cleanse diet?

disclaimer: i know the body detoxifies itself via the liver and kidneys. i'm unsure whether my liver's up to the task because i know it's fatty. my kidneys are in great shape, no doubt. but my bowels? good god, the slowest gut in the history of humans.

i know a lot of the cleanse pills out there are things like senna leaf - which is all natural, but if you take the extract and put it in chocolate, you get ex-lax, which is known to create dependency. so i'm not interested in that kind of stuff.

i DO however need to figure out a way to get the trains moving regularly, so to speak, that i can do for a month without causing dependency. so far i've tried:
ground flax seed
psyllium husk
PEG 3350 (which works but there is new data suggesting it shouldn't be used for years, and i've been using it on and off for that long).

i know the cause of the problem. it's related to my psych meds. those meds cannot be changed. i need to figure out how to deal, and i'm thinking, if i steer myself toward a lot of "get up and go" foods that'll help.

Replies

  • mommarobb
    mommarobb Posts: 80 Member
    Add some fruits and veggies to your diet. Try some bran cereal also.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    I think you should start tracking fiber and try to exceed that micro, but I really think this is something you should talk to a doctor or even a pharmacist about. And I'll second eating more fruits and veggies.
  • Fuamami
    Fuamami Posts: 38 Member
    Beans? Popcorn? Can you do any cardio? These are things that help me, as well as fruits and vegetables. And I try to make every grain I eat a whole one. Good luck!
  • Holla4mom
    Holla4mom Posts: 587 Member
    Lots of water, walking/movement, fruits and veggies, fiber-rich foods are going to be your go-to answers. If those things aren't working, I'd talk to your primary care physician about how your psychotropics are affecting your gastro-intestinal system.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    mykaylis wrote: »
    disclaimer: i know the body detoxifies itself via the liver and kidneys. i'm unsure whether my liver's up to the task because i know it's fatty. my kidneys are in great shape, no doubt. but my bowels? good god, the slowest gut in the history of humans.

    i know a lot of the cleanse pills out there are things like senna leaf - which is all natural, but if you take the extract and put it in chocolate, you get ex-lax, which is known to create dependency. so i'm not interested in that kind of stuff.

    i DO however need to figure out a way to get the trains moving regularly, so to speak, that i can do for a month without causing dependency. so far i've tried:
    ground flax seed
    psyllium husk
    PEG 3350 (which works but there is new data suggesting it shouldn't be used for years, and i've been using it on and off for that long).

    i know the cause of the problem. it's related to my psych meds. those meds cannot be changed. i need to figure out how to deal, and i'm thinking, if i steer myself toward a lot of "get up and go" foods that'll help.

    Fruits and vegetables. Try some prunes too.

    Do you like to run? That always get things moving for me. :D
  • TheBeachgod
    TheBeachgod Posts: 825 Member
    edited January 2015
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    edited January 2015

    bahahahaha, I saw that on a blog and almost died laughing. Didn't occur to me to order some in case I have trouble meeting my fat and fiber one day.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Beans, beans, the magical fruit...
    (If you've ever been 12 years old, you know the rest.)
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    mykaylis wrote: »
    disclaimer: i know the body detoxifies itself via the liver and kidneys. i'm unsure whether my liver's up to the task because i know it's fatty. my kidneys are in great shape, no doubt. but my bowels? good god, the slowest gut in the history of humans.

    i know a lot of the cleanse pills out there are things like senna leaf - which is all natural, but if you take the extract and put it in chocolate, you get ex-lax, which is known to create dependency. so i'm not interested in that kind of stuff.

    i DO however need to figure out a way to get the trains moving regularly, so to speak, that i can do for a month without causing dependency. so far i've tried:
    ground flax seed
    psyllium husk
    PEG 3350 (which works but there is new data suggesting it shouldn't be used for years, and i've been using it on and off for that long).

    i know the cause of the problem. it's related to my psych meds. those meds cannot be changed. i need to figure out how to deal, and i'm thinking, if i steer myself toward a lot of "get up and go" foods that'll help.

    I would be extremely careful if you do decide to try a cleanse. Almost all of them are not regulated and sometimes have ingredients that cause more harm than good. I won't lecture about how they aren't needed, since I'm sure many above my post have. You are an adult and can make your own choice, but I'd recommend not taking anything.

    Like you, one of my psych meds, along with heavy dose antihistamines, had me pretty constipated. I barely went ever 3 days, and the bloat from needing to go was horrible. When I did go, it was really hard and pellet like. I had asked a similar question here about a month or so ago. Someone recommended probiotics. I have been taking them every day and it has helped significantly (going every day and no longer bloating). Perhaps you can try that instead of a cleanse?

    On a side note, when I do get constipated, oranges have helped me. I will eat about 3 oranges and by the next day I'm no longer backed up.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    Miralax, it's not habit forming. One of my kids takes it daily (dr. Prescribed) but you can get it over the counter. It mixes in water with little to no taste.

    If I'm having trouble I usually take a Smooth Move tea (main ingredient is senna ) but recently that wasn't working and a clear bottle of magnesium citrate did the trick.

  • mykaylis
    mykaylis Posts: 320 Member

    oh i totally want that! i read about it months ago, and i've been looking for it EVERYWHERE, but i don't think it's available in canada. when i first read those reviews i was like - there's my answer, in a chewy sweet treat! sigh.

    PEG 3350 that i mentioned above is miralax. it's just recently that there has been concern over long term use, especially in children. i'm using it myself as well as my kid who has doctors orders to do so. it's just not doing the trick for me.

    cleanse products, i check out the ingredients first. if there's any kind of stimulant, like cascara or senna, i shy away from it. i'm not going to eat/drink/take something that's going to cause me more trouble than it's worth.