How You Can Become More “Regular”
There is nothing more frustrating and uncomfortable than having irregular bowel movements. Indeed, many people struggle with having regular, consistent bowel movements. Fear not: you do not need to feel crampy and bloated all the time. There are certain things you can do to support your metabolism and keep your bowel movements regular.
The Importance of Fiber
One important thing people can do to support their digestive health and to improve regularity is making sure to eat enough fiber. The two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, are found in plant foods and are essential for digestive health. Soluble fiber helps add bulk to stool while insoluble fiber helps move food through the system.
Fiber is also critical for digestive health as it helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. However, most women do even meet the recommended daily amount of 28 grams. For optimal digestive function and bowel movements, women should aim to include more than this amount.
Plant Diversity
In addition to eating enough fiber, people should strive to consume a diversity of plant foods. Consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds is one of the most important things people can do to support digestive health, as plant variety helps feed the beneficial gut bacteria.
People should also aim to include probiotic rich foods, such as sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchi, and miso. Probiotic rich foods help optimize the gut microbiome and support digestive health.
It can also be helpful to include prebiotic rich food and prebiotic fiber powders such as acacia or psyllium husk to support regularity. Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed the good bacteria in the gut. This helps bacteria produce nutrients for the cells in the colon, which helps support an overall healthy digestive system.
