What should I do if I'm constipated when fasting?

When you are eating less food, you don’t need to go as often. There is a difference between having constipation and just having less bowel movements. But if you are suffering constipation after adopting intermittent fasting, consider adding bile supplements to your routine and decreasing your consumption of grains.

Can intermittent fasting affect your bowel movement?

Yes. When you begin eating less food, you won’t need to go as often. This is normal and nothing to worry about while intermittent fasting.

What is the difference between having less bowel movements and constipation?

Constipation is when you are having trouble passing excrement. You need to go, but you can’t. Oftentimes this is caused by not having enough bile for digestion, or by a sudden increase in your dietary intake of fiber, which can be difficult for the body to adjust to. On the other hand, having less bowel movements just means you don’t go as frequently because you do not have a need to pass excrement as often.

Which remedies can help with constipation and bowel movement?

Vegetables are the fuel of the gut microbiota. Consuming them improves your digestion and is important for your gut's health. But if you begin consuming a lot of vegetables when you have not consumed much before, your gut may not be prepared to handle so much fiber, which will lead to bloating and constipation.

In this case, try increasing your vegetable intake slowly, and eat steamed and fermented vegetables instead of raw.

The most common causes of constipation are consuming vegatables when your gut is not accustomed to them and not having enough bile for your digestive tract to function properly.