How to Keep 💩 Moving and Avoid Holiday Constipation

Dealing with constipation during the holidays? Or just worried about it?

👋🏼 Hey there! 👋🏼. It's me, Dr. Kelly Sadauckas, Double Board Certified Pelvic Physio, and your go-to online pelvic expert.  I get the 💩 concerns, and I'm here to help you out with four essential tips that might just save your holidays AND make a positive change in your life overall. Ready?!?

1. Drink Up, Buttercup

I can't stress this enough – drink more water! Take your body weight, divide it by two, and that's the number of fluid ounces you should be drinking. ...Every. Day. More if you live at high, dry climates, or are a regular exerciser (or big gabber), as you'll loose fluid in breath and talking. But from the 💩 Perspective, hydration is key to keeping things moving smoothly in the entire digestive system. Remember, laxatives or fiber won't work wonders (or at all), if you're not hydrating enough.

2. Eat Real Fiber

Wondering why that processed white bread isn't helping your digestion? Real fiber from vegetables and whole grains is what you need for a great poop. Too little or too much fiber (without enough water) can lead to sluggish digestion. Opt for real, natural sources of fiber to keep things balanced.

Fun Fact!  Did you know many people think that it's the fiber itself that actually forms the poop??  While it's a part of it, the key REALLY is that the insoluble fiber is food for the tiny organisms in our bowels that actually break down and digest our food--so without the microbiome (the fancy name for those bugs) having food to eat...they can't break down our poop for us...which means we don't get nutrients AND we can't poop!  😕😡👿

3. Consider Coffee

Coffee and certain caffeinated foods can act as stimulants for your digestive system. Use them wisely to help things move along. Just be mindful of other stimulants like chocolate, high-fat foods, or eating on an empty stomach.  Other blog posts and Instagram posts discuss how coffee acts as a bowel stimulant (💩machine) or how drinking a large amount of water in the morning can help create a bowel movement.

4. Assume The Position

Believe it or not, there's an ideal poop position. 

Learning good pooping position is one key part of how to not get constipated over the holidays. 

Create a quiet, relaxed environment, elevate your knees higher than your hips (a Squatty Potty can help, use coupon code HC-StreubelPT20 for a few bucks off!), lean slightly forward, and relax. If you're not sure how to relax or bear down, consider my Vag Lab or Signature Series Online Courses, or seeing a Pelvic PT in person or online.

5. Consider Belly Massage!

Remember that the colon is controlled by nerves, just like our pelvic muscles.  And if the nerves to the colon are “stuck” or “not healthy”, that will slow digestion, contributing to our constipation!  Here’s a quick 3-minute belly massage to help get 💩moving!  

Can 💩Problems Contribute to Pee Problems?  Or Seggsy-Time Problems?

You bet your cute butt, they can!!  Remember, constipation, urinary incontinence, and seggsy-time problems (lack of arousal, lack of climax, ‘meh’ climax, ED or premature ejaculation) are ALL closely linked. 

Improving your fluid intake and health of your pelvic floor to ease your constipation might even help resolve some cases of urinary urgency and leakage. And if you want to know what your poop should look like, I have a blog post for that (of course, I do...)

Want MORE Than What This Post Offers?

For a deeper dive into understanding your pelvic floor muscles and how they might be connected to your health concerns, explore my Vag Lab or Pelvic Floored Signature Lecture Series. Vag Lab is like a very detailed first date, getting to know your pelvic floor, and The Signature series is more of a committed relationship... a 12-week comprehensive pelvic wellness program with lessons, stretching and strengthening exercises.  Both courses teach you how to assess your beautiful pelvic floor muscles, to learn where they can improve AND ALL Pelvic Floored Online Courses are streamable from your computer, or, through your phone or tablet, via the Free Kajabi App (blue K, available wherever you get your apps from), for seamless streaming, and easy access to ME as your pelvic health coach from home, the gym or the car or hotel!

And bottoms down, heads up, Pelvic Floored will soon be launching the oft-requested “Poop Course”, which is 100% all about how to Poop Better.  You don’t want to miss it! So stay tuned (and sign up for our Mailing List via the form below) for updates on when it is released!

Pelvic Floored's streamable, pelvic wellness courses are my pride and joy. They are designed to let you progress through the material, at your own speed, from the comfort and privacy of your own home.  They are a fraction of the cost of one:one Pelvic PT services, and have been changing pelvises (& lives!) since 2020!!   Plus, for every four courses sold, I'll donate one to someone in need through my People Before Profits Program. By investing in your pelvic health, you're also contributing to someone else's well-being.

Thank you for delving into this essential information with me! I'm so glad you're here!

xoxo, Dr. Kelly

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