1. 1. Eat fibre, ideally consistent amounts every day (not tons of vegetables one day and then none for the next 3 days). Eat plenty of insoluble fibre in the form of vegetables and fruits, as well as soluble fibres in seeds and nuts. Non-starchy vegetables (i.e. not potatoes) should form HALF your plate throughout the day!
   2. Eat whole grains instead of refined grains (e.g. brown rice instead of white rice, whole grain pasta instead of regular white pasta, etc.) for more fibre.
   3. Drink plenty of water each day. Most people could use at least 2 litres, and some need more than that. Ideally your urine is clear to light yellow. If you haven’t been drinking that much and are afraid you’ll be urinating all the time if you start now, rest assured your body should gradually adjust to being well-hydrated!
   4. Seeds that can help your intestines absorb water, so that your stool “bulks up” for easy passing include ground flax seed, and ground psyllium husk (this is the main ingredient in Metamucil). I usually suggest starting with 1 tablespoon per day, ideally at the same time of the day for consistency. Depending how it goes, you can increase from there (again, keep it steady). You have to drink a lot of water as well, so that the fibre has something to absorb!
   5. Manage your stress and tension! Some people are so tense that the smooth muscles that control their intestines are tense as well, and never “let go”. This can be a pattern dating from childhood! You can use various relaxation methods like stretching, yoga, Epsom salt baths, getting acupuncture or massage, and certain relaxing supplements (e.g. magnesium, some Chinese herbs).
   6. Certain fruits can help with constipation as well. Most famous is prunes, and some people find just drinking a little prune juice every day can help. Bananas help some people as well.
   7. Exercise! Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Walking, running and swimming are great. Yoga can help too, as some of the moves are actually designed to massage the intestines. I find cycling a bit less effective for constipation, as your truck (your torso) stays still.
   8. Herbs and supplements can help, such as magnesium citrate. Many people take senna leaf tea, which is the ingredient in “smooth move” tea that you can find in the supermarket. However, I don’t recommend this because it is basically an herbal laxative that your bowels may become dependent on to go. In Chinese medicine, we often use hemp seeds (which you can also eat), rhubarb root, magnolia bark, immature bitter orange, and more. These help to moisten and activate the bowels. However, there are many different Chinese medicine patterns for constipation. So the type of custom herbal formula we use varies widely, depending on your Chinese medicine diagnosis. Certain herbs should also not be taken long term. It’s definitely recommended to consult with a qualified practitioner or herbalist.

I tried all those tips, but still have constipation…

If your constipation is part of your cancer treatment side effects, you might find it useful to check out our free recorded webinar on the gastrointestinal side effects of cancer treatment.