Unlocking the Code: Conquering Gut Motility Issues

I dealt with decreased gut motility for over 20 years!  If you had asked me when I “last went” it was difficult to recall because it was always at least 4 days, sometimes 6 between bowel movements. Eek, I know!

The fiber supplement and eight glasses of water per day that my doctor recommended, unfortunately, didn’t solve my issues with constipation.  I would learn much later that there was much more to solving my constipation than just a deficiency in fiber and hydration.  

What is Gut Motility?

Gut motility is simply the way that food moves through the digestive tract.  Through a wave-type pattern, the muscles throughout the digestive tract contract and relax, pushing the food through.

The Importance of Gut Motility

If motility isn’t working effectively, we won’t get all the benefits from our food.  We can miss out on amino acids, vitamins, and minerals which can cause nutrient deficiencies down the road.

It’s also important that we have adequate motility to effectively detoxify our bodies.  When we don’t have at least one bowel movement daily we don’t rid our bodies of toxins and excess hormones.  If they are not removed, the body can reabsorb them causing an imbalance in the gut flora and lots of inflammation.

Read this article to learn more about The 6 Basic Functions of the Digestive System.

Symptoms can vary due to the part of the digestive system affected, but some common symptoms that are seen with gut motility issues include:

• Heartburn
• Difficulty with swallowing
• Gas
• Bloating
• Burping
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Discomfort in the abdomen
• Discharge of mucus along with stool

A dysfunction with gut motility could mean that the food is moving either too slowly OR too fast through the digestive tract.

There is much that we can do to support healthy gut motility.  Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

Strategies for Supporting Optimal Gut Motility:

• Optimal hydration. Hydration is not always the reason someone is having difficulty with gut motility, but it really is an important factor to assess. It’s essential for gut motility and optimal digestion. Many of us think we are getting an optimal amount daily but often we are not. We should be aiming for half our body weight in ounces daily. We may need more if we are working out or sweating. Filling up your water containers in the morning can be more helpful in gauging how much you’re getting than filling a glass up throughout the day. This will also make it easier to remind yourself to take a drink of water as it can serve as a visual reminder. Also, consider adding a generous pinch of sea salt to a bottle of water, or a pinch to each glass of water, as it helps provide electrolytes that support hydration on a cellular level.  
• Chew your food thoroughly.  This goes a long way in taking the burden off of the digestive system. It also allows for the release of digestive enzymes in your saliva to help start breaking down food, making absorption easier later on in the digestive process.
• Meal spacing. Allowing at least 90-120 minutes between meals helps to trigger the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC), our gut’s “housekeeper”.  It helps sweep contents through the digestive tract.  Fasting is the only way to get the MMC working. 
• Increase vagal tone. Our gut and brain are connected via the vagus nerve, and the vagus nerve is key in helping relax the nervous system. Stress can decrease gut motility.₁  Read this article to learn more about the connection between digestion and the vagus nerve. 
• Moderate physical activity. Helps stimulate the contraction of the muscles in the digestive tract, helping to move food through more optimally and prevent constipation.
• Take natural prokinetics. Prokinetics helps to promote movement.  Ginger, bitters, and magnesium supplementation can all be helpful.  Read 12 Bitter Foods for Better Digestion and Health to learn more about how bitter foods can be helpful.
• Fiber. It can be helpful if it’s the appropriate type.  Insoluble fiber will help to speed up transit time, while soluble fiber generally slows transit time.
• Squatty Potty. Helps promote better alignment for full elimination when pooping.  It can also help to relax pelvic muscles and encourage less straining.  Yay for the squatty potty!
• Find the root cause and address it. Until you find the reason for why gut motility is dysfunctional, it’s like applying a “bandaid” to the situation. 

Addressing gut motility is so important if we want to optimize our health.  

I struggled with constipation for a long time.  Until I realized that there was more to my situation than a lack of fiber or not enough hydration, my gut motility did not improve. Getting to the root cause of gut motility issues is important because it affects nutrient absorption, detoxification, and overall wellness.  Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to support it!

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References:

1. Huerta-Franco, M. R., Vargas-Luna, M., Montes-Frausto, J. B., Morales-Mata, I., & Ramirez-Padilla, L. (2012). Effect of psychological stress on gastric motility assessed by electrical bio-impedance. World journal of gastroenterology, 18(36), 5027–5033.