Foods that help your bowel :(

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  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    Sounds like you're not getting enough fiber. That, or if 22g is a major increase from your normal intake, you can have constipation due to increasing suddenly, and it'll release eventually.

    Not exactly low carb but it does the trick almost always, Fiber One peanut butter bar... 14g(?) of fiber per bar. I recommend chia seeds as well... though if you have chronic bowel issues, seeds can actually be a bad thing, because depending on what the issue is, the seeds can get caught and cause bowel infections... So if you have this issue constantly, even after eating 25g+ a day with at least 10 glasses of water, you should see your doctor for a scope.

    If you are having constipation then bouts of diarrhea, try adding low carb yogurt (greek is super good for this) and possibly a natural acidopholus supplement.

    BMs and normal habits is really dependent on the individual, but lots of resources suggest that 2-4 is an average normal... At least once a day is minimum for most... but if you are eating low calorie, it can decrease. It is waste, after all, so if you don't eat enough to generate a lot of waste, you don't put out a lot of waste. Same with working out. Ample water and exercise together can often get the bowels moving for a lot of people...

    If you get desperate, you can do a Miralax bowel cleanse. Colace is also something that helps a lot of people who know they need to go but can't. I know that we're trying to limit added substances... Just don't be shy to use some assistance if needed.

    Also, this is going to sound weird to a lot of people, but often, the first medical treatment for constipation is inserting a finger into the rectum. It can stimulate peristalsis of the lower bowel. Obviously up to personal discretion.
  • amblight
    amblight Posts: 350 Member
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    I'd prefer 'real food' over supplementd.
    Very thin line, frankly. If you're having natural psyllium husk (no added preservatives or any other additives) then it's probably more real than cereal lol. If fibre from vegetables and fruit (which is always preferable) makes you go over your carb limit then maybe try it. Anything is better than constipation. :sick:

    I don't eat cereal either, lol :b It's not because I'm worried about preservatives or anything, it's just, as a food lover, it seems weird to add something non-food that I need to gulp down, if I could get to eat something with the same effect, lol :b But I know of husk, my friend used to take it loads, so I may get a couple of spoonfuls from her, see how it works for me!
    It's not low carb, but I'd be impressed if your body can hold up to a peanut butter banana smoothie or a chia banana smoothie.

    And try munching on grapes instead of prunes if you won't enjoy the prunes.

    Chase either of those with some strong black coffee.

    I've eaten 75 grapes today! :D Will have more for breakfast tomorrow.

    The fiber mix I've been eating for the past few days did have a lot of chia, though :o Maybe all these things just haven't taken effect yet... I go less frequent than once a week, and I've only been eating this fiber mix for the past 5 days

    And I drink 1L+ (35oz) coffee every day, so I don't know how much more I could chuck down, lol!
    I actually LOVE prunes. They contain a naturally occuring sugar alcohol which means they are sweet but less calories per serving then a lot of other dried fruits.


    A handful of prunes for a snack at night + black coffee in the morning = staying regular for me lol.

    That's VERY interesting! So it's just like sugar free gum (well, not completely, but w/e). I might try them out then, I'll find some way to make them more interesting...
    I start my day with a big glass of room temp-to-warm water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Jump starts the digestive system! Coffee and tea are bowel stimulants as well, and yogurt also has a lot of natural bacteria that helps keep your gut healthy!

    That said, as a nurse, we say you should go daily but some people just have different systems. As long as you're going in a routine that is regular for YOU and not experiencing any discomfort, you should be fine, three days is usually where the line gets drawn and we suggest outside methods. If you really feel like you need a good 'cleaning' then try Epsom salt. The salt draws the water into the bowel and the magnesium helps to stimulate the intestinal contractions to get things moving.

    I am experiencing discomfort :frown: Not in my stomach, I don't feel bloated or any of that, but it's very uncomfortable/painful when I go.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    With 22 grs of fiber a day you should not have any trouble to eliminate.....IF you also ingest the necessary liquid to get that fiber and your bowels moving. Many people forget that fiber alone just compacts in the intestine....you need liquid to move it.....maybe even quite a bit more than your 8 cups a day. I would increase liquid intake before I would increase fiber and see how it works.

    PS: I am not against more fiber ( I eat quite a bit more than the recommended 25 grs from vegetables alone ), but suggested to first try liquids, because if you are already constipated, more fiber might just make it worse, because it might accumulate behind what makes you constipated in the first place....which usually is very dense and dry stool that cannot be moved because it lacks elasticity....I know TMI...but that's what it is.
  • Savemyshannon
    Savemyshannon Posts: 334 Member
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    Oh no :( if it's painful that definitely sounds like an issue with how, er, 'soft' things things are! I know you say you already drink a lot of water but try to up your intake and maybe try the husk. It sounds like yeah, if things aren't moving quick enough, it sits in your intestines too long and dries out, which is making things painful and uncomfortable when you do go.

    If this is a long going thing though, I'd suggest going to a doctor to make sure you're not suffering from IBS or something. Good luck!
  • deetee6718
    deetee6718 Posts: 70 Member
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    I drank 2 glasses of Aloe Vera juice the other day as a refreshing drink my son told me to try. It was delicious BUT I spent about an hour in the bathroom later that day!! Never expected that at all so you might want to give it a try. I bought it in the pop isle at Superstore, 5 calories but you may want to do some research as I am only assuming that was the cause of my extended stay in the bathroom ;) I guess moderation might have been the key so maybe only 1 glass would have been better.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    With 22 grs of fiber a day you should not have any trouble to eliminate.....IF you also ingest the necessary liquid to get that fiber and your bowels moving. Many people forget that fiber alone just compacts in the intestine....you need liquid to move it.....maybe even quite a bit more than your 8 cups a day. I would increase liquid intake before I would increase fiber and see how it works.

    Agreed... And while coffee can be a stimulant, drinking so many cups a day can have the opposite effect. I'd try cutting it back a little bit and replacing with more pure water...
  • drdelirium
    drdelirium Posts: 13 Member
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    Honestly? I find that if I sprinkle about a tbsp of any kind of Ezekiel cereal onto my real cereal, it helps me a lot in the morning to go when I have my breakfast and coffee. Whenever I run out and *don't* have it (and it's sometimes hard to find in grocery stores near me), I notice a real difference. If I have it, I go every day, but if I don't, my BMs are less consistent. I didn't look into sprouted grains too much and why they would work, but they seem to for me. Hope that helps!
  • amblight
    amblight Posts: 350 Member
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    Sounds like you're not getting enough fiber. That, or if 22g is a major increase from your normal intake, you can have constipation due to increasing suddenly, and it'll release eventually.

    Not exactly low carb but it does the trick almost always, Fiber One peanut butter bar... 14g(?) of fiber per bar. I recommend chia seeds as well... though if you have chronic bowel issues, seeds can actually be a bad thing, because depending on what the issue is, the seeds can get caught and cause bowel infections... So if you have this issue constantly, even after eating 25g+ a day with at least 10 glasses of water, you should see your doctor for a scope.

    If you are having constipation then bouts of diarrhea, try adding low carb yogurt (greek is super good for this) and possibly a natural acidopholus supplement.

    BMs and normal habits is really dependent on the individual, but lots of resources suggest that 2-4 is an average normal... At least once a day is minimum for most... but if you are eating low calorie, it can decrease. It is waste, after all, so if you don't eat enough to generate a lot of waste, you don't put out a lot of waste. Same with working out. Ample water and exercise together can often get the bowels moving for a lot of people...

    If you get desperate, you can do a Miralax bowel cleanse. Colace is also something that helps a lot of people who know they need to go but can't. I know that we're trying to limit added substances... Just don't be shy to use some assistance if needed.

    Also, this is going to sound weird to a lot of people, but often, the first medical treatment for constipation is inserting a finger into the rectum. It can stimulate peristalsis of the lower bowel. Obviously up to personal discretion.

    I've been eating this way since december, and even before that, I feel like I did get the same amount of fiber. Besides, I've never been a frequent, eh, "go'er". This is not a sudden problem, it's been getting gradually worse over time.

    I don't have any problems with diarrhea, but maybe that is because I already eat youghurt (Greek, and other strained types)

    I've exercizeing 1½hours every day for the past 2 months (I only log half, rather than the 'eating-back-half'-thing), and chuck looooads of water.



    It sounds like I should probably ask my doctor. I'll make an appointment. It will probably be 2 weeks, so I'll follow all your other advice in the mean time
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I am starting to drop a tbsp of ground flax or coconut powder into pretty much everything. I snack on homemade kale chips. I make quinoa/flax cookies and pie crusts. It boosts the protein and fiber. Blueberries and dried currants also good sources of fiber.

    http://huhs.harvard.edu/assets/File/OurServices/Service_Nutrition_Fiber.pdf
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    Simple. Eat more. Doesn't matter what it is. 800-1100 calories every day will slow down the digestive tract, regardless of how much fiber you're eating.
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
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    Grapefruit really helps me. Have you tried warm lemon water?
  • walterm852
    walterm852 Posts: 409 Member
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    I'd prefer 'real food' over supplementd.
    Very thin line, frankly. If you're having natural psyllium husk (no added preservatives or any other additives) then it's probably more real than cereal lol. If fibre from vegetables and fruit (which is always preferable) makes you go over your carb limit then maybe try it. Anything is better than constipation. :sick:

    Agreed with this poster.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    I defy your bowels to disobey 1/4 cabbage, steamed to soften (so you can eat it all). I admit it's pretty staunch disobeying the kiwifruit, which indicates a bowel of ill will... but nothing can withstand the mighty motivational force of cabbage.

    Mine does.

    Literally the only thing that can help me is that disgusting fiber cereal that taste like twigs or prunes.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    Simple. Eat more. Doesn't matter what it is. 800-1100 calories every day will slow down the digestive tract, regardless of how much fiber you're eating.

    Just looked at your diary. If i were eating that little i wouldn't poop more than once in 3 days.

    i'm going to give you the mummy advice. What we all get taught when we hav babies.

    1. if the stool is soft there is no constipation.
    2. it is normal to poop anywhere from once in seven days, to seven times in 1 day.
    3. if it doesn't hurt to eliminate it, don't worry about it.

    :) You simply aren't eating enough food to poop. 1 piece of sushi and a couple of grapes? You're doing food science. You know how little that's going to produce.

    :p
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Have some artificial sweeteners. It seems to work like a charm for me :(
  • amblight
    amblight Posts: 350 Member
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    Simple. Eat more. Doesn't matter what it is. 800-1100 calories every day will slow down the digestive tract, regardless of how much fiber you're eating.

    Just looked at your diary. If i were eating that little i wouldn't poop more than once in 3 days.

    i'm going to give you the mummy advice. What we all get taught when we hav babies.

    1. if the stool is soft there is no constipation.
    2. it is normal to poop anywhere from once in seven days, to seven times in 1 day.
    3. if it doesn't hurt to eliminate it, don't worry about it.

    :) You simply aren't eating enough food to poop. 1 piece of sushi and a couple of grapes? You're doing food science. You know how little that's going to produce.

    :p

    I usually (as in, for years and years and years - so also while I was eating at a surplus) do not go very often, a bit more often than once a week maybe. But I haven't had any problems when I then actually had to go, unlike now where, well, it's no fun. And it's also been longer between going than normally (so we are up around 9 days)

    I had more than 1 piece of sushi and a couple of grapes - I had 50pieces of sushi (5 servings, of those rolls where you cut 8-12 pieces from) + soy sauce, almost ½ lbs grapes, and a breakfast bowl (15oz) full of prunes, youghurt and seeds + a whole pot of coffee.

    I know it's not much calorie wise, but volume wise, I should think it added up to be worth a bathroom visit!
    Have some artificial sweeteners. It seems to work like a charm for me :(

    I do eat artificial sweetners :o Maybe I'm having the wrong ones... No wait, that means I'm having the right ones, haha :b I drink Coke Zero and use saccherin and cyclamate in desserts etc.

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