Can’t poop? Eat these foods and this drink to cure constipation

Stopped up?

Researchers at King’s College London have created new dietary guidelines for adults with chronic constipation, finding that eating these two foods — and washing them down with the right drink — could help get things moving.

“Chronic constipation can have a huge impact on someone’s day-to-day life. For the first time, we’ve provided direction on what dietary approaches could genuinely help, and which diet advice lacks evidence,” said lead author Dr Eirini Dimidi.

People generally poop from three times a week up to once or twice daily, according to the Mayo Clinic — and being “regular” means something different to everyone.

Roughly 16% of American adults suffer from constipation, and over 60 years of age, that percentage hops up to 33%

Constipation can be caused by any number of factors, including:

• Dehydration
• Lack of dietary fiber
• Certain medications, such as opioid painkillers, antacids, antihistamines or antidepressants
• Lack of exercise

Publishing in the Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, the researchers say that kiwi, rye bread and high mineral-content water can help you go more often if you’re frequently running into issues on the toilet.

“Kiwi is a hidden gem when it comes to gut health,”  Dr. Mikhail Yakubov of Manhattan Gastroenterology previously told The Post.

He noted that this fuzzy little fruit is “rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, but it also contains an enzyme called actinidin, which may help stimulate digestion.”

As a bonus, and according to Yakubov, kiwis are “low in sugar and don’t cause bloating like some other fruits.”

In addition to kiwis, eating rye bread is recommended to loosen the clog of constipation.

Whole grain rye bread is high in soluble fiber which absorbs water and supports the creation of larger, softer stools, making them easier for the body to pass.

Indeed, a 2010 study found rye bread to be more effective than laxatives in treating symptoms of constipation.

Dimidi also notes that drinking mineral water “is better than tap water,” due in part to the presence of magnesium, a known laxative, in mineral water.

“That’s why taking magnesium oxide supplements was found to have lots of benefits,” said researchers.

The new dietary guidelines also include taking psyllium fiber supplements, specific probiotic strains and magnesium oxide supplements.

Conversely, the team found that there was not enough evidence to suggest that popular constipation cures such as generic “high-fiber diets” and senna supplements wer effective at treating the condition.

Researchers are hopeful their guidelines will allow patients to self-manage their symptoms, primarily through diet.

“Being able to improve this condition through dietary changes would allow people to self-manage their symptoms more and, hopefully, improve their quality of life,” said Dimidi.

Previous research has found that dried raisins, dried apricots, and prunes can also help soothe constipation and kick the bowels into an evacuation situation.