Pooping regularly.... What to you do to finish your book in the bathroom?

Plenty of water, fiber and fat - are you eating a lot of low- or non-fat foods? Often people start "eating healthy" and try to cut all the fat out of their diet. We need fats for many reasons, but they can help in the bathroom.

I don't see any water tracked in your diary, so if you're not drinking much, I'd start there. But trying increasing your healthy fat intake as well - avocados, olive and coconut oils, raw nuts, fish - heck put some butter on your bread or veggies.

Good luck!

I've tried so many different things - I could talk poop for days. I'm on some medications that seriously screw up my schedule.

My routine now is: at least 25g of fiber a day. Plenty of fat in my diet - this is as important as fiber, IMO. A magnesium supplement and a probiotic daily. If I do more than two days with no poop, I start on a stool softner for a few days, to get things regular again (this is my pharmacists advice).

I also use a stool in the restroom - having your feet up puts you in a more natural position and helps move things along.

And, of course, water.

Canned pumpkin worked like MAGIC for me for awhile.

Then I got Vitamin A poisoning (carotenemia) from it and had to stop. It doesn't work so well anymore, several years later. When my IBS cycles that way I'm pretty much dependent on suppositories. (Oral laxatives might as well be placebos for me.)

giannigreco83 wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

AmyRhubarb wrote: »

Plenty of water, fiber and fat -

Also, be sure to get enough insoluble fiber, as that will help more with this problem than soluble.

Hi, how do you personally get more insoluble fibre? any specific foods?

No, not really. Vegetables, beans, whole grains. Honestly, I don't pay much attention since my diet is pretty high fiber in general and I've always been regular.

If you're not constipated, I'm not sure it's a problem to not poop daily, is it? Ask your doc. If you are constipated, track your fiber here. It's amazing when you start to look, how easy it is to up your fiber with food choices. Lentils, avocado, oranges = yes. Lettuce = not so much. Meat, egg, cheese = none.

Here's a good summary from Web MD that explains the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber. I think you want isoluble, but maybe more of both (almonds are great, as they also have high levels of magnesium and this can make things happen, too.):

Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not. To some degree these differences determine how each fiber functions in the body and benefits your health.

Soluble fibers attract water and form a gel, which slows down digestion. Soluble fiber delays the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel full, which helps control weight. Slower stomach emptying may also affect blood sugar levels and have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity, which may help control diabetes. Soluble fibers can also help lower LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol by interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol.

Sources of soluble fiber: oatmeal, oat cereal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

Insoluble fibers are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation. These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables.

Sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.

How Much Dietary Fiber Do You Need?
Most Americans get only about 15 grams of fiber per day in their diet. But the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends about 25 grams for women under 50 and teenage girls. Teenage boys and men under 50 (who consume more calories than women) require upwards of 30-38 grams of dietary fiber daily.

More water and fiber. I take some Metamucil (psyllium husk fiber) in water every day. My wife takes fiber pills because she didn't like the Metamucil.

giannigreco83 wrote: »

Thank you all guys. Do you also suggest any supplement magnesium or fiber pills for for those days you know you won't make it until 38 grams of fiber?

I always check with my doc before adding nutrient supplements after having a relative that ended up in the hospital after taking a postassium supplement he did not need.

SingRunTing wrote: »

Some people just aren't daily poopers. I've never been one, ever. I used to go a week or so between poops and that was normal for my body. Now, 3-4 days a week is normal for me (this change happened after I had my gall bladder removed).

I make sure I get enough fat, fiber, and water as mentioned above. I also find that if I've gone more than two days, drinking my coffee will **ahem** stimulate the process. Drinking coffee really does keep me more regular.

This. Also, I have found now that I'm eating less, I have less "waste" (imagine that!) I usually only go every other day. Totally normal for me.

Maybe your doctor will tell you something different, but mine have always said as long as your body is consistent, there's not really a minimum amount of pooping you need. So if you are consistently only pooping only 3-4 days a week, and that's normal for you, then it's no big deal. If on the other hand you are normally a daily pooper and then all of a sudden you decrease to only 3-4 days, that would be more alarming. But I am no doctor or nutritionist, so I suggest talking to one if you are sincerely concerned.

If you feel that you are constipated, I would suggest using Miralax daily. It is a tasteless, odorless powder that you can mix with most any beverage (non alcoholic). It is safe to use daily.