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Kinda gross, but I need help!
Started
by Kayla Fogel
on February 26, 2010
I've been heavily flirting for about two months now, and, well, I'm having toilet issues. Basically, diarrhea every single time I go number 2. I haven't given up dairy every day, I've been trying, and I don't notice that my symptoms increase after a day I do eat dairy. So I'm wondering if this symptom is a detox symptom, due to the dairy I'm still eating, or a possible soy allergy. I've been eating a lot of tofu and tempeh, and when I was younger (a teenager), I did have issues with stomachaches after eating tofu. Any advice or clarification? Thanks!
try to go a few days without soy and any dairy. Starting a food journal may help you determine what is making you feel worse.
Also, drink a lot of water.
What is a typical day of eating look like for you now?
I have been having the same problem for a few weeks now and I having been eating superhero for two months. I don't know what to do and it's really starting to bother me. My diet is super clean - whole grains, lots of veggies/greens, beans, tempeh, miso soup. I have eaten soy all my life so I would be really surprised if it was a soy allergy, but maybe I will go without to see. I feel really great otherwise, and my skin has never looked better, but this problem is really upsetting. What happened to all the great 'poops' that are supposed to come with being vegan???
Soy protein is relatively complex and cause digestive symptoms in some people. If you are on the superhero plan, you may want to experiment with some very simple meals.
what happens if you skip all grains for a few days? Do the bowel movements improve? What happens if you skip all beans for a few days? What about avoiding gluten or oils.
Even healthy foods can cause digestive upset based upon an individual's requirements.
When we eat something that our body has taken a dislike to, there are three ways our body can react.
Vomiting expels the food immediately but is quite rare. Diarrhea can also be called dumping syndrome and results from when the body just wants to get rid of what you ate very quickly. If undigested food is in the stool then suspect dumping syndrome. Constipation occurs when the body tries and tries to digest food that it is unable to. The stool becomes dry, hard and compacted and difficult to pass. The more complex the food ( higher in fat and protein) the more difficult it is to digest.
If your troubles persist, a consultation with a macrobiotic counselor would be a good way to get to the bottom of what is happening.
Andrea: Like I said, I haven't fully eliminated dairy from my diet, so a typical day of eating looks like this: Breakfast: Ezekial toast with raw sun-butter, coffee, oj Lunch: Quinoa with a green, one other vegetable, and either tempeh, vegan sausage, or lentils. A fruit. Dinner: Looks a lot like lunch, but minus the fruit. Unfortunately, though, going out to eat has made this meal more likely to include dairy. Snacks: Vegan tortilla chips, fruit, dates, figs, or carrots. I think I'm going to try REALLY hard to fully eliminate dairy. I go out to eat for dinner a lot, so that's where I run into challenges with choices. If the symptoms still persist, I'll try knocking out the soy or gluten.Alyanne: I'm sorry you are having the same problem!Justin: Thanks for the info/support!
Thanks Justin - I am finding a lot of undigested food in my stool as you mentioned, despite my best efforts to chew thoroughly. I have been eating an abundance of brown rice lately - is that a possible allergen? When I was eating steel cut oats for breakfast my movements were great - now i'm eating brown rice usually twice a day in large amounts. Maybe I will eliminate it for a few days, or just go back to the oats in the morning and some brown rice for lunch. I eat tempeh also a couple times a week - is that a common cause also? I hope not I really love it. Thanks for the help!
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