Questions about digestive track issues
 

Okay, since starting this diet, my morning routine... well, it is not as regular as I'd like. This is making me feel bloated and unhappy, and crampy. I feel like I need to go, but when I try, well, it's not working. I go every 3 days or so.

Laxatives are BAD business. The generic womens laxative makes me run to the restroom with diaharea all day long.

I am sure I'm eating enough fiber. I've been using a supplement, splenda with fiber, and eating my beans and my veggies. 10 to 15 grams a day, usually.

I'm not sure I'm drinking enough water- I usually get between 2 and 3 liters a day.

So: Activia? Does that stuff work? Any ideas? This is almost enough to make me search out another way of eating- I was regular before. I need some suggestions. I'm sure once I figure this out my weight loss would be better.

Is this something I should see a doctor about?

You could try more water, although the average recommendation for women is around 2.2 liters just to replace what is lost through urine, sweating, breathing, etc. This might be too personal, but is your urine clear or light yellow in color? If it normally is, you're probably hydrated enough.

regular laxatives have the same effect on me, but I've found that psyllium works really well. It is very gentle and no running to the bathroom every 10 minutes.

Also, a magnesium supplement might help....it is found naturally in green leafy veggies and whole grains, but it is possible to have a deficiency...and a big symptom of a magnesium deficiency is constipation.

If you are inactive, that might be causing the constipation as well. A short walk everyday might help.

Good luck...;)

i had the same problem

i take metamucil 3 times a day and every couple of days if i don't go I will take a Sennakot or a Peri-colace.

what i've found is that wheat/grains make me go so i try to get more refined grains in... it's very anti-south beach but it works for me


as for yogurt Activia has nothing special... any yogurt has the same active cultures.

I recently bought Sweetleaf stevia packets with inulin fiber. I decided this was a plus as I wanted to incorporate more fiber in my diet and the stevia is natural.

I've found coffee always makes me go.

yeah but inulin is a soluble fiber and therefore does not bulk up your stool

from wikipedia:

Originally Posted by :
There are three types of dietary fiber, soluble, insoluble, and Resistant starch. Insoluble fiber increases the movement of materials through the digestive system and increases stool bulk; it is especially helpful for those suffering from constipation or stool irregularity. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gelatinous material. Some soluble fibres may help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Inulin is considered a soluble fiber.

I'm not doing SB and maybe I misunderstood your original post but is 10-15g of fibre all you are taking in, in total?

If so, I would recommend trying to increase that through whatever SB foods are okay. I would think you should try for more like 25-30g of fibre a day. Can you have Fibre One cereal on SB? A handful of that would help a fair bit.

If I misunderstood your numbers....forget I said anything! ;)

So the Sweetleaf is misrepresenting itself and I'm using it for the wrong purposes? Damn. I didn't know what inulin meant, I just saw the word 'fiber' and figured it was good! What sort of purpose does inulin fiber have, if any?

Argh, I knew I should have found out about it before I decided to buy it based on the word 'fiber.'

I probably need to get more water in- I'll buy a bigger nalgene bottle for work.

I'll up the fiber intake and try that for a few weeks. Yay, bran flakes? (Sugar free, of course. Maybe just plain bran grains cooked into a cereal...)

So more water, more fiber, and don't spend the money on Activia when regular yogurt will do me fine. :)

Thanks, I'll let you know if I'm having troubles still in a few weeks.

Whenever I haven't gone in a while I'll just take a shot glass and sprinkle about a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper in it, then fill it up with water. I take that and then chug about 16 oz. of water... works like a dream everytime! The cayenne pepper really doesn't taste that bad and as soon as you drink some water the taste is completely gone!
Oatmeal also always helps
Or at night you can drink some tea with sennacot in it, I dillude mine (make a cup, then put half in the fridge and fill the rest up w/ more water) it works the next morning and is gentle.
I know how much that problem sucks! So good luck!

Cayenne sure makes my BF go.

ok things that do not make me go:

coffee
milk/yogurt
water
pepper
food (my dogs go every time i feed them)


my point is that EVERYONE is different... so find what works for you

maybe dried fruit would help.....

Originally Posted by elisa822:
...maybe I misunderstood your original post but is 10-15g of fibre all you are taking in, in total?

If so, I would recommend trying to increase that through whatever SB foods are okay. I would think you should try for more like 25-30g of fibre a day.

I was about to ask the same thing! The RDA is 24 and honestly most days I'm at twice that (yes, I like veggies and beans ;) And speaking of beans I might just make that my answer to every question.

Originally Posted by CyndiM:
I was about to ask the same thing! The RDA is 24 and honestly most days I'm at twice that (yes, I like veggies and beans ;) And speaking of beans I might just make that my answer to every question.

well...they are the magical fruit....

:cloud9:

that was the closest I could find to a tooting emoticon.

All those health benefits and music too!

I must be tired!

Okay, so I bought the Kashi Go Lean Fiber and Protein cereal, and some fiber induced yogurt. Drinking water. Took fiber supplements. I'm up to 16 g of fiber and it's only lunch time here on the west coast. Worked out a little this morning. :) Feeling better. I'll try this for a week, then I'll try some of the other suggestions.

If the problem is not resolved in 2 or 3 weeks, I will search the forum.

Thank you all for your help.