constant bloat and varying bowel movements?

rlmckenzie7

can someone look at my diary and help me figure out why i'm always bloated and can't seem to use the bathroom? I've been reading up on FODMAPs intolerance and i think it might be that.

clh72569

Sometimes when you change your diet it changes your bowel movements. I looked at your diary. Are you drinking enough water? Seems counter intuitive when you are bloated, but it really helps with constipation. And one thing I have found is increasing protein causes me constipation . Try to vary your fruits and increase your veg intake.

Angelfire365

^^This. When I upped my protein, I got backed up until I doubled my water.

SHYGIRL8185

Ok, I looked at the past couple of weeks and had a couple of thoughts. And, please know I'm not trying to be critical at all, just helpful. You eat really well, whole foods, not a lot of extra's in the way of desserts, condiments, etc.

The first thing I noticed was a lot of dairy. I'm lactose intolerant, and dairy makes me bloat, gives me gas, and seriously messes with my digestive tract. Yogurt is supposed to be better about that, but it still gives me issues. You could try to eliminate dairy or take a supplement. People who are lactose intolerant don't produce lactase, which is an enzyme that breaks down the lactose (a form of sugar) in milk. If you're not ready to give up dairy, you could try something like lactaid before you eat, which contains that enzyme you'll need to help you properly digest dairy).

The next thought I had was sugar. It seems that most of yours comes from natural places (yogurt, fruit, etc). I don't know if sugar could be causing issues, but it might be worth it to look into it. Also, sometimes the lowfat yogurt/dairy products, sugar free jelly, and different types of peanut butter contain artificial sweeteners to make up for what they're lacking. Some of these sweeteners are known to cause stomach/intestinal issues and bloating. It might be worth it to check labels and see exactly how much artificial sweetener you're getting.

The only other suggestion could be that you're getting a lot of fiber, but not as much protein as you should. Maybe you could sub in more protein.

Overall, though...I can't see any problems other than a possible sensitivity to dairy and possibly artificial sweeteners. I'm not a nutritionist or anything, I'm just speaking from my personal experience and things I've figured out on my own. Good luck!

MoiAussi93

You are not eating enough fat. I had a similar problem. I had plenty of fiber and even increased it higher than the standard recommendation, but that didn't help. But when I increased fat the problem was solved.

A lot of people avoid fat but if you don't get enough a lot of bad things can happen...constipation, dry skin, hair loss, etc.

PaytraB

I agree with MoiAussi93. More fat will do the trick.
An extra cup of coffee over what you normally drink may also help move things along.

nvmomketo

A few health problema that I know of can cause those symptoms, such as hypothyroidism and celiac disease. I unknowingly had both issues for many years, and it wasn't unusual to have weeks where I just had one or two BM's. The bloating would vary but it was worse after a problem (gluten) meal or if I hadn't "gone
in a few days.

If it is a chronic problem, you might want to see a doctor.