract stay lubricated among other things.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    It is perfectly normal to not go every day. Just make sure you are getting enough fluids and fiber. In fact (a funny story). I was going way too often until I discovered my DH was trying to help me by putting fiber in my coffee every morning, at the same time I was eating an really high fiber diet. ;D
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    probiotics...get some live cultures in you. You can take a pill or get it through your diet. I personally like eating non-pasteurized, fermented foods for this purpose.
  • Cathy_ann913
    Cathy_ann913 Posts: 59 Member
    It's not usual not to poop everyday especially if your intake has decreased. However if you're feeling constipated try Flaxseed oil capsules and a no calorie Sobe (the sweetener acts as a laxative). That'll do the trick! Trust me it works, you'll create something that you may want to brag about! Good luck! ;-)
  • I take a probiotic pill every morning and that seems to help me!
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
    Can't believe I'm commenting on this thread but caffeine. No seriously, caffeine.
  • ckmama
    ckmama Posts: 1,668 Member
    Sometimes the bowel and rectum need to be retrained to poop. After you eat large meals, something hot in the morning (coffee) go sit on the toilet for 10 minutes and practice. You can google bowel retraining. I know totally gross.

    Although it is normal for some people not to go everyday I would die if I didn't go at least 1 time a day. I thought everyone had a morning BM.

    My husbands granny used to shoot a shot glass of maloox regular after she drank her coffee and she was running to the bathroom within 30 mins. My grandmother on the other hand begs for the diarhea from the stomach flu because she has diverticulitus and her bowels don't move. She also finds fiber makes it worse.

    UGH TMI sorry.
  • ckmama
    ckmama Posts: 1,668 Member
    You may also need to decrease your dairy intake, cheese, milk, banana's, bread, rice, applesauce are all know for constipation.

    unless your lactose intolerant of course
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I want to poop once a day. I feel uncomfortable not being able to poop daily. :(

    Physically uncomfortable? Or mentally uncomfortable? If physically, what part feels uncomfortable? The stomach? Or do you just feel like you have to poop but can't?

    Yeah, somewhat mentally, because I feel it is much healthier to poop daily, like to detorxify...

    No.

    As long as you're not having abdominal pain, and your bowel movements aren't painful or otherwise rather uncomfortable, then everything is fine.