EP.306/ How to use Kiwis for constipation with endo
To follow on with our episode on flax seeds and chia seeds for constipation, I wanted to add another one into the mix.
For those of you who haven’t listen to that previous episode, I’ve linked it in the show notes. Additionally, if you’re wondering why constipation is a problem for many in our community, there can be numerous reasons, ranging from adhesions, pelvic floor dysfunction, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gut dysbiosis and more. I’ve linked to an episode I did on this topic in the show notes.
But now let’s get to it. Two kiwis a day is an evidenced based tool for constipation! Yes, really!
Kiwis have been studied multiple times for constipation. One study, which was conducted on people with IBS/C (IBS constipation type), showed improvements in frequency of bowel movements and colonic transit time (which means how long food takes to pass through the GI tract) and these improvements were seen after eating two green kiwis per day for four weeks. The even better news is that the increased frequency started just one week in!
While most of the studies have been conducted on green kiwi fruit, another study looked at two gold kiwis per day over four weeks, and compared this strategy to the well-researched tool of psyllium husk (which we’ll get to in another podcast). The study showed two kiwis per day increased the number of weekly complete bowel movements (which is important to note, as many people with constipation report being able to have a bowel movement but that they don’t feel finished) and also decreased straining, which is beneficial for our community who already tend to have pelvic floor dysfunction and straining certainly won’t help that problem! The researchers found that kiwis were just as effective for treating constipation as the long-time favourite psyllium husk.
Numerous other studies looking at the same dosage or similar, have shown successful results, including a reduction in laxative use, bulkier stools and increased bowel habit satisfaction to name a few of the improvements!
The additional bonus is that kiwis are also low FODMAP, which means they’re (in theory) going to be better tolerated by those of us with IBS, as the low FODMAP diet is a certified treatment for IBS symptoms, and as we can see by the studies, these IBS patients did not report negative side effects, and clearly, the kiwis only helped with their IBS symptoms.
Additionally, some people with SIBO find the low FODMAP diet also effective for managing moderate to mild symptoms, though those of us with severe SIBO often need a more restrictive diet (until healed), but not always.
Finally, because kiwis are low FODMAP, which means they are low in certain fermentable carbohydrates, they’re less likely to cause fermentation in the gut, which is when gut bacteria eat the food we digest and turn it into gas, sometimes creating bloating. To be clear, we want fermentation to happen in the gut - it’s what keeps our good gut bugs alive, and those guys are absolutely crucial to our overall health and are involved in numerous processes in the body. That’s why low fibre and carb diets for IBS and SIBO are not supposed to be long-term options, because they damage our gut health and ultimately, our health full stop. But when we have too much fermentation, which can occur if we have overgrowths of bacteria, or small intestine bacterial overgrowth, we tend to get that signature symptom of bloating - which is often a significant contributor to the endo belly.
So, how can we bring two kiwis a day into our lives?
If you’re someone who tends to lean towards constipation most of the time, then ideally, we want to replicate the studies to keep things moving on a regular basis - so two kiwis a day, for at least four weeks and likely ongoing for management, unless you are able to get to the root cause and solve the issue. For those who just suffer with occasional constipation or constipation in the luteal phase (the two weeks after ovulation, when bowel movements tend to be slower due to progesterone), the studies showed that improvements may be seen early on, as early as a week into treatment, so bringing kiwis in, even if you’re not doing it for four weeks, could get you relief relatively quickly.
When I work with my clients, we often layer up strategies that are low FODMAP and SIBO friendly, and improve gut health and the microbiome overall. So, we make up recipes that include a few constipation remedies (whilst being careful not to over do it). For example, you could have a breakfast that included chia pudding and kiwis (based on last weeks episode), which for those of you who have occasional constipation and are after quick relief, may be the trick, as the double therapy could be enough for you.
However, please don’t combine similar remedies like flax, chia or psyllium husk - these foods when combined, especially at therapeutic doses, could actually cause a bulky stool formation in the gut and cause a blockage . Think about what you use these foods for in cooking - they’re binders. Flax or chia often replace eggs, psyllium creates the sticky gluten alternative in gluten free bread, now imagine adding all those to your gut in one go, on a daily basis, when you already have constipation! You can see the problem. I’m not saying you can’t follow culinary recipes that use all three of these, but please don’t use them as daily therapies, together, for constipation.
In contrast, kiwis vary from chia, flax and psyllium, whilst they’re all sources of soluble fibre, they also have different mechanism of actions, and should complement each other, however, every gut is different, so start slow and low, and begin with one strategy and ensure you tolerate it well, before adding in another.
Okay! I hope you find this episode useful. See you next week.
Show Notes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12074185/
https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/19/4/451.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21147704/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9572406/
https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/two-kiwi-fruit-day-keep-constipation-bay/
https://www.siboinfo.com/diet.html
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/healing-constipation-with-endometriosis?rq=constipation
https://www.theendobellycoach.com/podcast/flax-chia-constipation?rq=constipation
Free resources:
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Live and Thrive with Endo: The Foundations DIY course
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Produced by Chris Robson