If you struggle to have bowel movements even three times a week, you're a member of a constipation club that has more than 4 million members in the U.S.
The causes are many, from chronic stress and an unhappy gut biome to lack of physical activity and taking medications for blood pressure and depression, as well as NSAIDs like ibuprofen.
Whatever the cause, it's important to find relief so you don't end up fueling health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and even cognition deficits.
That’s right — one study found that constipation related to disruption of the gut biome increases your odds of cognition problems by a whopping 73% compared to people who have daily bowel movements.
How can you become more regular?
Taking laxatives can cause dependence, but increasing fiber intake with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and supplements such as Metamucil can help. So can daily exercise and stress management with yoga or meditation.
And now according to a new study in the journal BMC Gastroenterology, increasing consumption of vitamins B1, B2, niacin, and B6 from food can help. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is especially effective.
Salmon, trout, bluefin tuna, leafy greens, black beans, brown rice, and enriched, sugar-free, whole cereals are good sources of B vitamins.
For recipes with those ingredients, check out Dr. Mike's "What to Eat When Cookbook." For extra help, he likes to prescribe prunes, magnesium, and DiaResQ — which contains bovine colostrum to strengthen your gut barrier.