It’s hard to think about anything else when your bowel habits are off. But one doctor recommends giving yourself a break ― and rethinking how you approach the way you poop going forward.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha, makes the case for changing up the way you poop in her upcoming book, ”You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.” In fact, she swears that “pooping without judgment” is the way to go, noting that people ― especially women ― should think about their bowel habits less.
Data suggests that up to 20% of Americans have chronic constipation, meaning they regularly have trouble pooping, don’t poop often or feel like they don’t get everything out when they go. Women in particular face unique biological challenges that can make healthy bowel habits harder to achieve, Pasricha said.
That includes having more mast cells in the gut, which raises the odds of experiencing gut discomfort compared to men. Many women face GI symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, and increased gas around their period, too.
“Progesterone levels rise and fall throughout the menstrual cycle every month, and this directly impacts how quickly the stomach empties and how sluggish the intestines feel,” Pasricha told HuffPost.
