Hey {{first_name}},
Yesterday my stomach completely stopped working.
Not painful. Not dramatic. Just that heavy, stuck, not-going-anywhere feeling that you know immediately. Constipation. All day.
And here's what I didn't do. I didn't reach for a supplement, I didn't measure out a scoop of psyllium husk and I didn't overhaul my entire day.
I made a bowl.
One simple, nutrient-dense, whole food bowl. I mixed 1 tbsp of chia seeds and 1 tbsp of flaxseeds with 150ml of milk, 3 tbsp of Greek yogurt, ½ a tsp of vanilla extract and a drizzle of maple syrup. I can personally tolerate lactose, but if you're keeping this fully low FODMAP, swap in lactose-free milk and yogurt and you're good.
Stirred it together and left it in the fridge for a few hours (minimum of 4) until it thickened into this soft, mousse-like texture.
Then I ate it slowly with 3 full glasses of water alongside.
That's it. That's the whole intervention.
I woke up this morning and my stomach was completely back to normal. Not gradually better. Back to normal. One meal, one course correction, job done.
No drastic changes and no panic. Just a quiet signal to my body that said here's what you need, let's get things moving again.
Here's why it works. The insoluble fibre in chia and flaxseeds is one of your body's best natural tools for clearing waste from your intestines. It bulks things up, gets things moving and does it gently. And beyond the immediate relief, consistently eating more of this kind of fibre is linked to significantly lower risks of colon cancer, heart disease and diabetes. A bowl like this isn't just a fix for a bad day, it's genuinely good for you long term.
Both seeds are also low FODMAP, chia up to 2 tablespoons in one sitting and flaxseeds up to 1 tablespoon, so they're a solid option if you're managing IBS. That said, some people still struggle with them, so before you try this there are a few things worth knowing.
Blend or grind your chia seeds first if you can. Whole chia seeds pass through some people without fully breaking down, so grinding them means your body actually gets access to the nutrients inside. More of the good stuff, less wasted.
Then soak them properly. Chia seeds can absorb up to ten times their weight in water, so if they go into your gut dry or under-soaked, they'll pull water out of your intestinal wall to finish the job themselves. That's when you get the bloating, cramping and loose stools that give chia seeds a bad reputation.
A simple rule to follow: soak your chia seeds in at least ten times their weight in liquid. So if you're using 15g of chia seeds, you want a minimum of 150ml of fluid. The bowl should look like a thick mousse before you eat it. If it's still watery, give it longer.
Flaxseeds are a bit more forgiving. They don't need soaking and there's no strict ratio to follow like there is with chia. The one thing I would say is get the ground version, or grind them yourself. Same principle as the chia, grinding makes them easier to digest and means your body can actually absorb what's in them.
And finally, start small. I was using a tablespoon of each because my gut has been trained up to handle it. Yours probably hasn't yet. Begin with a teaspoon of each, see how your body responds over a few days, and then nudge it up by a ¼ tsp at a time.
Avoid this if you are currently (in the same day) experiencing diarrhoea as these seeds are very high in insoluble fibre which could make diarrhoea worse in these amounts.
This week's practical tip
If you struggle with constipation, try having this:
1 tsp chia seeds (ground or blended)
1 tsp ground flaxseeds
50ml milk (or lactose-free milk)
1 tablespoons Greek yogurt (or lactose-free yogurt)
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple syrup
This tastes like a dessert. It's also packing around 2.5g of fibre in a portion small enough to feel like nothing.
That fibre is what gets things moving. And the more your gut can handle, the more effective it becomes, which is why I'd encourage you to start here and slowly build up the amount of seeds over the coming weeks. A ¼ at a time, no rushing. Give your gut time to adapt and eventually you'll have a genuinely nutrient-dense snack that you can reach for whenever things feel a bit stuck.
If you want something even a little bit stronger for constipation relief, try having a kiwi with that meal as well. 2 kiwis a day has been shown to be effective constipation relief, even greater than most constipation supplements.
Your gut doesn't always need a big fix. Sometimes it just needs one good meal and a bit of patience.
Simple beats dramatic every time.
See you next week.
Zak