Constipation Causes You Haven’t Considered (& How to Fix Them)
You’re eating fiber. You’re drinking your water. You’re doing “all the right things.” So why are you still struggling to go?
First … breathe. You’re not alone. Constipation is one of the most common complaints I hear from women, and it’s not just uncomfortable, it makes you feel bloated, sluggish, and low-key trapped in your own body.
“Just eat more fiber” is the most overrated constipation advice ever. If that worked for everyone, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
The real story? There are sneaky, lesser-known reasons your bathroom routine may be off track, and once you understand them, you can finally get your gut moving again.
There are three lesser-known causes of constipation that are especially prevalent among women - ignoring the urge to go, low stomach acid and pelvic floor dysfunction. The last two causes are more familiar. Let’s discuss each one and how to correct it.
1. Ignoring the Urge to Go
Life happens. You’re in a meeting, stuck in traffic, or chasing toddlers around, and you tell your body: “Not now.” But when you delay the urge, your colon reabsorbs water from the stool, making it harder and more uncomfortable to pass. Over time, your gut-brain connection can get retrained to not bother telling you at all.
I had a patient who could plan her whole week but not her poop schedule. We retrained her gut with a simple morning routine, and let me tell you, she felt like she got her life back.
How to retrain your body:
Give yourself unhurried bathroom time in the morning (scroll-free zone, please).
If the urge comes—even if it’s inconvenient—go. Your gut loves consistency.
No urge? Sit on the toilet anyway. Yep, “poop practice” is a thing and it works.
2. Low Stomach Acid
We’ve been conditioned to think stomach acid = bad. But the opposite is true—low acid can make food sit in your gut like an overstayed guest. Acid is what triggers enzymes and keeps digestion moving. Without it, food moves much slower through your digestive tract and you’re left with sluggish motility.
Ways to increase stomach acid
Avoid drinking large amounts of water during meals.
Include bitter foods (arugula, radicchio, lemon) at the start of a meal to stimulate acid production.
Add HCL supplement or ACV to your routine
3. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the organs in the pelvic region, including the rectum and anus. Your pelvic floor muscles need to relax and contract in the right sequence for you to poop. If these muscles are tight, weak, or uncoordinated, you may strain without success, or feel like you can’t “fully” go. Women who always feel “tight and tense”, the pelvic muscles often reflect that. Pelvic floor therapy is usually only discussed in relation to birth and delivery, but it has major advantages well beyond pregnancy such as core stability, posture, and bowel irregularity.
Support your pelvic floor!
Practice diaphragmatic breathing (deep belly breaths) daily to relax pelvic muscles.
Consider pelvic floor physical therapy for personalized guidance.
Avoid straining, use a footstool (like a Squatty Potty) to naturally align the rectum
4. Lack of Gut Movement Signals (Motility Issues)
Your gut has its own “cleaning wave” called the migrating motor complex (MMC) that helps move things along between meals. Constant grazing or irregular eating patterns can disrupt this natural rhythm, slowing everything down.
Helping the MMC
Space meals 3–4 hours apart to allow your gut’s motility reflex to kick in.
Avoid late-night snacking, giving your gut 12+ hours overnight to rest and reset
5. Stress & Nervous System Imbalance
Your gut listens to your nervous system like it’s gospel. When you’re stressed, your body prioritizes survival over digestion, diverting blood flow away from the intestines. This “fight or flight” mode slows motility and can make your bowel movements infrequent or incomplete.
The best and most effective solution is chiropractic care. In addition to chiropractic care, try these tips.
Shift into “rest and digest” with 5 deep breaths before meals
Quick walks after dinner
Gentle yoga on stressful days
Your gut can’t relax if you don’t.
How to Reset Your Bowel Movement Rhythm
Think of your colon like a toddler, it thrives on routine. If you’ve been irregular, you’ll need to gently “retrain” your body.
Pick Your Time: Most colons are most active in the morning or right after meals.
Consistency Wins: Sit at the same time every day for 5–10 minutes. Even if nothing happens, you’re building the habit.
Position Matters: A footstool can make elimination easier and more complete.
Morning Hydration + Movement Ritual (Proven for Women)
This ritual works by stimulating the gastrocolic reflex (your body’s natural “time to go” signal):
1. Hydrate First Thing
Drink 10–12 oz of warm water with lemon upon waking.
Add a pinch of mineral-rich sea salt to support hydration and gentle stimulation of the gut.
2. Gentle Core & Hip Movement (5–10 minutes)
Cat-Cow Stretch: Warms up the spine and massages the intestines.
Seated Torso Twists: Encourages side-to-side movement of the colon.
Knee-to-Chest Pose: Relieves trapped gas and stimulates bowel movement reflex.
3. Eat a Fiber-Rich Breakfast (Optional but powerful)
If you’re not having a little fiber with breakfast, add it in slowly.
Include soluble + insoluble fiber, such as oatmeal topped with berries and chia seeds. This fiber combo is perfect!
Fiber feeds your gut bacteria, the insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool which can be helpful in cases of loose stool.
Use this information to take action and don’t settle for anything less than Type 4 poop on the Bristol Stool Chart. If you’re not familiar with the Bristol Stool Chart, now is the time to go check it out.
xx
Dr. Toya D White
