Help constipated patients CRAP without pills

I was mighty tickled to know that a company called “Vibrant Gastro” has made an FDA-Approved vibrating pill for constipation that you can swallow and track with a mobile app and then literally shake the crap 💩 out of yourself! 😂

Here is a fun mnemonic I use to advise easy lifestyle changes to prevent or treat constipation naturally without medications and save money. This also reduces risk of complications of constipation such as diverticulitis, hemorrhoids (piles) & bowel obstructions. A study published by American Academy of Neurology also showed an increased risk of dementia in people using laxatives regularly! (probably an association, not a causation)

C – Coffee + Chug lotsa water! (warm is more effective, a good habit first thing in the morning)
R – Roughage in diet (fiber) + Review & Replace & Reduce constipating meds (Narcotics, anticholinergics, iron pills, etc.)
A – Ambulate (walk) – fast not slow, & often – when legs move, your bowels move!
P – Prune Juice (contains natural sorbitol that helps poop). Dislike Prune juice? then do Apple juice (less effective but also works via natural sorbitol)
S – Squatty-Potty to achieve more effective pooping posture (Proof 1, Proof 2)

P.S: 💡:

1. These measures are beneficial in patients taking laxatives at home regularly since they tend to be more prone to constipation on hospitalization
2. They also are helpful to people with partial bowel obstructions who are tolerating liquids for diet – except no salads until obstruction resolves of course!
3. Patients often get a chuckle when you write this mnemonic on their whiteboard – one of them thanked me “for all the CRAP I advised” 😅