Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Travel-Related Constipation?
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Body, Mind & Spirit
  4. Gastrointestinal

Travel-Related Constipation?

Can you tell me why I become constipated when I travel and what, if anything, I can do about it? We eat healthily and exercise on the road as much as possible, but I always experience constipation.

Andrew Weil, M.D. |December 29, 2014

travel related constipation
2 min

Travel-related constipation is a very common problem. As you might suspect, it stems from changes in your normal routine as well as from jet lag – your interior body clock doesn’t always catch up immediately to local time when flying long distances. Changes in diet, the timing of meals and less-than-ideal access to restrooms can all play a role in traveler’s constipation, as can the stress involved in making the adjustment.

For the record, constipation means having fewer than three bowel movements a week, with stools that are usually hard, dry, small and difficult to pass. It takes 40 to 45 hours for wastes from your food to make the trip through your gastrointestinal system and exit your body.

Dealing with travel-related constipation isn’t that different from what you would do when you’re at home. Dietary changes may mean that you’re not getting enough fiber, which you can remedy by making sure that you eat lots of vegetables, whole grains, and fruit. Here are some other recommendations that can help:

  • Exercise daily. Exercise does more than tone your heart and muscles; it also tones your intestines and is essential to regular bowel movements.
  • Try relaxation techniques to deal with stress. Biofeedback is especially helpful, and breathing exercises or yoga can help you manage stress, which can interfere with relaxation of the whole body, including the bowels.
  • Don’t ignore the urge to go. Peristalsis of the bowel – the movements that trigger a bowel movement – come and go. If you ignore the urge, you may lose the opportunity. The longer stool stays in the bowel, the harder it gets as more water is reabsorbed, and the more difficult it is to expel.
  • Watch your caffeine intake. Coffee and other forms of caffeine work well as laxatives when used occasionally. When used addictively, however, caffeine prevents the bowels from following their own natural rhythm. The use of other stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can also result in constipation.
  • If you can’t get enough fiber from your diet, consider powdered psyllium available at health food stores, as a supplemental source.
  • Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
  • Try triphala. This Ayurvedic remedy for regulating the bowels is a combination of three fruits that tone the muscles in the large intestine. Ideally triphala should be used on a regular basis, however, and not just when temporary constipation occurs.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Read more tips, recipes, and insights on a wide variety of topics from Dr. Weil here.

travel legacy
Spontaneous Happiness

Travel: An Important Part of Your Legacy

Close-up of hands of a nurse typing on laptop
Healthy Living

Remote Medical Care for International Travel?

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Follow Dr. Weil On Instagram!

Looking for the very latest photos from Dr. Weil of his daily life, his Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, his garden, and his wellness travels? Follow along on Instagram and see what he’s up to! You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.
Dr. Weil's Photos
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

Wincing man sitting on the edge of his bed with a stomach cramp at home in bedroom
Gastrointestinal

A Cure For Crohn's Disease?

A Treatment For Intestinal Metaplasia? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Gastrointestinal

A Treatment For Intestinal Metaplasia?

Acid Reflux | Gastroinstestinal | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Gastrointestinal

Acid Reflux Symptoms & Treatment

acupuncture for constipation
Gastrointestinal

Acupuncture For Constipation?

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
Wincing man sitting on the edge of his bed with a stomach cramp at home in bedroom
Gastrointestinal

A Cure For Crohn's Disease?

A Treatment For Intestinal Metaplasia? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Gastrointestinal

A Treatment For Intestinal Metaplasia?

Daily Tips
Can Mushrooms Benefit Breast Cancer Patients? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

Can Mushrooms Benefit Breast Cancer Patients?

Mushrooms Are Amazing!
Health Tips

Mushrooms For Memory

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright2023 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com