Are your bowel movements determined by what you eat the previous day or the day before that etc?

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Relaxingmind
Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know the title may seem weird but long story short, I have often struggled with chronic constipation, and I eat differently as in no set diet so its hard for me to pin point what food actually helped me NOT be constipated on few certain days. That's why I'm wondering if your bowel movements (as in regular, constipation, or diarrhea) are determined by what you ate the day before or 2 days ago or 3, or more.
For example, this morning I was finally regular. Yesterday I ate foods like cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, broccoli, potato, and a protein bar. My meats were chicken and fish. My snacks were rice crisps and salsa. No fruits or dairy on this day.
The day before yesterday I had fresh fruit like apples, peaches, and banana, and had dried fruit. I had eggs and turkey as my protein. My snacks were cashews and cheese sticks and cottage cheese. No vegetables or whole grains on this day.
And 3 days ago, I had a bean burrito, hot peppers, a cheese omelet, a salad, cottage cheese and a couple other snacks. No meats on this day.
What day most likely fixed my constipation issue this morning? Because whatever day it was, I want to start eating like that more often.
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Who knows? Your higher carb day yesterday would not have helped ME personally. I need the perfect combo of fat, fiber, and coffee. To me it seems like your days aren't balanced. You had two high carb days, and then a day of higher fat with the nuts and cheese.
  • danamcneely5
    danamcneely5 Posts: 1 Member
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    Not being a doctor, I can't pin down which day's food helped you with your problem, but intuition would say, yesterday's food has the most impact. However, a more regular diet, with similar healthy choices every day would probably help you be more "regular". :) For example, there was a day with no vegetables or whole grains. Fresh fruits and vegetables every day, lean meat for protein, whole grains and limited nuts and seeds, plenty of water, some dairy on most days will probably benefit your regularity, your scale results, and your general well being. Best wishes for your healthier self!
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Who knows? Your higher carb day yesterday would not have helped ME personally. I need the perfect combo of fat, fiber, and coffee. To me it seems like your days aren't balanced. You had two high carb days, and then a day of higher fat with the nuts and cheese.

    Thanks for your input. The reason I personally haven't been balancing everything is because routine gets boring to me in terms of balancing proteins carbs and fats so I cycle. I'm just wondering what specific foods (if any) were most likely the trigger.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Also if your digestion is disturbed it can take a few weeks to settle on its own and then foods that bothered you before may be perfectly fine.

    I found out by trial and error that potatoes don't sit well with me.

    My daughter had months of digestive upset until she went on full FODMAP diet and then gradually added foods back in. She found out she is intolerant to dairy.

    Keeping a diary can help you pinpoint your problem foods.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I think the day before yesterday might have had something to do with it. You had nuts and cheese sticks which are high in fat and dried fruits which are high in fiber, and some fruits like dried figs and prunes are particularly nice for constipation. Too much protein can actually trigger constipation if you don't drink enough liquids to make up for the increase. Fresh fruits are high in water so this may have also helped. Beans help increase bulk so the stool is easier to move through, so that helped as well. It's likely a combination of things, and your case might also have triggers specific to you. Have you been diagnosed with IBS?
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    For me, what i ate yesterday effects today.
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I think the day before yesterday might have had something to do with it. You had nuts and cheese sticks which are high in fat and dried fruits which are high in fiber, and some fruits like dried figs and prunes are particularly nice for constipation. Too much protein can actually trigger constipation if you don't drink enough liquids to make up for the increase. Fresh fruits are high in water so this may have also helped. Beans help increase bulk so the stool is easier to move through, so that helped as well. It's likely a combination of things, and your case might also have triggers specific to you. Have you been diagnosed with IBS?

    No diagnosis with IBS.
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    Also if your digestion is disturbed it can take a few weeks to settle on its own and then foods that bothered you before may be perfectly fine.

    I found out by trial and error that potatoes don't sit well with me.

    My daughter had months of digestive upset until she went on full FODMAP diet and then gradually added foods back in. She found out she is intolerant to dairy.

    Keeping a diary can help you pinpoint your problem foods.

    What's FODMAP?
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    For me, what i ate yesterday effects today.

    Ditto. And if I'm. . Bunged up because iv eaten junk food or too much cheese a cup of pukka cleanse herbal tea before bed sorts me out for the next morning
  • valerialeek
    valerialeek Posts: 65 Member
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    No idea but I take a *kitten* twice a day
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
    edited October 2016
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    If you really want to understand the human digestive tract, including your own, please read "Gulp! Adventures On The Alimentary Canal" by Mary Roach. Great book, solid science, easy read. It will tell you everything you want to know about your own digestive process, and a lot of stuff you probably don't want to know about everyone else's.

    The general rule for an otherwise healthy digestive system is one defecation for each meal, timed approximately 24 hours after the meal...hence the term 'circadian rhythm' (circa dies, Latin for 'about a day'). Some people go more often, some less often. Drink lots of water and eat lots of clean raw fiber (fruits and veggies). You'll be fine.
    Relaxingmind wrote: »

    What's FODMAP?

    FODMAP is an acronym that stands for:
    Fermentable – meaning they are broken down (fermented) by bacteria in the large bowel
    Oligosaccharides – “oligo” means “few” and “saccharide” means sugar. These molecules made up of individual sugars joined together in a chain
    Disaccharides – “di” means two. This is a double sugar molecule.
    Monosaccharides – “mono” means single. This is a single-sugar molecule.
    And
    Polyols – these are sugar alcohols (however don’t lead to intoxication!)

    Details at http://fodmapfriendly.com/what-are-fodmaps/

    Cheers!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I've always been in awe of those people who poop after every meal, my hubby being one of them.
    Do these people have super efficient digestive systems or what??
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    And then ... each person's digestion is kind of unique to themselves ... some are slower than others, some process different proteins differently ... but everyone always suggests slowing upping your fiber and keeping yourself well hydrated with water in the form of drink and that found in food.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    If I eat a bad trigger within 1/2 hour, moderate trigger a few hours and a minor trigger the next day but I have crohn's so that would explain that.
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    I've always been in awe of those people who poop after every meal, my hubby being one of them.
    Do these people have super efficient digestive systems or what??

    I am like that :neutral: I hope its not a bad thing!!!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    jolive7 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    I've always been in awe of those people who poop after every meal, my hubby being one of them.
    Do these people have super efficient digestive systems or what??

    I am like that :neutral: I hope its not a bad thing!!!

    Or you could be like me and have super duper efficient (though I hesitate to call a diseased state efficient lol)
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    jolive7 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    I've always been in awe of those people who poop after every meal, my hubby being one of them.
    Do these people have super efficient digestive systems or what??

    I am like that :neutral: I hope its not a bad thing!!!

    Or you could be like me and have super duper efficient (though I hesitate to call a diseased state efficient lol)

    Haha efficiency it is! Good on you for not letting that get in your way though!!
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    edited October 2016
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    For me it certainly is the case. When I get constipated, I tend to note that fruits and raw vegetables have been absent too much. When I go back t my normal diet high in fruits (specifically kiwifruit helps), raw vegetables and high fiber foods. I need to combine that with lost of water. 2-3 days later all is normal.
    Foods that are counter productive for me are high fat foods and white breads. Guess for me it is a case of my bowels need to be tickled to work properly :wink:

    As for going every day or 24 hours after every meal - well that has not happened to me ever. My standard is once every (very roughly) 36-48 hours. That has been my natural state for as long as I can remember.
    From what I have read, the bowel movement is highly individual and in part determined by psychology. Quite a few people can only go to the toilet when relaxed and safe, for instance when at home.
    Anything between once every 1-3 days can be considered normal, provided you feel good at the status and have a gentle pass.
  • lilac_bunny
    lilac_bunny Posts: 137 Member
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    I did clean living and cut out all allegens for 12 months then gradually added everything back in, nothing bothered me.
    My biggest enemy is dehydration followed by stress.

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