Bowel Movement question
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CrimsonNBlues
Posts: 43 Member
I've done my searches of previous posts on this topic but not come across anything helpful. To answer the typical questions that come with this topic:
-I've been consistently eating well and exercising for ~ 3 months
-I get ~ 20-30g of fiber per day
-I drink about 100oz of water and unsweet tea a day, no soda
-I eat a mostly plant based diet
-I've been to the doctor and they can find anything wrong
So anyway, when I eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, etc, I get really messy BM. Not diarrhea, but so soft and loose it's really difficult to pass and I need a lot of wiping. There's no pain. Whereas, on the occasions when I eat something that's fast food or go out to dinner, my BM is much more solid and comfortable.
Does anyone have an idea of what's going on with me? This doesn't seem normal and ideally it should be the other way around right?
-I've been consistently eating well and exercising for ~ 3 months
-I get ~ 20-30g of fiber per day
-I drink about 100oz of water and unsweet tea a day, no soda
-I eat a mostly plant based diet
-I've been to the doctor and they can find anything wrong
So anyway, when I eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, etc, I get really messy BM. Not diarrhea, but so soft and loose it's really difficult to pass and I need a lot of wiping. There's no pain. Whereas, on the occasions when I eat something that's fast food or go out to dinner, my BM is much more solid and comfortable.
Does anyone have an idea of what's going on with me? This doesn't seem normal and ideally it should be the other way around right?
4
Replies
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Maybe you need to cut down on the water and see if that can trigger loose bms. maybe eat more whole grains? if you feel it is a problem maybe seek professional help.2
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maybe you arent getting enough fat since fast food makes a difference in your BMs. not enough fat can also make constipation worse,or cause it in some people11
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I used to have this problem when I was an observant Eastern Orthodox Christian and would obediently go on a vegan diet for Lent. It took nearly the entire 40 days of eating like that consistently for my system to adjust. Probably your gut flora are simply better adapted to one diet than the other.
Give some probiotics like a live culture yogurt a try.4 -
I was like that before my diagnosis of Systemic Nickel Allergy. Whole grains, nuts, pulses and chocolate are all really high in nickel so if you already have a problem with it, I.e. jewellery, watches etc cause contact dermatitis, then you might want to consider this as a possible cause. There are also other metal allergies that can be triggered by eating whole grains, nuts etc as these types of plants take up much more metal from the soil than others which is then deposited in the germ and husk.
Another thing to consider with whole grains is that they contain enough phytic acid to cause malnutrition in the long term if they are not prepared correctly by overnight soaking, sprouting or fermentation. Phytic acid chelates essential minerals such as magnesium and zinc which are then excreted instead of absorbed. If you are low on certain minerals, it can affect the bowel function.
A third thing to consider is how much of your plant based diet is cooked versus uncooked.
Eating a large amount of uncooked veg increases peristalsis so food can pass too quickly through your system. Again, in the long-term this leads to bigger problems. Also, cooking veges and fruits breaks down the fibre which releases more micronutrients than if you ate it raw. It does destroy Vitamin C, but too much of that will give you loose stools as well.
Finally, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol all speed up peristalsis so be wary of those.4 -
I was like that before my diagnosis of Systemic Nickel Allergy. Whole grains, nuts, pulses and chocolate are all really high in nickel so if you already have a problem with it, I.e. jewellery, watches etc cause contact dermatitis, then you might want to consider this as a possible cause. There are also other metal allergies that can be triggered by eating whole grains, nuts etc as these types of plants take up much more metal from the soil than others which is then deposited in the germ and husk.
Another thing to consider with whole grains is that they contain enough phytic acid to cause malnutrition in the long term if they are not prepared correctly by overnight soaking, sprouting or fermentation. Phytic acid chelates essential minerals such as magnesium and zinc which are then excreted instead of absorbed. If you are low on certain minerals, it can affect the bowel function.
A third thing to consider is how much of your plant based diet is cooked versus uncooked.
Eating a large amount of uncooked veg increases peristalsis so food can pass too quickly through your system. Again, in the long-term this leads to bigger problems. Also, cooking veges and fruits breaks down the fibre which releases more micronutrients than if you ate it raw. It does destroy Vitamin C, but too much of that will give you loose stools as well.
Finally, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol all speed up peristalsis so be wary of those.
links to back up claims? as these things are not going to effect everyone the same. I can consume a LOT of caffeine and not have loose stools6 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »links to back up claims? as these things are not going to effect everyone the same. I can consume a LOT of caffeine and not have loose stools
She did not say this applies to everyone. She said they are things that affected her and are things to consider if they might be affecting OP. She did not imply these were OP issues, just things to consider. And news flash, I can tell you a lot of things that clearly affect my body that aren’t in medical literature. That doesn’t mean they don’t affect my body. This idea that if someone can’t provide a link to prove something affects their body is ludicrous.
And her final point is correct and there are articles and links for it. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol *can* speed up peristalsis. That is known. She simply said to keep an eye on those things to see if they could be affecting OP.
If people want links and citations there’s an entire internet world. Go find them. I get sick of people wanting someone to prove their point. Go live in the person’s body and then you can experience it first hand.
OP, you’ve been given some good suggestions to investigate. Usually experimenting with things one at a time will yield you the best information as it will allow for only one variable change at a time. Perhaps some of the things people listed are worth testing out in your eating to see if any of them affect you.
Best wishes.9 -
I'd look at the balance of fibre - perhaps you have too much insoluble fibre and not enough soluble fibre? (insoluble is good for getting things movingf, soluble is good for providing bulk)0
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I'm similar. some days I eat over 40g of fibre mainly vegetables and have lose bowels, but when the fibre is from carbs like bread, pasta, rice etc my bowel movements are more solid.0
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »maybe you arent getting enough fat since fast food makes a difference in your BMs. not enough fat can also make constipation worse,or cause it in some people
I agree that a lack of fat in your high veggie days may be the issue.3 -
See how you do if you add some avocado to the veggies.0
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ronjsteele1 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »links to back up claims? as these things are not going to effect everyone the same. I can consume a LOT of caffeine and not have loose stools
She did not say this applies to everyone. She said they are things that affected her and are things to consider if they might be affecting OP. She did not imply these were OP issues, just things to consider. And news flash, I can tell you a lot of things that clearly affect my body that aren’t in medical literature. That doesn’t mean they don’t affect my body. This idea that if someone can’t provide a link to prove something affects their body is ludicrous.
And her final point is correct and there are articles and links for it. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol *can* speed up peristalsis. That is known. She simply said to keep an eye on those things to see if they could be affecting OP.
If people want links and citations there’s an entire internet world. Go find them. I get sick of people wanting someone to prove their point. Go live in the person’s body and then you can experience it first hand.
OP, you’ve been given some good suggestions to investigate. Usually experimenting with things one at a time will yield you the best information as it will allow for only one variable change at a time. Perhaps some of the things people listed are worth testing out in your eating to see if any of them affect you.
Best wishes.
I can ask for links just like anyone else can. maybe I like reading the studies to learn? have you ever thought of that? what is ludicrous is you jumping down my throat for asking in the first place nor did i say that she said it applies to everyone. I said that and many people reading this may not know that its not that way either!7 -
I have had a similar issue for the last couple of weeks, and your post gave me an idea. I went back to look at my diary and nutrition stats, and the last couple of weeks I have had more fiber than before. It’s just a hunch, but it matches my experience.0
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ronjsteele1 wrote: »
If people want links and citations there’s an entire internet world. Go find them. I get sick of people wanting someone to prove their point.
Opposite, actually. If you posit something you absolutely should acknowledge sources if you have any hope of persuading anybody to your view.1 -
I have had a similar issue for the last couple of weeks, and your post gave me an idea. I went back to look at my diary and nutrition stats, and the last couple of weeks I have had more fiber than before. It’s just a hunch, but it matches my experience.
too much fiber for some can cause constipation too. some have chronic constipation and changes in diet dont help,thats when they need to see a dr to see what is going on if they havent been to one already.
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