Article: Dehydration can cause your body to extract as much water as it can as foods move through your digestive tract, producing dry, hard stool. Drinking enough water will soften your stool and help things move along more easily. Doctors sometimes recommend about two liters, or 8 glasses, of water per day. However, that may not be enough for you, depending on your activity level and the climate you live in. If you have frequent headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, don't urinate often, pass dark or cloudy urine, and don't sweat much, you are probably not getting enough water. Some of these, like prunes, have sorbitol. Sorbitol draws water into the stool, making it soft and easy to pass. Prunes or prune juice Peaches Pears Plums Apples Apricots Raspberries Strawberries Beans Peas Spinach Fiber is the indigestible material in plant foods. Your body passes them through without absorbing them. This means that they help to produce soft, bulky stool which is easy to pass. Most people don't eat the entire recommended amount of fiber each day, which is 25 to 30 grams (0.88 to 1.1oz). You need both water soluble fiber, which turns into a gel-like material in water, and insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, and barley. You can get insoluble fiber in whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and vegetables like cauliflower and green beans. Many plants have both soluble and insoluble fiber, you can get both by eating lots of different grains and vegetables. Eating more fiber will be most effective if you drink extra water to help dissolve the water soluble fiber. Your digestive tract needs the right balance of microbes to efficiently digest your food. When this microbe community gets out of balance, it can make you constipated and interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Live culture yogurt and other fermented dairy products like kefir can help restore and rebalance your gut bacteria. This can help you combat hard stools due to: Irritable bowel syndrome Unexplained diarrhea and constipation Diarrhea or constipation after antibiotics have killed some of the naturally occurring gut bacteria But be sure to consult your doctor first because some supplements may change how your body processes some medicines. Try fiber supplements. They will make your stool bulkier, softer and easier to pass. These supplements are often called bulk forming laxatives and you should try these before moving on to other types of laxatives. Look for ones with methylcellulose, psyllium, calcium polycarbophil, and guar gum as active ingredients (e.g., FiberCon, Metamucil, Konsyl, and Citrucel). Try probiotic supplements. Probiotics are bacteria and yeasts that are like your naturally occurring gut microbes. Taking probiotics may help if you are experiencing cycles of diarrhea and constipation or irritable bowel syndrome. Coffee can have a mild laxative effect, so adding a cup or two of coffee to your daily regimen may help to keep your bowels regular. If you already drink coffee you may either need a bit more, or your body may be too habituated for it to provide relief.

What is a summary?
Drink more water. Eat foods that have slight laxative effects and are high in fiber. Eat more fiber. Maintain healthy gut bacteria by eating yogurt. Add supplements to your diet to promote healthy digestion. Stimulate your bowels with a cup of coffee.