Bowel health

Introduction to bowel health

Diet and daily habits that help your bowels move regularly.

1. 1Eat breakfastMeals trigger the gastrocolic reflex, which stimulates bowel motion. A hot drink can help too.
2. 2Wait 30 to 60 minutesThis is usually the best time for a bowel movement.
3. 3Take your timeMake sure you are not rushed and have easy access to a bathroom.

Diet and daily habits can help you predict when your bowels will move on a regular basis. The consistency and quantity of the stool is usually more important than the frequency. The goal is a regular bowel movement that is soft but formed.

Tips on emptying regularly

• Eat breakfast. The best time of day for a bowel movement is usually a half hour to an hour after eating, when the body uses the gastrocolic reflex, a stimulation of bowel motion that occurs with eating. For some people even a simple hot drink in the morning helps the reflex begin.
• Eat meals at predictable times. The bowel functions best when food is introduced at the same regular intervals.
• Keep portions consistent. The amount you eat at a given time of day should be about the same from day to day. A small breakfast and a large lunch, or the reverse, is fine as long as you are consistent.
• Eat two servings of fruit or vegetables and at least one serving of complex carbohydrates (whole grains such as brown rice, bran, whole wheat bread, or oatmeal) at each meal.
• Drink plenty of water, ideally eight glasses a day, and increase it if you are adding fiber to your diet.

Maintain healthy habits

• Exercise daily. Any time of day works, but bowel function may be helped most if you exercise at a consistent time.
• Make sure you are not rushed and have convenient access to a bathroom at your selected time to empty your bowels.