Health
5 tips to alleviate constipation after Thanksgiving from a top gut health doctor
Americans eat an average of 3,000 to 4,500 calories at Thanksgiving meals, according to estimates by the Calorie Control Council — and much of that comes from foods that are richer and heavier than people might typically eat.
For many, that can lead to digestive challenges in the hours and days following Thanksgiving — with constipation topping the list.
Even outside the holiday, the condition affects 42 million Americans each day, according to Dr. Daryl Gioffre, gut health specialist, celebrity nutritionist and founder of Alkamind in New York.
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“In fact, the average person has 5 to 15 pounds of impacted fecal matter inside their gut,” he said in a video shared with Fox News Digital.
If things aren’t moving like they should, it may be tempting to reach for the laxatives — but a doctor says this isn’t a good idea. (iStock)
If things aren’t moving like they should, it may be tempting to reach for the laxatives — but Gioffre cautions against that approach.
“When used long-term, laxatives can cause significant harm to your digestive system and overall health,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“They work by forcing water from your organs into the colon to soften stools, which massively dehydrates your body and leaves vital organs like your kidneys and brain underhydrated.”
Over time, this can lead to dependency, weakening the muscles in the intestines and making it harder for your body to have natural bowel movements, Gioffre said.
“Laxatives can also disrupt your gut microbiome, cause nutrient deficiencies and trigger dangerous electrolyte imbalances,” he added.
“The average person has 5 to 15 pounds of impacted fecal matter inside their gut,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
The doctor shared with Fox News Digital his top natural tips for getting digestion back on track.
“Add these things on a daily basis, and I promise this will help you gently get the bad stuff out and move you into a much healthier, stronger gut state,” he said.
1. Increase fiber intake
Fiber is critical to digestive health, according to Gioffre.
“When we have more fiber-rich foods, it’s like brushing the inner walls of our intestines — and that’s going to help us remove the constipation and get to where we want to go,” the doctor said.
Constipation affects 42 million Americans each day.
Some of his suggested fiber-rich foods are quinoa, wild rice, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, and squashes like winter squash and spaghetti squash.
“Add fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut for probiotics and enzymes that optimize digestion,” the doctor added.
When planning fiber intake, Gioffre’s guidance is to add half a cup per meal, not to exceed one full cup per day.
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The doctor also recommends what he calls an “internal shower shot,” which is a mixture of 6 ounces of water, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, the juice from one lemon slice and a pinch of sea salt.
“When you drink this on an empty stomach, it’s going to go into all the little nooks and crannies of your gut … and it’s going to help you start to detoxify and gently give you that ‘internal shower’ effect.”
2. Reduce inflammation
“At the end of the day, we don’t die of old age — we die of inflammation,” Gioffre cautioned.
The doctor compared the gut to a “big, hollow tube.”
“When it’s open, you’re good. When you’re inflamed, not so good.”
Suggestions for fiber-rich foods include quinoa, wild rice, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, and squashes like winter squash and spaghetti squash. (iStock)
Some plant-based foods that lower inflammation include chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, avocado and coconut oil.
“These are packed with omega-3s and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which reduce inflammation, support gut lining repair and lubricate the digestive tract to ease constipation,” Gioffre said.
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For those who eat animal products, the doctor recommends wild-caught salmon, mackerel, trout, anchovies and sardines.
He also offers a recipe for detox tea on the Alkamind website, which includes turmeric, ginger, pepper, lemon and his “Acid-Kicking Greens.”
3. Add magnesium-rich foods
Magnesium is a nutrient that is commonly used to relieve constipation.
“It’s the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, but the biggest single deficiency in the American population,” Gioffre said.
“Magnesium is a game-changer for digestion, brain health and beating constipation, yet the standard American diet is severely lacking it,” Gioffre said.
The doctor recommends consuming magnesium-rich foods, including leafy greens like spinach, kale and chard, as well as green juice, green smoothies and green soups.
“These magnesium-rich powerhouses relax your intestinal muscles, soften stools and keep things moving, all while feeding your healthy gut bacteria,” Gioffre told Fox News Digital.
“Water is essential for softening stools and promoting regularity, yet 90% of us are chronically dehydrated.”
A high-quality magnesium supplement can also combat this deficiency and give the body the support it needs, he added.
“You can also do an Epsom salts bath, which is magnesium sulfate,” he added, or apply magnesium lotion to the skin.
4. Stay hydrated
Hydration is “absolutely critical” for relieving constipation and promoting healthy digestion, the doctor told Fox News Digital.
Hydration is “absolutely critical” for relieving constipation and promoting healthy digestion, a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“My mantra is solution by dilution first — water is essential for softening stools and promoting regularity, yet 90% of us are chronically dehydrated,” he said.
“Think of your body like a wilting plant — when it lacks water, it struggles and dies, but when properly hydrated, it thrives.”
Instead of turning to medications and laxatives for constipation, he recommends drinking more water.
“Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of water each day to keep your digestive system functioning smoothly,” he advised.
5. Keep moving
Movement is also key to promoting digestive health, Gioffre said.
“Physical activity increases blood flow to your digestive organs and stimulates bowel motility,” he told Fox News Digital.
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One of his favorite, cost-effective exercises for relieving constipation is using a rebounder (mini trampoline).
Movement is also key to promoting digestive health, Gioffre said. “Physical activity increases blood flow to your digestive organs and stimulates bowel motility,” an exprert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“This gentle, low-impact exercise not only improves circulation, but also stimulates the digestive tract, helping to get things moving naturally,” he said.
“Combining proper hydration with regular movement creates a powerful, drug-free strategy to support digestive health and prevent constipation.”
When to see a doctor
If you suffer from persistent constipation that lasts for more than three weeks — even after making lifestyle changes like improving diet, increasing hydration and exercise — it’s recommended to see a doctor.
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Gioffre added, “You should also seek medical attention if you experience severe pain, blood in your stool or unexplained weight loss, or if constipation alternates with diarrhea, as these could indicate more serious underlying conditions requiring further evaluation.”
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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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