Most Americans have experienced constipation at some point. Studies show that up to 30% suffer from chronic constipation, and as we age, that number rises to 60%. At any given time, nearly 100 million people in the U.S. are affected.
During the pandemic, constipation and related anorectal problems worsened. More time spent sitting at home took a toll on digestive health.
Constipation has long been a concern. Some have even called it “civilization’s curse.” Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (yes, of Kellogg’s cereal fame) believed cold cereal was the cure. Today, countless probiotics and diets promise solutions. Additionally, social media trends like the Blue Poop Challenge try to diagnose gut health. But what does it all mean?
After treating thousands of patients, Dr. Fong noticed a pattern. She kept repeating the same advice, yet most people were unaware of it. Unfortunately, a quick online search often leads to confusing and conflicting answers.
As an academic clinician with peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Fong sought knowledge beyond medical textbooks. She wanted to bridge the gap between science and everyday gut health solutions.
In Constipation Nation, Dr. Fong unpacks the science behind digestion, gut bacteria, and lifestyle choices that affect bowel health. This gut health book explores natural constipation remedies, the gut-brain connection, and the impact of diet on digestion.
Whether you’re searching for gut-friendly diet tips, natural ways to improve digestion, or books on gut health and nutrition, this guide provides practical, research-backed insights to help you take control of your digestive wellness.
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Colorectal surgeon Fong debuts with an informative guide to maintaining healthy bowel movements. She explains that the colon’s main job is to reabsorb water from digested food, and that constipation happens when it absorbs too much or struggles to contract. To keep things moving, she recommends drinking “at least sixty-four ounces of water” and consuming 25–35 grams of fiber daily. Fiber helps by bulking up stool and producing short-chain fatty acids that fuel the colon. Fong encourages getting fiber from food rather than supplements, sharing recipes like roast broccoli, pumpkin pasta, and egg drop soup with spinach and chicken meatballs. She notes that while “coffee stimulates enzymes in the saliva and stomach that help with digestion,” too much may cause dehydration. Exercise generally aids motility, but intense workouts can trigger a fight-or-flight response that “diverts blood flow from the gut.” Fong’s friendly tone makes it a helpful, approachable take on a sensitive topic.
― Publishers Weekly
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Dr. Fong has written an extraordinarily comprehensive book on a pervasively common concern—that of constipation. Her encyclopedic approach to this subject is truly remarkable. As a colon and rectal surgeon, myself, I learned considerably more about bowel evacuatory dysfunction than I had heretofore believed I understood. While written for a lay audience, it is at once a scientific, yet personal approach and is accompanied by an extensive bibliography. The author is to be congratulated on providing a worthy medical text for all individuals troubled by this condition.
-- Marvin L.
Corman, professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, M.D
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Dr. Carmen Fong makes talking about poop fun! This easy-to-read, helpful book is packed with medically backed information that helps patients poop better, start conversations with their doctors, and break the stigmas that keep so many silent.
-- Danielle Ripley-Burgess
Vice President of Disease Awareness, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and author of Blush: How I Barely Survived 17
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Constipation Nation is a deftly crafted and complete course of instructive information on the subject of the digestive system and gastroenterology that will be especially appreciated by anyone who has problems with chronic constipation. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, Constipation Nation is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, medical professional, community, and college/university library Health/Medicine collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
― Midwest Book Review
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