Stomach pain when first starting to eat healthier?

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demenetrix
demenetrix Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is my second day of trying to eat healthier and increase my steps per day but today my stomach hurts something awful. It feels like my stomach just doesn't want to digest what I'm putting into it! Is this because I don't normally eat fruits and veggies? Is this normal? Should I seek medical attention? Am I dying? It feels like it.

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  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Could be any number of things, I would probably consult with a doctor, yeah.

    If you literally ate no fruit or vegetables at all before this week, then yes, you've suddenly started eating A LOT more fiber than your body is used to, that's going to have an effect.

    It's also possible that you've discovered the hard way that you have a food allergy or sensitivity of some kind - hopefully you've been logging your food honestly and accurately in your food diary here, so you have some data to help you figure out what doesn't agree with you, if that is what's going on. It might not be a fruit and/or vegetable causing the issue, so don't just look at those. A medical professional can help guide you through the process of an elimination diet, if that seems warranted, to figure out what's setting you off.

    It might also be unrelated, you could have picked up a stomach bug and it just happened to coincide with your lifestyle change.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited May 2021
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    demenetrix wrote: »
    This is my second day of trying to eat healthier and increase my steps per day but today my stomach hurts something awful. It feels like my stomach just doesn't want to digest what I'm putting into it! Is this because I don't normally eat fruits and veggies? Is this normal? Should I seek medical attention? Am I dying? It feels like it.

    To the bolded, yes. You are introducing a ton of fiber to a system that isn't used to it. Your best bet is to increase consumption of these foods a bit at a time to let your body adjust. Also, you don't need to overkill on fruit and veg either...fruit and veg are tremendous sources of micro-nutrition, but there's more to healthful eating than copious amounts of veg and fruit.

    Recommended amounts are 1.5-2 servings of fruit per day and 2-3 servings of veg. This is usually in "cups"...but I typically go by about 85 grams (3 oz) for a serving.

    You're probably fine, but a visit to your primary isn't the worst idea either, particularly if you haven't consulted with him/her recently.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 694 Member
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    I probably won't use the right terminology because I don't remember it, but here goes.

    We all have bacteria in our stomachs that help us digest our food, it's natural, normal, and adapted to what we normally eat as an individual. It adapts when we make changes in our diet but that doesn't happen instantly.

    If someone who had been a vegetarian for 20 years decided to have a massive steak for dinner they would have an unhappy stomach. It's the same for you, if this is a big increase in fibre it will take a while to settle down.

    Never a bad idea to see the Dr if you're worried though.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,290 Member
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    If something hurts... stop doing it. examine what you've done. You did a sudden total change you diet. well? looks like you started too fast. Are you eating vegetables that cause bloating and gas; broccoli .. Brussels sprouts? cabbage? Google what you've been eating..see if it causes gas. Are you eating beans too? A sudden change to a raw diet of gas causing fiber foods can hit a person hard.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
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    More fibre? Then it is probably just wind, which is bloody painful.

    Mild exercise can help shift it as can taking an indigestion remedy.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,429 Member
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    I agree with the posts above that suggest multiple possible explanations (hard for us to tell which is at work, for certain).

    Wanting to add one thing: If you've increased fiber intake dramatically, that can indeed present an adaptation problem. If you've cut fat intake very, very low at the same time, that has a lot of potential to make the effect *worse*.

    Increase fiber gradually, get at least some fats (for smooth throughput, in comfort terms . . . but also because you won't absorb the nice fat-soluble vitamins as well if you don't get some fats in your eating along with veggies/fruits, not to mention that you need a certain amount of fat intake for cell health, hormone balance, and more).

    Burning body fat doesn't eliminate the need to eat some fat in foods. Fat is an essential nutrient. It can be from things like nuts, nut butter, avocados, etc., if you prefer to avoid saturated fats or seed oils.
  • southkonahi
    southkonahi Posts: 137 Member
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    demenetrix wrote: »
    Should I seek medical attention? Am I dying? It feels like it.
    My guess is that you are probably not dying. I've seen someone who was dying with a stomach disease, and they sure didn't have the inclination to be online in a chat forum while it was happening.

    But, if you are truly that worried, yes seek medical attention. Safety is always a concern for protecting our health.

  • meeppeepneep
    meeppeepneep Posts: 56 Member
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    how much fruit and veggies are you eating? Open diary?
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    If ur not accustomed to fruits and veggies, then work up the amount slowly. It takes a minute to get used to new things, especially fibrous ones. There is certainly no harm in consulting a doctor about the changes you are making and the safest way to do that.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,429 Member
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    BTW: If constipation (multi-day) is accompanying this discomfort, that increases the need to consult a doctor. Different people have different normal schedules, but long-ish delay in elimination accompanied by abdominal pain can be a Very Bad Sign.

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