Why 'Eating More Fibre' Is Terrible Advice for Chronic Constipation

If I had a pound for every time I heard a doctor tell a chronically constipated patient to "just eat more fibre", I could have retired from nursing years ago. After 15 years in gastroenterology at St. Thomas' Hospital, I can tell you this: for many women with chronic constipation, adding more fibre is like pouring petrol on a fire.

The Day I Realised We Were Getting It Wrong

Margaret was 46, had been constipated for "as long as I can remember", and came to us after yet another A&E visit for faecal impaction. Her GP had told her to eat more bran, take psyllium husks, and "really up the vegetables".

She looked at me with tears in her eyes: "I eat so much fibre I feel like a rabbit. But I'm more blocked than ever. What's wrong with me?"

Nothing was wrong with her. Everything was wrong with the advice.

The Dirty Secret About Fibre and Chronic Constipation

Here's what medical school doesn't teach clearly enough:

Fibre only helps if your gut is already moving.

Think of it like traffic. If the motorway is flowing, adding more cars (fibre) keeps things moving. But if there's already a complete standstill? Adding more cars makes the jam worse.

For women with chronic constipation, especially those on antidepressants or going through perimenopause, the gut motility is already severely compromised. Adding more fibre just creates more bulk that can't move through.

Why Standard Advice Makes Things Worse

During my years in gastro, I saw this pattern repeatedly:

Woman has chronic constipation (often medication or hormone-related)
Doctor says "eat more fibre"
Woman dutifully increases bran, whole grains, raw vegetables
Bloating gets severe, cramping increases
Constipation actually worsens
Woman feels like a failure

The worst part? When they returned still constipated, they were often told they "weren't trying hard enough" with the fibre.

The Three Types of People Who Should NOT Increase Fibre

1. Long-term medication users

Antidepressants, painkillers, and many other medications slow gut motility to a crawl. Adding fibre to an already sluggish system just creates painful backup.

2. Perimenopause and menopause

Dropping oestrogen levels affect smooth muscle function in your intestines. Your gut literally can't push through high-fibre loads like it used to.

3. Severe chronic constipation (going less than 3x per week)

If you're already severely backed up, the last thing you need is more bulk. You need to get things moving first.

What Actually Works: The Opposite Approach

The most successful cases I saw took a completely different path:

Step 1: Gentle clearing (not harsh laxatives)

Reduce fibre temporarily
Use gentle, natural stimulants
Focus on hydration and movement

Step 2: Restore function

Rebuild gut bacteria
Support natural motility
Heal the intestinal lining

Step 3: Gradual reintroduction

Only THEN slowly add fibre back
Start with soluble, not insoluble
Monitor your body's response

The BELLYFREE Approach: Healing Before Bulking

This is exactly why I developed BELLYFREE's 2-phase protocol. We don't throw fibre at the problem. We:

First, gently restore movement with our Aloe Complex
Then rebuild your gut's ability to handle fibre with probiotics
Finally, your body can process normal foods again - including fibre

No forcing. No cramping. No making things worse.

Real Stories From Real Women

"My doctor kept telling me to eat more All-Bran. I was eating it three times a day and getting more constipated. BELLYFREE was the first thing that understood my gut needed to heal first, not be stuffed with more fibre." - Janet, 48

"I thought I was doing everything right with my high-fibre diet. Turns out I was making my perimenopause constipation worse. The 2-phase approach changed everything." - Diane, 52

Your Permission Slip

Consider this your official permission to STOP forcing down bran flakes if they're making you worse. Stop feeling guilty about avoiding raw salads if they leave you bloated for days. Your body isn't broken - it's just been given the wrong solution.

The Path Forward

If you've been faithfully following the "more fibre" advice and getting worse, not better, you're not alone. Thousands of women have been there. The difference is, now you know why it wasn't working.

Ready to try an approach that actually understands chronic constipation?