Are your bowel movements determined by what you eat the previous day or the day before that etc?
Relaxingmind
Posts: 55 Member
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.
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
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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.0
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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! 0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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?0
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For me, what i ate yesterday effects today.1
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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.0 -
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?0 -
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 morning1 -
A good way to tell how quick your digestion is working is to eat a some sweetcorn and see how long it takes to appear in your bowel movements, as we don't digest the skin it goes straight through. Mine is usually the next day.5
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No idea but I take a *kitten* twice a day1
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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!2 -
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??3 -
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.2
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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.0
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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
I hope its not a bad thing!!! 1 -
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 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)0 -
singingflutelady 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 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!!0 -
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
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.1 -
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.1 -
dutchandkiwi wrote: »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
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.
This is so true. Pre crohn's I was never an every day pooper but now (non flaring) I am 1-5 times a day which is not normal for me. Of course my gi doesn't care but 5 times a day for me is a lot (though when flaring 30+ times is normal)0 -
Coffee is what makes me poop haha. I eat a LOT of fiber. Before getting into a healthy life style I would poop once every 4 days to a week and now its daily. Major change was fiber.1
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ashjongfit wrote: »Coffee is what makes me poop haha. I eat a LOT of fiber. Before getting into a healthy life style I would poop once every 4 days to a week and now its daily. Major change was fiber.
Yes on the coffee, and definitely on fibre! I have to keep my fibre above 30g at all costs. I had 21g on monday, and zero movement on Tuesday.0 -
I would love to know this answer as I suffer badly with constipation. I think i am getting a better understand of how my body copes with foods, and it seems to me that I feel clogged and bloated a couple of hoUrs after eating eggs. It then takes me a couple of days to feel back to a comfortable state.
Suffice to say eggs are off the menu for a while. Maybe keep a close check to see if you notice any patterns of how you feel after certain foods0 -
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??
It can actually be an issue for some people. For all of us our bowel is fired into action by eating, but mostly everything just moves down a bit to make room, and that doesn't always form a stool. For some people, their bowels are too sensitive to eating and they have to run to the toilet every time. Imagine how annoying it would be if you just wanted a little snack! They can be treated for it though, to calm the response down.0 -
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![/quote]
I have had to follow this diet, as I suffer from very bad IBS-C and this has helped me identify what foods are triggers for me. It takes you back to very simple eating and then you can reintroduce foods slowly and look for symptoms. I recommend it if you are suffering - but it is hard!
The biggest triggers for me are fruits, especially apples!0 -
Depends on your insides. I.e I got IBS if I react to something it comes straight back out!
Keep a food diary to see what affects your insides.0 -
i've had my gallbladder removed and IBS, so what i eat a few minutes before affects mine!0
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I use to blame my sever IBS on food after my divorce it went away so a lot of it is how you deal with stress. I fixed the stress and can now eat anything I want at anytime.0
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My guess would be yesterday, but if you want to make sure you could eat a certain way several days in a row and see how your body responds then change it up every few days to a week. I think that would be more accurate than changing it up daily and trying to figure out which day helped. For me, eating like you ate yesterday plus an apple maybe is typical lately and keeps me nice and regular:)0
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