Prunes, porridge and poo is the way to go, says +Stephen Fry

Happy International Women's Day! (but his is by the by...)

Today, just like every day, we should have a poo. You eat, you drink... you pee, you poo. Part of life.

If you don't you are in trouble.

Stephen Fry, the wise man, agrees. With well over 100 retweets, many more people seem to agree too.

Prunes + Porridge = Poo, for most people at least. 

Let's start with prunes, or dry plums.

There are three reasons why prunes help bowel regularity.

• they have a high content of insoluble and soluble fibre. Fibre helps bulk up the poo and facilitates its journey towards the exit. 
• they are sweet, with a high content of fructose and sucrose. Fructose and sucrose are broken down in lower sections of the digestive tract including the large bowel.  They attract water throughout their long journey. So, in addition to a high fibre content that bulks up the stools, prunes also retain water in the stools making them heavier and easier to push down.
• And finally, prunes also contain a rare chemical compound that facilitates peristalsis, or bowel contractions.

Now, good old porridge made with oats: 

These are the reasons why porridge helps open the bowels:

• When oats are boiled, mucilage is created. Mucilage is gelatinous substance that contains protein and polysaccharides and is a healing agent for the gut tissue. It is also ideal home for good bowel bacteria. It is also slippery, does not break down in the small intestine, and helps the stools to glide along the large intestine in a smooth, happy ride. 
• Porridge is high in fibre, like prunes.
• Porridge also contains low-glycaemic sugars that take a while to break down and attract water in the process, making stools heavier and easier to pass. 

SO A BOWL OF PORRIDGE WITH FIVE PRE-SOAKED PRUNES THREE TO FIVE TIMES A WEEK IS DEFINITELY THE WAY FORWARD!