If you are looking for natural ways to relieve constipation, you are far from alone. Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints in Australia, affecting people of all ages and life stages, yet it is something many people suffer through quietly without ever addressing the underlying cause. The discomfort is real, the frustration is real, and the temptation to reach straight for a laxative is completely understandable.

The good news is that for most people, constipation responds well to natural, evidence-based strategies that work with the body rather than just forcing a short-term result. At Wholefoodie Nutrition, Sammi takes a whole-diet, whole-person approach to digestive health, helping clients across Australia understand what their gut needs and why. Rather than managing symptoms in isolation, the goal is always to address the root cause.

This guide covers 10 science-backed strategies that can help relieve constipation naturally, support long-term gut health, and reduce the likelihood of it becoming a recurring problem. Some of these you may have heard before. Others may surprise you.

10 Natural Ways to Relieve Constipation

1. Drink More Water — Especially First Thing in the Morning

Dehydration is one of the most overlooked contributors to constipation, and it is also one of the easiest to address. When the body does not have enough fluid, the colon compensates by absorbing more water from the stool passing through it, leaving waste dry, hard, and difficult to pass.

According to Healthdirect Australia, adequate hydration is essential for healthy bowel function. Most adults need around 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day as a baseline, though individual needs vary depending on body size, activity level, climate, and diet. Coffee, tea, and other beverages contribute to fluid intake, though plain water remains the most effective choice for bowel health.

One of the simplest habits to adopt is drinking a glass of warm water first thing in the morning, before breakfast or coffee. This gentle stimulus can help activate the gastrocolic reflex, a natural response that triggers movement in the colon after the stomach is stimulated. Some people find that adding a squeeze of lemon to their morning water enhances this effect, though the hydration itself is the primary mechanism at play.

2. Increase Your Fibre Intake — But Do It Gradually

Dietary fibre is the single most well-researched nutritional intervention for constipation, and most Australians are not getting enough of it. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends that adult women consume at least 25 grams of fibre per day and adult men at least 30 grams, yet the average Australian falls well short of these targets.

There are two types of dietary fibre, and both matter for bowel health. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to the stool and helps it move through the digestive tract more quickly. It is found in foods like wholegrain breads and cereals, wheat bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, and legumes. Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance that softens the stool and slows digestion in a way that supports regularity. It is found in oats, legumes, fruit, and vegetables.

The important caveat is that increasing fibre intake too quickly can cause bloating, gas, and temporarily worsened constipation, particularly if fluid intake does not increase alongside it. Gradual increases over two to three weeks, paired with adequate hydration, allow the gut microbiome time to adapt and make the transition far more comfortable.

3. Prioritise Soluble Fibre Foods Every Day

While both types of fibre are important, soluble fibre deserves particular attention for constipation relief. The gel that forms when soluble fibre meets water in the digestive tract helps to soften stool, making it easier to pass without straining. It also feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut, which play an important role in bowel motility and overall digestive health.

Some of the best food sources of soluble fibre include oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, psyllium husk, legumes such as lentils and chickpeas, apples, pears, and root vegetables like carrots and sweet potato. Adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to yoghurt or a smoothie, including legumes in at least one meal per day, or starting the morning with a bowl of oats are all practical ways to increase soluble fibre without overhauling the entire diet.

Psyllium husk is worth a special mention. It is one of the most effective natural fibre supplements for constipation and is supported by a strong body of clinical evidence. When taken with adequate water, it can significantly improve stool consistency and bowel frequency for people who struggle to meet their fibre needs through food alone.

4. Move Your Body Every Day

Physical activity and bowel regularity are more closely connected than many people realise. Exercise stimulates the muscles of the colon, encouraging the muscular contractions that move waste through the digestive tract. A sedentary lifestyle, on the other hand, is consistently associated with slower gut transit time and a higher risk of constipation.

The encouraging news is that the type and intensity of exercise required to support bowel health is accessible to almost everyone. A brisk 20 to 30 minute walk each day can make a meaningful difference. More vigorous exercise such as cycling, swimming, or resistance training tends to have a greater effect, but movement of any kind is beneficial.

For people who spend long hours sitting at a desk, building in regular movement breaks throughout the day, even standing up and walking around for a few minutes every hour, can help keep the digestive system active. The relationship between physical activity and gut health is bidirectional: a healthier gut supports better energy for movement, and more movement supports a healthier gut.

5. Establish a Consistent Toilet Routine

The body has a natural internal rhythm, and working with it rather than against it can make a significant difference to bowel regularity. The gastrocolic reflex is a physiological response that triggers movement in the colon shortly after eating, particularly after the first meal of the day. This is why mornings are often the most natural time for a bowel movement, and why establishing a consistent morning routine can be a genuinely effective strategy for people who struggle with constipation.

Practical steps include sitting on the toilet at roughly the same time each morning, ideally after breakfast and a warm drink, and allowing adequate time without rushing or distraction. Equally important is responding promptly to the urge to go when it arises. Repeatedly ignoring or suppressing this urge causes the rectum to adapt to holding more stool, which over time makes constipation worse.

Toilet posture is another factor that is often overlooked. The natural squatting position aligns the rectum in a way that makes passing stool easier and more complete. Using a small footstool to raise the feet while sitting on the toilet approximates this position and can reduce straining considerably.

6. Include Probiotic-Rich Foods in Your Diet

The gut microbiome, the vast community of bacteria living in the digestive tract, plays a central role in bowel function. Research published in peer-reviewed gastroenterology journals has found that certain strains of beneficial bacteria are associated with improved bowel motility, better stool consistency, and reduced symptoms of constipation. A disrupted or imbalanced microbiome, on the other hand, is frequently linked to digestive sluggishness.

Probiotic-rich foods introduce live beneficial bacteria into the gut and can help to support a healthier microbial balance over time. The best food sources include natural yoghurt with live cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and tempeh. These foods are most effective when consumed regularly as part of a varied, fibre-rich diet rather than in isolation.

It is worth noting that the evidence for probiotic foods and constipation is strongest when they are combined with an overall gut-supportive diet. Adding a daily serving of yoghurt or kefir while continuing to eat a low-fibre, low-fluid diet is unlikely to produce dramatic results on its own. Probiotic foods work best as one component of a broader dietary approach.

7. Feed Your Good Bacteria with Prebiotic Foods

While probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut, prebiotics feed the bacteria that are already there. Prebiotics are a specific type of dietary fibre that passes through the small intestine undigested and reaches the large intestine, where it serves as fuel for beneficial gut bacteria. A well-fed microbiome is a more active and effective one, and this has direct implications for bowel regularity.

The best prebiotic foods include garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, green bananas, oats, and legumes. Many of these foods overlap with the soluble fibre sources mentioned earlier, which reflects the interconnected nature of gut-supportive nutrition. Including a variety of these foods throughout the week, rather than relying on one or two sources, tends to produce the best outcomes for microbiome diversity and digestive health.

Some people with sensitive digestive systems find that high-prebiotic foods initially cause gas or bloating as the gut bacteria ferment them. This is a normal response that typically settles as the gut adjusts. Starting with smaller amounts and increasing gradually is the recommended approach, particularly for anyone with a history of irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive conditions.

8. Cut Back on Ultra-Processed Foods and Low-Fibre Snacks

A diet high in ultra-processed foods, think packaged snacks, fast food, refined white bread, and convenience meals, is one of the most consistent dietary predictors of constipation. These foods are typically very low in fibre, high in refined carbohydrates and added fats, and stripped of the nutrients and plant compounds that support a healthy gut microbiome.

Beyond their lack of fibre, ultra-processed foods tend to displace the whole foods that the gut genuinely needs. When a significant portion of daily food intake comes from highly processed sources, there is simply less room for the fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, and legumes that keep the digestive system functioning well.

Practical swaps do not need to be dramatic to make a difference. Replacing a packet of crackers with a piece of fruit and a small handful of nuts, choosing wholegrain bread instead of white, adding legumes to soups and stews, or swapping a processed snack for vegetable sticks with hummus are small shifts that accumulate meaningfully over time. The goal is not perfection but a gradual movement toward a more whole-food pattern of eating.

9. Manage Stress — Your Gut Feels It Too

The connection between the gut and the brain is more direct and more significant than most people appreciate. The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network linking the central nervous system with the enteric nervous system of the digestive tract. In practical terms, this means that what happens in the mind has a measurable effect on what happens in the gut, and vice versa.

Chronic stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, which diverts resources away from digestion and slows gut motility. Many people notice that periods of high stress coincide with digestive sluggishness, irregular bowel habits, or worsening constipation. This is not a coincidence. It is a physiological response rooted in the gut-brain connection.

From a nutritional perspective, supporting stress resilience includes ensuring adequate intake of nutrients that play a role in nervous system function, including magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Lifestyle strategies such as regular movement, adequate sleep, and mindfulness practices all support the gut-brain axis in meaningful ways. When stress is a significant driver of constipation, addressing it is not a peripheral concern. It is central to resolution.

10. Review Your Magnesium Intake

Magnesium is one of the most commonly deficient minerals in the Australian population, and its connection to constipation is well established. Magnesium plays a role in muscle function throughout the body, including the smooth muscle of the digestive tract. It also draws water into the bowel, which helps to soften stool and make it easier to pass.

The best dietary sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables such as spinach and silverbeet, nuts and seeds particularly almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, legumes, wholegrains, and dark chocolate. A diet rich in these foods supports healthy magnesium levels alongside a broad range of other health benefits.

For some people, food sources alone are not sufficient to meet magnesium needs, and a supplement may be appropriate. Magnesium oxide has the strongest laxative effect and is sometimes used for this purpose, while magnesium glycinate is better absorbed and gentler on the digestive system for ongoing supplementation. As with all supplements, the right form and dose depends on the individual, which is why working with a clinical nutritionist before starting is always recommended. You can explore how Sammi approaches gut health and supplementation at Wholefoodie Nutrition.

When Constipation Becomes a Bigger Concern

For most people, constipation is an occasional and manageable problem that responds well to the dietary and lifestyle strategies outlined above. However, there are situations where constipation warrants prompt professional attention rather than a self-management approach.

It is important to seek advice from a healthcare professional if constipation is chronic and persistent, lasting more than three weeks despite dietary changes, or if it is accompanied by symptoms such as blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, severe abdominal pain, or a noticeable change in bowel habits that is new or different from your normal pattern. These symptoms do not necessarily indicate something serious, but they do warrant proper assessment.

For people whose constipation is ongoing, recurring, or connected to a broader digestive condition such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or a thyroid issue, working with a clinical nutritionist alongside their medical team can make a significant difference. Sammi at Wholefoodie Nutrition works with clients via telehealth to investigate the dietary drivers of chronic digestive issues and build personalised, evidence-based plans that address the root cause. Learn more about Sammi’s approach to gut health here.

FAQs:

What is the fastest natural way to relieve constipation?
Drinking a large glass of warm water first thing in the morning, increasing movement, and consuming a meal high in soluble fibre such as oats with ground flaxseed are among the fastest acting natural strategies. For some people, a magnesium supplement taken the evening before can also produce results within 24 hours. If constipation is severe or has lasted more than a week, it is worth seeking professional advice rather than continuing to self-manage.

How much fibre do I need each day to stay regular?
The NHMRC recommends at least 25 grams per day for adult women and at least 30 grams per day for adult men. Most Australians consume closer to 20 grams per day on average. Increasing fibre intake gradually over two to three weeks, alongside adequate fluid intake, is the most comfortable and effective approach for most people.

Can stress really cause constipation?
Yes. The gut-brain axis means that chronic stress has a direct and measurable effect on digestive function, including bowel motility. Many people notice that their constipation worsens during periods of high stress, anxiety, or significant life change. Addressing the stress alongside dietary changes often produces better outcomes than focusing on diet alone.

When should I see a professional about constipation?
If constipation is persistent, recurring, or accompanied by symptoms such as blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, severe pain, or a new change in bowel habits, it is important to see a doctor promptly. For ongoing constipation that is not responding to dietary changes, working with a clinical nutritionist via telehealth can help identify the underlying dietary drivers and build a plan tailored to your individual gut health needs. Book a free introduction call to chat with Sammi and find out which service pathway is the right fit for you, or book an in-person appointment at Love and Tonic in Terrigal, located at Unit 14a/10 Church St, Terrigal NSW 2260.

Conclusion

Constipation is common, but it is not something you simply have to live with. The strategies outlined in this guide, from increasing fibre and hydration to managing stress and reviewing magnesium intake, are all supported by evidence and accessible to most people without the need for medication or drastic dietary overhauls.

The key is consistency. Small, sustainable changes made over weeks and months tend to produce far better long-term outcomes than short-term fixes that do not address the underlying cause. If your constipation is ongoing, recurring, or significantly affecting your quality of life, personalised support from a clinical nutritionist can help you get to the root of the issue and find a plan that genuinely works for your body.

Sammi at Wholefoodie Nutrition works with clients across Australia via telehealth, providing evidence-based, compassionate nutrition support for gut health and beyond. If you are ready to stop guessing and start feeling better, she would love to hear from you.

Book your telehealth consultation at wholefoodienutrition.com.au or explore all services at wholefoodienutrition.com.au/services/.