Abstract
Objective: Recognize lifestyle habits, focusing on nutrition and the use of probiotics, as predisposing and/or therapeutic factors for functional chronic intestinal constipation. Methods: This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach that was performed in the PubMed and SciELO databases using a previously determined search key. Thus, after careful selection, 16 articles published between 2017 and 2021 were chosen to compose this review. Results: Some lifestyle habits such as the consumption of dietary fiber, adequate fluid intake and the use of probiotics are characterized as potential therapeutics for functional constipation, while allowing an improvement in colonic transit time and stool consistency, in addition to providing greater well-being and perception of greater intestinal functionality. Furthermore, they are associated with improved health and fewer side effects than drug therapy. Final considerations: Given the benefits that good lifestyle habits offer for health as a whole, especially at the intestinal level, it is advisable to use it as an initial and adjuvant treatment for intestinal constipation. However, further studies are needed to verify its safety in monotherapy for the treatment of this disorder.