Constipation might not sound like the most glamorous topic, but it’s one of the most common and overlooked health issues in the UK. Around 1 in 7 adults and up to 1 in 3 children experience it, and it’s responsible for thousands of hospital admissions every year.

This week I’m joined by Dr Angad Dhillon, Consultant Gastroenterologist and accredited Bowel Cancer Screening endoscopist at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. With advanced training from St Mark’s Hospital, one of the world’s leading centres for intestinal disorders, Dr Dhillon specialises in complex endoscopy, bowel health, and digestive wellbeing. He also happens to be my best friend from medical school who I’ve literally known over 2 decades!

We talk about lesser known constipation strategies, what functional constipation means, how it can be related to other medical issues and what you should be optimising before you reach for a laxative, medications or supplements.

Today we explore:

💬 What “normal” bowel habits look like and whether the bristol stool chart is useful

🥦 How to approach constipation with a dietary approach

🧘‍♂️ Why pooping posture, breathing, and stress matter for gut health

🌙 The link between sleep, circadian rhythm, and digestion

⚠️ Red flags that mean it’s time to speak to your doctor

Dr Dhillon's research work can be found here and give him a follow on social media @the_gut_doctor

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