I’ve generally tried to follow the high carb diet approach with lots of complex carbs (Sweet Potatoes, Oats, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, etc…) but I’ve found the large amount of fiber seems to cause a lot of gas and odd digestive “results”. As I generally do a good bit of high volume training, high carb makes sense. Does anyone have any advice on this? I was somewhat forced to discover this when I travelled for work and didn’t have my normal options, when my diet was worse my digestion actually seemed a lot better.
Maybe try to limit your soluble fiber intake and see if it helps. If you’re having the runs, I would try to figure out what’s doing it and eliminate it completely.
When I changed my diet substantially towards what you’re describing, I also noticed the same thing. It really took a good 3-4 months before I got back to my normal farty self. I also notice that if I don’t eat beans at least once or twice a week, I will have gas after eating beans again.
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How long do you eat this way? Your gut needs time to adjust to a new kind of nutrition. You could help your body with some ginger, caraway seeds, cardamom, fennel, cumin, anise. Crushed in a mortar and just added right in the end before serving they keep their power.
The types of fiber your are ingesting could definitely be causing some of this upset. I hate to bring up the medicine side of things, but if you are having “odd digestive results” just be mindful that this might be linked to something you might not be aware of. Exposing yourself to different foods might reveal an allergy, or immune disease, that you didn’t know was present. Or it could just be the fiber. Hope it works out!
Funny you mentioned this. I have struggled for a few year with similar symptoms, and just began eating gluten free literally 4 days ago. Not by choice, mind you, but I still hammer a TON of carbs (brown rice, yams, sweet potatoes, normal potatoes, white rice, etc.) but anything with oats, barley, wheat, or rye just really bother my tummy and I have started excluding those foods. Mostly I experienced symptoms while running (dashing for the bushes during races is super un-cool), but even just around the office or during bike, swim, lifting, or yoga workouts, I have been feeling much better in just a short period of time!
It’s definitely something worth looking into! I got a skin prick test done for food reactions with no helpful insights, and while not allergic to gluten (Celiac) I’m fairly convinced I have a sensitivity.
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Lavalamp, the food sensitivity test that your allergist does will not tell you if you are Celiac, but, rather, if you are allergic to wheat, etc.
Celiac disorder is a gluten intolerance - not allergic sensitivity issue - and is usually diagnosed preliminary through a blood test and later through an actual biopsy of your small intestine.
Thanks - I’ve actually been kind of concerned I have a gluten intolerance (My significant other does). It is just so hard to give up bread!
This was one of the major reasons I switched to a lower carb general lifestyle nutrition strategy, I just couldn’t handle all carbs all the time either digestively or blood sugar stability-wise. Still tons of carbs around key sessions, but lowering the carbs at other times has really helped (while definitely keeping vegetable intake high to not skimp on proper nutrients).
I feel your pain!I have had similar issues for years due to ibs. I struggle to maintain weight or gain weight while eating healthily as the volume and healthy foods disagree with me. The annoying thing is it’s unhealthy foods that are fine. So I have to avoid whole grain/brown rice or bread etc and also a lot of veg and fruits berry’s etc. Even eating the less healthy stuff I struggle to maintain weight. I can put away the volume of food needed it just upsets the stomach. Also avoiding dairy helps me, I used to drink at least a pint off full fat milk a day which I miss! Even just for easy to get calories.
Stress also is a factor I find but also find a really tough high power workout can also cause issues.
I often wonder what is best for your body, to either eat healthy and have stomach issues and cramps/pain or to not eat as healthy and not be in pain. Does the pain and discomfort equals inflammation negating the benefits of the good food?
I haven’t found any magic cures or help just trial and error to get the best you can get it. But there’s always good and bad weeks no matter what