Dr. Daniel Ricciardi

14 things to try for constipation 👇

If fiber isn’t working, try these instead:

1️⃣ Drink enough water
2️⃣ Move your body daily (especially after meals)
3️⃣ Reduce chronic stress
4️⃣ Consider magnesium citrate
5️⃣ Increase fiber intake gradually
6️⃣ Identify and address food sensitivities
7️⃣ Use a probiotic containing Bifidobacterium strains
8️⃣ Try a Squatty Potty or similar foot stool
9️⃣ Increase healthy dietary fats
🔟 Support gut balance with Bloat Blocker
1️⃣1️⃣ Vitamin C
1️⃣2️⃣ Black coffee
1️⃣3️⃣ PHGG (partially hydrolyzed guar gum)
1️⃣4️⃣ Eat a wider variety of foods, especially if you meal prep the same meals every day.

One important thing to remember:

Constipation is often a symptom, not the root cause.

Low stomach acid, gut dysbiosis, SIBO, food sensitivities, stress, medication use, dehydration, and dietary factors can all contribute.

The goal isn’t just to force a bowel movement—it’s to understand why your body isn’t having one naturally.

Learn more 👇

Many people think SIBO happens because they have “too much good bacteria.”

That’s not actually the problem.

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) occurs when excessive amounts of the WRONG bacteria grow in the small intestine—an area where large numbers of bacteria don’t belong.

The issue isn’t necessarily having too many bacteria overall.

The issue is having the WRONG bacteria in the wrong place.

When these microbes ferment foods before you can properly digest them, they can produce gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, brain fog, and changes in bowel habits.

Comment “SIBO” for my free SIBO training.

Don’t make it harder on yourself…

Processed foods are typically engineered to make your hunger hormones keep firing long after you’ve eaten enough calories.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable (easy to eat). They hijack your dopamine system the same way drugs do, making it much harder to stop at one serving.  You overeat before you know what happened. 

If you have superhuman willpower, you CAN lose or maintain weight with processed foods…

But it’s an uphill battle, and you’re making it way harder than it needs to be.
_

Other problems with highly processed foods you didn’t ask for…

Your gut microbiome takes a hit. The emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives in processed foods disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut, impacting mood, immunity, and digestion.

Your gut lining pays the price. Many additives, like carrageenan, maltodextrin, and certain emulsifiers, have been shown to increase intestinal permeability, triggering low-grade inflammation that can show up as bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain.

Chronic inflammation becomes your baseline. When your gut is damaged and your microbiome is disrupted, your immune system stays in a constant low-level fight mode.

That’s not normal.

That’s the quiet impact of processed food that you aren’t told.

Getting diagnosed with IBS is not useful.

It’s just what you’re told when you have digestive issues, and they don’t know why.

In reality, those symptoms often point to deeper issues like leaky gut, microbiome imbalance, low stomach acid, etc (things that usually don’t get tested in your regular checkups).

I was told I had IBS for a decade until I figured out it was SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

If you’re tired of being told “it’s just IBS,” here’s a simple step-by-step approach to start getting real answers (and relief):

Step 1. Choose simple, whole foods: Stick to foods with minimal ingredients. They’re easier to digest and often reduce symptoms right away. Do this first before anything else.
👉 If this works, stop here! If not, keep going step by step.

Step 2. Relax before meals: Avoid eating while stressed. Being in a calm state while eating helps big-time with digestion.

Step 3. Eat mindfully: Chew thoroughly, avoid chugging liquids with meals, and stop before you’re stuffed.

Step 4. Try digestive support: Apple cider vinegar, ox bile, or digestive enzymes sometimes can help, especially if you are deficient in one or more of these (or are always stressed when you eat).

Step 5. Make and go to your regular doctors appointments: Get your labs done. Get scans if covered by insurance. Rule out anything serious with your doctor.

Step 6. Dig deeper: If symptoms persist, test for SIBO, parasites, other root causes

If you want help with this, comment below or send me a message.

12 Common SIBO Trigger Foods

If you’ve got small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), some of the healthiest foods can cause the most bloating, gas, and discomfort.

Here are the repeat offenders I see most:

🧅 Onion
🧄 Garlic
🍎 Apples
🥣 Beans (all of them)
🥦 Broccoli (florets not as bad)
🥙 Hummus/chickpea
🍇 Dried fruits (all of them)
🌸 Cauliflower
🧃 Fruit juices (all of them)
🥗 Raw vegetables (all of them)
🥬 Brussel sprouts
🥛 Milk (*NOTE: lactose free cows milk is often fine. Plant based milks without any additives besides water and salt are often fine)

These are all high in fermentable sugars (FODMAPs) or tough-to-digest fibers, which can cause a lot of symptoms if you have SIBO.

💡 Important: You don’t need to avoid these forever. The goal is to treat the root cause, rebalance the gut, and then reintroduce the healthy foods you enjoy with less reactivity.

💬 Drop a “SIBO” in the comments to for my free SIBO training.

Gut problems don’t always look like gut problems.