Almost everyone knows what it’s like to be constipated. You’re uncomfortable, you feel sluggish, you don’t feel like yourself, and you wish it would end. While almost everyone deals with occasional constipation, there are ways that you can improve your chances of staying regular.
In this article we will go over the best probiotics for constipation, but first let's start with some education on the subject!
Understanding Constipation
You likely know what it generally means to be constipated, but there are some specific guidelines. First, the frequency most often used in the definition of constipation is having 2 or fewer bowel movements per week. In addition, constipation generally means that you’re experiencing harder than normal stool that is lumpy and uncomfortable to pass. It also generally means you need to strain to have a bowel movement.
Risk Factors for Constipation
Anyone can be constipated from time to time, but there are some factors that increase the likelihood of occasional constipation. The first factor is age, and experts say around 40% of older adults report that they have one or more digestive problems. Constipation is the most commonly reported digestive issue reported by older adults. Why are older adults more likely to have bouts of constipation? It is natural that as people age, their bodies may not be able to move material through the intestines as quickly. When food moves through the intestines slowly, more water is drawn out which can result in hard stool that’s difficult to pass. In addition, older adults are more likely to be taking medications, and there are many medications that can make constipation more likely. While age can be an important factor in digestive regularity, there are also some lifestyle choices that can increase your risk for occasional constipation, regardless of your age. These habits include:
- Not drinking enough water
- Low fiber intake
- And limited physical activity
Best Foods for Constipation
Eating well is a great way to help your body stay regular. Foods that professionals often recommend to help avoid occasional constipation include high fiber foods. An easy way to know if a food contains fiber is to remember that all plant-based foods have fiber in them. That means fruits, vegetables, and many vegetarian proteins like beans and lentils are strong sources of dietary fiber. Whole grain breads are another source of fiber, and many supermarkets carry a range of whole grain bakery products these days. Bonus: Not only is fiber good for maintaining regularly, but it also acts as food for beneficial bacteria you find in the best probiotic for constipation.
Best Lifestyle Tips for Constipation
While the foods we eat may be the first place people look when they want to avoid constipation, lifestyle choices can make a substantial difference as well. For instance, being active is often cited as a top tip for staying regular. When you move your body, this helps your digestive system move food through as well. Staying active does not need to involve intense exercise. Going for brisk walks is a great way to get your blood and digestive-process flowing.
Best Probiotic for Constipation
Beyond making good choices about what you eat, drink, and how active you are… the best probiotic for constipation can make a big difference in supporting a good digestive system. Probiotics can deliver beneficial bacteria to your digestive system, which supports healthy digestion. Healthy digestion is essential in avoiding occasional constipation.
But how do you pick the best probiotic for constipation? There are two important parts of this decision. First is choosing the right probiotic company, and second is choosing the right supplements from that company. Picking the right probiotic company is critical because if you buy probiotics from a company you can’t trust, you are wasting your money or even jeopardizing your health.
The best probiotic company prioritizes science over sales. At Natren, we have almost 50 years of experience and dedication to making the highest quality precision probiotic supplements available. Our founder, Natasha Trenev, is known as ‘the mother of probiotics’ because of her lifetime commitment to the deepest research and innovation in bringing probiotics to health-focused consumers. Natren’s precision probiotics never use soy, gluten, GMOs, or other unwanted fillers. Not only is Natren committed to excellence, but they stand behind it. Natren guarantees the potency of every strain of beneficial bacteria in every probiotic they make, through the expiration date on the bottle. You’ll find that many other probiotic companies cannot make this promise.
Once you know what company you trust with you and your family’s health, it’s time to pick the best probiotic for constipation. We recommend Healthy Trinity as the right choice for those who want to prioritize regularity and supporting digestive health.
Healthy Trinity has an extensive loyal following because Natren customers love the convenience of this 3-in-1 supplement. Healthy Trinity takes a trio of our most popular probiotics and allows you to take them in a single capsule. This is the best probiotic for constipation because it focuses on the key areas of the digestive tract, and supports healthy digestion. It includes:
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Megadophilus, which is important for its ability to support gut health. The best probiotic for constipation needs to act on the small intestines where most of our digestion takes place. This is exactly what Megadophilus does.
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Bifido Factor, which contains a beneficial bacteria strain called Bifidobacterium bifidum. With its ability to support optimal functioning of the large intestines, this is an important component of the best probiotic for constipation. Your large intestine is essential for removing waste products from your body.
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Digesta-Lac, which contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus gives you beneficial bacteria as it travels through the entire digestive system. Digesta-Lac is particularly useful for its role in supporting the proper digestion of carbohydrates, protein, and dairy.
Whether you suffer from occasional constipation or are hoping to take a proactive role by keeping your digestive system regular, the best probiotic for constipation can help. The precision probiotics Natren makes can be an important (and easy!) part of your daily health regimen. We encourage everyone to try our probiotics for a month or two, and see what a difference the right, high quality, beneficial bacteria can do for the way you feel every day. You can learn more about our probiotics and commitment to excellence at Natren.com.
