In the main group on FB, we have a whole lot of replies to this FAQ, but given it’s a private group, I can’t copy that stuff here. But everyone should know they can add their answers; it’s not like what I write is the be-all and end-all.
First, there is a difference between being constipated and just going less often. We’re eating a lot less, so making less poo. Your “regular” may just be different than it was before. If you’re not uncomfortable, odds are there isn’t a problem.
It seems like we’re eating these huge salads, so must be getting gobs of fiber, right? So how can we get constipated? Well, frankly, vegetables have much less fiber than you’d expect. Pretty much all of the veggies are mostly water, rather than mostly fiber. The physical bulk of them takes time to break down, which is why we feel full so long after an RBS, but once broken down, it’s really mostly water.
This is a good thing in that fiber works better with water. In fact, if you take a fiber supplement, it’s extremely important to drink sufficient water with it, else the fiber can actually bind you up and make things worse. If you do choose to use one, make sure it’s sugar-free.
A more natural solution for fiber is chia seeds, which provided both fiber and some “sliminess” when mixed in water; many have reported this has worked for them.
I don’t recommend fiber supplements generally. My first and foremost recommendation is electrolytes. If we don’t have enough potassium, peristalsis doesn’t work properly, given it requires potassium to contract the muscles properly. And magnesium is required to get the potassium into the muscle cells, so is hugely important also.
Some forms of magnesium definitely loosen things up. That’s what “milk of magnesia” is. Others report using the Calm drink fixes this issue for them. There’s a bit of a trade-off though, we need magnesium to be absorbed as well as running through us, so some take more than one form of magnesium.
See the electrolytes post for more information.
I was primarily using epsom salts applied topically for magnesium, but recently began taking 1000 mg magnesium oxide as pills. And it definitely is preventing constipation; indeed, I’ve never been so regular.
My next recommendation would be Senna-S, which is a product that contains both an herbal laxative and a stool softener. I was on prescribed narcotics for over a year, which are very constipating, and went through quite a bit of Senna-S during that period.
If Senna-S didn’t work for me, I’d be inclined to try a glycerin suppository next. I’ve never needed to use one on ELAB, but have used them prior to ELAB once or twice. Frankly, I was too big to have been able to reach to do an enema, but was able to manage the suppository.
My last choice would be Miralax, the stuff they use to clean you out for a colonoscopy. It’s not exactly a natural solution, but it certainly does work if none of the above does. It’s a tasteless powder so can be added to nearly any drink, but go slow with the dose unless you really want to be cleaned out *extremely* well.
Finally, if none of the above work and you’re really uncomfortable, it may be time to consider an ER visit. Actual blockages can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
But I want to remind you that if your bathroom habits have just changed, and you’re not in distress, you may just be adjusting. Our gut bacteria need to change when we change our diets, and beyond that, we’re just eating a whole heck of a lot less. Going daily might become going every other day now that we eat so much less, so your “normal” may have just changed.
This post is part of an archive of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from the Eat Like a Bear weight loss group, of which I’m an admin. You can join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EatLikeABear/