Whether you’re traveling or just having a very busy week, it can be so hard to stay regular! Yup, we’re talking about that taboo topic, poop.
Your colon loves a regular schedule. Regular food, regular hydration, and the same schedule day in and day out. The truth is life isn’t always regular. Meetings get booked in the morning, work schedules get erratic, and early morning flights make it all more difficult.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone! Travel constipation is very, VERY real. It’s definitely not a pleasant experience! That heavy, bloated feeling can make your day less than stellar. Constipation headaches throw an extra wrench in our day.
But you don’t have to suffer anymore! With a few little habits, you and your colon can be friends again every day, even when you’re traveling.
5 tips to stay regular on the go!
1. Stay hydrated
Your colon needs water to keep moving, and a change in your regular schedule can be an easy recipe for dehydration. Drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning and bring water with you wherever you go.
If you’re feeling constipated and suspect you’re probably dehydrated, drink one glass of water every 10 minutes for 30 minutes (preferably on an empty stomach). It works like a charm for many whose colon is a tad dried out.
2. Find a regular time each day
Your colon loves a regular schedule, which is particularly hard when you’re super busy or traveling. Notice when you naturally feel the urge on a quieter day and try to find your way to a bathroom around the same time.
It might not work every time, but your body will eventually start to appreciate this schedule.
3. Use a great probiotic to keep you regular
One of the best and easiest ways to keep your colon happy is to seed it regularly with a good probiotic supplement. Your perfect probiotic should help you along, even on a super busy day.
My favorite probiotic when I’m on the go is Flora’s shelf-stable Complete Care Probiotic. It doesn’t need to live in your fridge, so you can throw it in your bag on your way out the door or keep it in your desk at work!
4. Get moving
Your colon is surrounded by muscles—and is very muscular itself. As many runners have noticed, exercise can help stimulate your colon to move.
If you’ve been sitting in meetings or on a plane all day, take the stairs, do some squats, or go for a nice walk to encourage your colon to get moving too!
5. Get your knees up!
It’s not all our fault if we’re feeling constipated. Our modern toilet carries some of the blame as well. You see…we were never meant to sit to poop.
Before modern toilets, most humans squatted—and many countries still do!<1> Sitting may be convenient, but your colon doesn’t love it. It leaves a kink in the rectum, making it much harder to eliminate…especially a hard, constipated poop.
Putting your feet up on a short stool (…no pun intended) at home can be super helpful. That’s harder to accomplish in a restroom or in a hotel, but not impossible. An overturned garbage can works well, or if you’re fairly flexible, try to get your heels on the toilet seat.
Your colon usually only needs a helping hand to be
happy when you’re on-the-go! Try out a few of these tips to stay happy,
healthy, and regular every day.
Lisa Kilgour is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN), founder of LisaKilgour.com, and a faculty member at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.
<1> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3742997/The-great-sit-squat-debate-idea-fills-horror-squat-toilets-effective-better-health-doctor-claims.html
