The 7-Second Poop Method for Constipation Relief

As a functional medicine practitioner, I’m always interested in the health trends people are talking about online, and I get asked about them a lot. 

Sometimes these trends are actually great new ideas. Often, they’re actually great old ideas that are finally getting their 15 minutes. Some trends are just noise, and others fall somewhere along the middle of the spectrum – not necessarily bad for your health, but not exactly the magical cure-all they may seem to be on social media. 

Today, we’ll explore the “7-second poop method” trend, how it works, and where it falls on the helpful-or-not spectrum. 

I’ll also throw in some of my own thoughts on constipation, because if you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re looking for guidance on becoming more regular with your bowel movements, and improving your digestion overall. 

Let’s get into it. 

What Is the 7 Second Poop Method? 

To be honest, with all of the fuss about this method, it’s surprisingly hard to get information about what it actually is. Many people online seem to have co-opted the term to share their own quick fixes for constipation. 

The original trend comes from a gastroenterologist named Dr. Gina Sam, who shared what she described both as her “7-second morning ritual” and “7 second poop trick” designed to ease constipation and improve gastrointestinal motility. 

The “7 second” component seems to be more for marketing effect than anything else, as to effectively move through the steps you’ll quite likely need more time than this – however, it doesn’t need to be overly time consuming or laborious.  

How It Works 

The 7 second poop method for constipation relief talks about addressing some of the common causes of slow motility, including dehydration, stress, and lack of physical activity. 

The method combines a few different steps that incorporate movement, breath, and hydration in order to target these causes and encourage healthy bowel movements.  

How To Do The 7-Second Poop Method

Here’s how to follow the 7 second poop method, step-by-step. Note that this is meant to be done first thing in the morning. 

1. Drink a full glass of warm water as soon as you get up in order to help wake up the digestive system and rehydrate. Optionally, add apple cider vinegar to further encourage digestive flow. 
2. Engage in gentle stretches and yoga poses, including cat-cow, forward bends, and/or the Pavanamuktasana pose (wind-relieving pose), in order to stimulate the bowels, increase blood flow, release trapped gasses, and get things moving. 
3. Practice deep breathing in order to reduce stress, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and relax the body for better digestive function. 

LISTEN: Constipation Poop-Cast: How To Heal A Sluggish Gut (Foods, Supplements, Labs, Vagus Nerve Therapies) | Dr. Will Cole 

What To Be Aware Of

I’ll start by saying that I’m absolutely in support of all of the steps of this morning ritual. Morning hydration, apple cider vinegar, yoga and stretching, and breathwork are all great things you can do to support digestion and overall health. 

But… 7 seconds? Look, if you literally only have 7 seconds (or 30 seconds, or 60 seconds) to drink some water, do a quick stretch, and take a deep breath or two today, that’s better than nothing. 

But if you’re experiencing chronic constipation and you want to truly address the problem, this probably isn’t going to be enough. Stress is absolutely a contributing factor to many cases of constipation, and deep breathing and yoga are two practices that can really help with stress management. But a couple of seconds of each before returning to a stressful lifestyle are likely not enough to really address the problem. 

And on this note, if you’re finding yourself consistently experiencing constipation, bloating, and/or other digestive symptoms, the most effective thing you can do to truly feel better is to find and address your individual underlying causes. 

In some cases, the problem actually is as simple as dehydration. In other cases, and this is a lot of what we see at the clinic, there’s a greater underlying imbalance or issue, like SIBO. Here are a few of the most common causes of or contributing factors to constipation: 

Dehydration 

Lack of fiber in the diet, or a low quality or inflammatory diet

Gut dysbiosis (including SIBO) 

Digestive conditions like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

Sedentary lifestyle

Low vagal tone

Buildup of biotoxins 

Hormonal imbalances 

Low stomach acid 

Other Tips for Resolving Constipation

There are a number of holistic strategies and tools you can use to support digestive health, more regular bowel movements, and overall wellness, including the ones that are part of the 7 second morning ritual, and some others. Here are a few things that can help: 

Eat healthy high fiber foods (a few great fiber-rich food options include avocados, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, artichokes, broccoli, and apples).

Drink plenty of water (opt for filtered water, and boost your hydration further by consuming hydrating foods like cucumbers and watermelon).

Try a magnesium supplement

Implement mindfulness and stress management practices like meditation or breathwork 

Support the mind-body connection through the vagus nerve (try humming, singing, or gargling)

Take probiotics

Exercise consistently (without pushing yourself too hard)

Try a salt water flush

READ NEXT: Using A Coffee Enema For Digestive Support | Dr. Will Cole   

Getting To The Root Cause Of Your Gut Issues

Ultimately, starting simple is great. If you’re not already drinking a full glass of water in the morning, yes, start there – adding apple cider vinegar is a good idea. Stretching and deep breathing in the morning are also great. 

So, this morning routine (however many seconds or minutes you actually spend on it) might be enough to get things moving for you. If not, you may want to look in a few other simple areas, like adding more fiber to your diet.  

And if you’re still not feeling your best, don’t worry – you may just need to look a bit deeper to find the underlying cause. Working with a functional medicine practitioner can help you put the pieces of the puzzle together if you get stuck. 

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.