EP #202 The perfect poop, laxative use & overcoming constipation

The perfect poop, laxative use & overcoming constipation You have been pooping your entire life… and I would bet nobody has ever actually told you what a healthy one looks like, how often you should be going, or what it means when you’re not. And honestly? That is a problem. Because what happens when nobody talks about bowel movements is that women start normalising symptoms that are not normal. Going every three or four days becomes “just how you are.” Straining becomes normal. Living on laxatives becomes normal. And the medical system has not helped. You go to your GP, say you’re constipated, and get told to eat more fibre, drink more water, and take Movicol. But nobody explains why you’re constipated in the first place. Because constipation is not a diagnosis. It’s a symptom. And treating all constipation the same way is exactly why so many women stay stuck. Today’s episode breaks down what a healthy bowel movement actually looks like, what your poop tells you about your hormones and gut health, the different types of constipation, and why laxatives are not fixing the root cause. In this episode, we cover: What a Healthy Poop Actually Looks Like: The bowel frequency, consistency, colour, and ease of passing that actually tell us your gut is functioning properly — including how to use the Bristol Stool Chart. Why Constipation Affects Your Hormones: How slow bowel transit impacts oestrogen clearance, contributes to PMS, bloating, painful periods, and leaves your body literally reabsorbing hormones it was trying to eliminate. Why Pooping Matters for Detoxification: How your bowel movements help remove hormones, waste products, and endotoxins from the body — and what happens when that process slows down. The Different Types of Constipation: Why slow transit constipation, pelvic floor dysfunction, IBS-C, and methane-dominant IMO are completely different problems that require completely different solutions. Methane-Dominant IMO: How methane-producing organisms chemically slow gut motility, why fibre can actually make symptoms worse, and why breath testing matters. Laxative Dependency: What actually happens when stimulant laxatives are used long-term, why dependency develops, and why the laxative becomes the management strategy instead of fixing the problem. What to Do Instead: Simple, practical strategies to support motility naturally, including toilet posture, magnesium, meal spacing, nervous system regulation, and supporting your migrating motor complex. You are not constipated because your body is lazy. And you are not “bad at digestion.” There is always a reason your gut is slowing down — whether that is methane overgrowth, stress, pelvic floor dysfunction, nervous system dysregulation, or impaired motility. Big difference. You don’t need to keep cycling through fibre supplements and laxatives hoping something finally works. You need to understand what type of constipation you actually have — and what is driving it underneath. LINKS TO SHERADYN: Assess your gut health in 3min HERE Follow me on Instagram HERE.  Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group HERE. Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session HERE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.