Uhhh.. Funky digestion lately [might be gross]

Pande
Pande Posts: 33
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Edited to be shorter and more clear:

Before MFP: I had a diet of french fries, white bread, lots of soda, potato chips, and so on. My digestion wasn't all that bad though I'd say the texture of my poo was soft. I only went poo maybe once a day. I didn't exercise much, and I didn't count my calories or may attention to what I ate.

Since starting MFP a few days ago: I've exercised a bit more, I've watched the kinds of foods I ate. I limited how much regular soda I drink a day. I drink ice tea with splenda. I've also been drinking a little diet soda. I've been eating less breads and less fries and chips. I've eaten a salad every day, low-fat soups, apples, granola.

The last couple days my poops have gone from once a day to 3 times a day. The texture went from soft to being more like mud. The poo sinks down to the bottom of the toilet. The experience itself is not pleasant. The urges to go come out of no where, so I usually have to rush to the bathroom. But yesterday and today I noticed undigested leafy greens. I've never experienced having undigested food come out of me before [other than maybe sun flour seeds]. The color of the poo is normal. But the texture is way softer than usual and theres more of it than usual.

Is this normal?

Replies

  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    extra fiber + more water = colon cleansing

    this should clear up in a week or less. maybe try a little less fiber (you can follow fiber in your food diary) but keep drinking those good fluids (water, green tea)
  • abellante_0205
    abellante_0205 Posts: 368 Member
    Fiber does help u digest better... I think its normal for now... but be careful.
  • suzooz
    suzooz Posts: 720 Member
    Same thing happened to me -- except my issue was with nuts. Almonds get me every time!

    I would cut back a bit on your fiber and listen to your body -- it will adjust, and you will be able to increase your intake once again.
  • Cadenpet
    Cadenpet Posts: 79
    And you can recognize things especially the green and leafy because our bodies don't possess the enzymes to break down the cellulose that makes up the cell wall of a plant. They just pass on through.

    And yeah upped fiber plus upped water your body is freaking out and having to readjust itself . It will chill out. :)
  • bcweisen
    bcweisen Posts: 118 Member
    Splenda gives my husband diarrhea. It affects quite a few people that way so that's a possible culprit. lus, if the splenda is making your system run faster (pun intended) then it's possible your body just dos't have time to digest the fiber from your salads before it gets dumped. Caffeine is also a bowel stimulant. See if you can back off the artificial sweeteners and work on cutting back on the caffeine as able. I bet you'll see a big difference. If you need the sweet. Try switching to stevia. It's supposed to be more natural. Worth a shot anyway.

    Good luck with your poo! :)
  • ocsurfmama
    ocsurfmama Posts: 127
    Check your protein intake. You are eating a lot of fiber but you also need protein to have a balanced digestive system.
  • bcweisen
    bcweisen Posts: 118 Member
    Sorry... my keyboard is being dumb
  • JillyBean819
    JillyBean819 Posts: 313 Member
    The same has been happening to me. I have been eating salads (romaine lettuce, croutons, Caesar dressing) and have experienced the same poo. It's crazy.

    Btw, I am the biggest french-fry/potato fiend. Don't feel that you are alone. They taste soooo good.
  • wonnder1
    wonnder1 Posts: 460
    I'd knock off the splenda a bit--that stuff gets me anytime. Also, your body is getting used to a pretty abrupt change.
  • Pande
    Pande Posts: 33
    Hmmm I've always used splenda, but I only used it once a week instead of every other day. Not to mention I use like... 5 packets per 20 oz of tea.. So maybe I'll cut back and use real sugar or agave instead to see if any difference is made.
  • Pande
    Pande Posts: 33
    extra fiber + more water = colon cleansing

    this should clear up in a week or less. maybe try a little less fiber (you can follow fiber in your food diary) but keep drinking those good fluids (water, green tea)

    That makes some sense. I'll see if things change in the next week or so. Maybe my body is trying to adjust from "OMG EMPTY CALORIES YUMMY FRIES AND SODA CARBS CARBS CARBS" to "OMG WHAT IS THIS NUTRITIOUS FIBER PACKED STUFF YOU ARE PUTTING IN ME IDK WHERE TO START WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH THIS HEALTHY STUFF GIMME A MINUTE TO ADJUST"
  • amyelizabethrn75
    amyelizabethrn75 Posts: 14
    fat floats..... less fat in your diet means less "floaters", therefore more sink to the bottom.....
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    Not helpful, but Oh so true!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8Z4xLSvu8
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    I'm a vet - I get to look at poo at all the time and get questions about it all the time! I love what your poo can tell you!

    Anyway - in addition to all the great suggestions you've gotten - try eating some yogurt with live cultures (I like greek yogurt) - avoid yogurts sweetened with aspartame, like Yoplait. Yogurt is AMAZING for helping the um, texture, of your poo. I recommend plain yogurt (just a spoonful or two) for cats and dogs with runny stools! :)
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    Not helpful, but Oh so true!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8Z4xLSvu8

    I LOVE THIS!!! I've played it at work and my co-workers think I'm nuts!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    Good job on starting to make those healthy changes! I had similar issues when I switched my diet to mostly whole foods and LOTs of raw spinach and veggies, I think my body was in shock (but apparently happy shock as I have started losing weight very easily)...keep drinking your water, and maybe try some steamed vegetables in place of a little bit of the salad at first, as your system adjusts.

    I used to use Splenda and switched to Stevia and can't tell the difference :)
  • Pande
    Pande Posts: 33
    fat floats..... less fat in your diet means less "floaters", therefore more sink to the bottom.....
    As a Vegan [formally junkfood vegan] I probably dont get as much fat as a person with the standard American diet. I've actually noticed when looking at my daily consumed foods that my fat intake is much lower than the daily goal. I wonder if I should add more olive/flax seed oil or avocado? Or is it okay to have a low-fat diet?
  • Pande
    Pande Posts: 33
    Good job on starting to make those healthy changes! I had similar issues when I switched my diet to mostly whole foods and LOTs of raw spinach and veggies, I think my body was in shock (but apparently happy shock as I have started losing weight very easily)...keep drinking your water, and maybe try some steamed vegetables in place of a little bit of the salad at first, as your system adjusts.

    I used to use Splenda and switched to Stevia and can't tell the difference :)

    Thanks! I'll try the steamed veggies.

    As far as stevia goes: I'll try to find some packets to buy. But I actually recently bought some Stevia seeds and I plan to grow some of my own Stevia soon! I cant wait!
  • Pande
    Pande Posts: 33
    Not helpful, but Oh so true!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S8Z4xLSvu8

    Thanks.. I'll be singing this for days LOL
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
    I did the same thing :/, then my body went the other direction and decided to hold on to things a little too long... back and forth a few times. After about 2 weeks my body and I got on the same page and used to the new routine. Just saying so you don't get surprised!
  • monkeybelle83
    monkeybelle83 Posts: 141 Member
    I have this type of problem frequently. I noticed that probiotics seemed to help, like the activia yogurt, or just picking up the pills from the grocery store.
  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
    Splenda gives my husband diarrhea. It affects quite a few people that way so that's a possible culprit. lus, if the splenda is making your system run faster (pun intended) then it's possible your body just dos't have time to digest the fiber from your salads before it gets dumped. Caffeine is also a bowel stimulant. See if you can back off the artificial sweeteners and work on cutting back on the caffeine as able. I bet you'll see a big difference. If you need the sweet. Try switching to stevia. It's supposed to be more natural. Worth a shot anyway.

    Good luck with your poo! :)
  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
    Absolutely agree with the Splenda thing.....as far as I am concerned, I stay FAR away from it. As you stated it affects everyone differently, but I am just like your husband. It is like someone put my intestines on screech. My cousins father drinks Crystal Light. When her kids go to visit, they actually say they want some of Gramps "Poopin' Kool Aid"...apparantly does the same thing to them...lol.......This being said, not blaming it soley on the Splenda, but I know that is exactly what would happen to me if I drank something with it in it. :)
  • meka325
    meka325 Posts: 47
    The frequency is definitely more fiber and you can get sudden urges from a high fiber diet. This may be TMI, but I go like 3x/day routinely and it is not unusual for me to not have to go one minute and have to go the next. I wouldn't worry about the undigested leaves too much. You may also see undigested pepper skins and other things in there if you eat them. As for the muddy poo, if it's more of a diarrhea type thing- like it's very loose and explosive-, it could be just due to your system not used to the new foods. If its just soft, again, I don't think it's too much to worry about. I also agree with some of the others: steer clear of that fake sugar. I don't trust that stuff.
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