Bowel Health

Your digestive system plays a crucial role in overall health. Regular, comfortable bowel movements are a key sign of a well-functioning gut and pelvic floor. Curious about how bowel health is linked to pelvic health? Wondering what healthy bowel movements should look like? Read below for essential insights on bowel function, the role of the pelvic floor, and practical strategies to support digestive wellness.

Bowel Transit Time: Are you Constipated?

Common Signs of Constipation:

  • Less than 3 bowel movements per week

  • Straining or pushing to go

  • A feeling of incomplete emptying

  • Needing to use your hands or change positions to pass stool

  • Hard, dry, or pellet-like stool

Fast transit time may indicate poor nutrient absorption, causing loose stools. Slow transit can result in constipation, bloating, and discomfort. Balanced transit time promotes regularity, digestion, and gut health.

How to Test Your Transit Time

Try this simple at-home test:

  • Eat a marker food like corn, beets, or sesame seeds.

  • Track how long it takes for the food to appear in your stool.

  • Less than 12 hours? Your digestion may be too fast.

  • More than 48 hours? You may have slow motility or constipation.

Bowel Massage: A Simple Technique to Support Digestion

Bowel massage is a gentle abdominal massage designed to encourage bowel movement and relieve bloating, gas, constipation, and abdominal discomfort. This technique follows the natural path of the large intestine, promoting motility and relaxation of the digestive system. You can perform it on yourself or with the help of a partner.

Using light to moderate pressure in circular clock wise motion is key—there's no need to apply deep pressure for it to be effective. Applying lotion or oil can make the movement smoother. CONSISTENCY is important, as the digestive system adapts slowly over time. For optimal motility, it is recommended to perform bowel massage 1x daily before your body’s natural time it regualary has a bowel movement.

How to Perform the ILU Bowel Massage

STEP 1:

  • Start just below your left ribcage and use circular clockwise motions downward toward the inside of your left hip bone.

  • Repeat this motion about 10 times.

STEP 2:

  • Begin under the right ribcage and with circular clockwise motion move your hand across to the left ribcage.

  • Then, stroke downward toward your left hip bone.

  • Repeat 10 times.

STEP 3:

  • Start at the lower right abdomen near your hip bone.

  • With circular clockwise motion, move upward to just under the right ribcage, then move across to the left ribcage.

  • Finish by moving down to the left hip.

  • Repeat 10 times.

Check out this bowel massage video tutorial!

Posture & Pooping: The Best Way to Sit for a Smooth Sailing Poop

Your posture on the toilet directly affects how easy or difficult it is to poop. Sitting in the wrong position can lead to straining, incomplete elimination, and constipation. Adjusting your posture helps your body empty the bowels more efficiently and with less effort.

The Best Toileting Postures

  • Use a Squatty Potty or Footstool

    Elevating your feet mimics a natural squatting position. This straightens the anorectal angle, making it easier for stool to pass. No squatty potty? Stack books or use a step stool!

  • Sitting vs. Squatting

    Sitting on a toilet keeps a bend in your rectum, making it harder to poop. Squatting straightens that bend by relaxing a muscle, helping poop come out more easily and with less strain.

  • Pelvic Tilt & Hip Positioning

    Shift Your Weight for Bowel Stimulation.

    Gently rock forward and backward or shift side to side while seated. This helps move stool along, especially if you're constipated.

  • Relaxation & Breathing Techniques

    Take slow, deep breaths to relax your pelvic floor muscles.

    Don't hold your breath or strain—this can lead to hemorrhoids and pelvic floor issues.

Hydration & Electrolytes for Regular Bowel Movements

Staying properly hydrated is essential for soft, easy-to-pass stools. Without enough water, the colon absorbs too much moisture from stool, leading to dry, hard, and difficult-to-pass bowel movements.

How Much Water Do You Need?

  • Aim for half your body weight in ounces daily.

  • Add electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, and sodium for better absorption.

Hydration works hand-in-hand with dietary choices, so let’s dive into how different foods and nutrients affect digestion.

Dietary Factors That Influence Bowel Health

What you eat significantly impacts stool consistency, gut motility, and overall digestive comfort. A diet lacking in fiber or rich in inflammatory foods can contribute to sluggish digestion or bowel discomfort.

  • Fiber & Its Role in Digestion

    There are two types of fiber:

    Soluble fiber (oats, beans, flaxseeds) absorbs water and helps form soft stools.

    Insoluble fiber (leafy greens, whole grains) adds bulk and promotes movement.

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  • Common Problem Foods

    Dairy: Can slow digestion for those who are lactose intolerant.

    Gluten: Some people experience bloating or constipation.

    FODMAPs: Fermentable carbs that may cause bloating in sensitive individuals.

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