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. We cover: 00:00 – The most common gut problems a gastroenterologist sees 01:30 – What actually counts as constipation? 03:24 – How common is constipation in the UK? 12:00 – When nausea and vomiting are a red flag 13:53 – Why humans get constipated: an evolutionary view 19:18 – What does ‘functional constipation’ mean? 20:47 – Medical causes of constipation you might not know about 22:50 – Why does codeine cause constipation 26:40 – How much fibre do you really need? 27:20 – Soluble vs insoluble fibre: which one helps constipation? 31:00 – Hydration myths and how much water you need 33:20 – Does creatine cause constipation or dehydration? 36:27 – Why night shifts and travel make you constipated 44:29 – How stress changes gut motility 46:08 – Can breathwork and yoga help constipation? 49:06 – Why exercise is one of the strongest constipation fixes 49:39 – Do kiwis really help constipation? 52:40 – How childhood toilet experiences shape adult constipation 1:01:26 – The 3 things to try before medication 1:02:40 – Which medications actually work for constipation? 1:09:21 – Do probiotics work for constipation? 1:12:37 – Red flag symptoms you must not ignore 1:15:19 – Why bowel cancer is rising in younger people 1:38:05 – Can coffee help constipation? 1:39:46 – The GLP-1 constipation issue 1:42:19 – Is constipation more common in women? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEARNING TO EAT WELL EVERY DAY 🥗 Download a FREE 7 day meal plan: https://tdk.link/mealplan_yt 🔥 Learn about Inflammation - FREE 4 part mini-series here: https://tdk.link/infl_series_yt 🥑 Heal yourself with food: https://tdk.link/heal_yt 🎤 Listen to experts on the podcast: https://tdk.link/pod_yt 👨🏽‍💻 Browse articles on the website: https://tdk.link/web_yt 📚 Check out my cookbooks: https://tdk.link/books_yt LET'S BE FRIENDS 📷 Instagram: https://tdk.link/tdk_insta_yt 📹 Subscribe: https://tdk.link/ytsubscribe 🙋🏽‍♂️ Facebook: https://tdk.link/tdk_fb_yt 🐦 Twitter: https://tdk.link/tdk_tw_yt 👔 LinkedIn: https://tdk.link/tdk_li_yt