Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I recently went fiber-free, total carnivore, seemed to work great for my bowels until I ate cheese. Cheese has always bound me up, so I shoulda known better, it's my own fault. But anyway, now I need a laxative. I promise, this is the last time I'll ever have cheese! Or any other dairy - they always spelled trouble for me, but now without fiber I'm really worried. Please help!

flag	asked Oct 4 2011 at 15:56 Huey 3,091●3●7

Olivia · Answer 1 · 2011-10-04 16:19:12Z UTC

First of all, relax. You'll probably be back to normal in a day or two, and don't really need to take a laxative (or to make promises to a bunch of strangers on the internet that you'll never eat something again.)

You could try drinking a cup or two of black coffee, though.

Edit: Cheese can have a constipating effect, but it's also possible that it's actually your recent shift to a "total carnivore" diet that's causing your problem. The fact that you've also recently eaten some cheese might be a coincidence.

Beth-WeightMaven · Answer 2 · 2011-10-04 16:33:01Z UTC

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A good heaping teaspoon of Natural Calm always works well as a laxative for me! That or something else with magnesium citrate in it might help you.

answered Oct 4 2011 at 16:33

Beth-WeightMaven
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	Magnesium oxide also works well from what I hear, if you can't find magnesium citrate. As reported elsewhere in this thread, chelated magnesium doesn't seem to have the same effect. – air_hadoken Oct 4 2011 at 17:35
	Magnesium malate – Richard N Oct 5 2011 at 0:03

matt H · Answer 3 · 2011-10-04 18:04:43Z UTC

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Smooth Move tea. Good for this occasional kind of thing and more reliable than ODing on magnesium.

answered Oct 4 2011 at 18:04

matt H
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I'm a fan of the tea option too. My fave is Get Regular by YogiTea. There are other options, esp in the ethinic aisles/stores. Teas that say "slimming" or "dieter's" tea usually have the pooping herbs in 'em -- look for Senna or Malva as an ingredient. The teas that matt H and I like also contain additional herbs to soothe the, uh, process. For me the tea takes about 12 hours, but some people get results within 2. – g. Oct 5 2011 at 2:41

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I'm late to this one, but be careful with senna. The times I've had senna tea at full strength I ended up nearly fainting on the bathroom floor from wicked stomach cramps, chills, nausea, etc. No exaggeration -- I'm okay with a quick steep of 90 seconds but if it goes to two minutes strong I suffer. – Canis Minor Jan 2 2012 at 4:56

Love smooth move tea- totally reliable and still gentle. – Jen Mar 25 2012 at 0:51

A at Grain Free Diet · Answer 4 · 2011-10-04 16:47:20Z UTC

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Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Hydroxide (aka Milk of Magnesia) or Magnesium Citrate.

Stay away from most of the chelates tho (Magnesium Aspartate, etc). I take them for migraines specifically because they don't have the effect you're looking for.

answered Oct 4 2011 at 16:47

A at Grain Free Diet
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This is the first I've heard of magnesium for migraines. Where did you find out about this? What does it do for you? – air_hadoken Oct 4 2011 at 17:36

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ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8984087?dopt=Abstract – majkinetor Oct 4 2011 at 17:39

MgSO4 can be used oraly for laxative effect, its very cheap and you can buy it in any pharmacy. – majkinetor Oct 4 2011 at 17:41

I've been using it for years. Migraine sufferers tend to have low levels of magnesium (and as I found out lately, possibly high levels of copper.) Taken daily, it's a pretty effective preventative. There are some abstracts like Maj linked, but also Dr. McCleary recommends it in the Brain Trust Program. Also, here: books.google.com/… – A at Grain Free Diet Oct 5 2011 at 8:25

Should also mention that if I do have a migraine that sneaks through (like if I forget to take magnesium :) ) I have been also playing around with zinc and 5HTP with some success. It appears that 5HTP acts similarly in the body as the migraine medicine I was prescribed. I use it as a treatment, not a preventative, so taken only if I feel a migraine coming on. It's still a relatively new idea for me, so I don't want to guarantee success or anything, and it shouldn't be used along with migraine meds. See here: raysahelian.com/triptan.html – A at Grain Free Diet Oct 5 2011 at 8:41

score 1 · Answer 5 · 2011-10-04 17:37:40Z UTC

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The best laxative is Vitamin C.

Take 2 tablespoons of powder and wait 2 hours.

It will also clear all toxins in the gut.

Works similarly as lactulose with added benefits. If you don't get laxative effect after 2 tablespoons, take another 2.

edited Oct 4 2011 at 17:37

answered Oct 4 2011 at 16:33

majkinetor

	Yes, take ascorbic acid "to bowel tolerance"-meaning, take about a gram at a time until you have a bowel movement...the dose will vary greatly from person to person. – Rogue Nutritionist Oct 4 2011 at 18:30
	Rogue is right. And for anyone interested, a gram is about a *1/4 tea* spoon** - best taken at hourly intervals. I wouldn't try taking 2 tablespoons of vitamin C at once. – g. Oct 5 2011 at 2:27
	Yes, you can go lower, but if you need fast release, take large doses. – majkinetor Oct 5 2011 at 6:52

jessica · Answer 6 · 2012-03-25 00:39:01Z UTC

definitely magnesium...the reason you get constipated is because of the higher ratio of calcium to magnesium in dairy...so its best to just create a better balance instead of relying on herbal bowl stimulants like senna. also you might want to consider just eating higher magnesium foods when you eat dairy or eating less constipating forms of dairy like yogurt or cottage cheese. if you are craving calcium eat carrots :)! cottage cheese with pumpkin seeds and carrots is probably one of my favorite less paleo snacks

BaconHealsChic · Answer 7 · 2011-10-04 16:04:57Z UTC

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I agree with Olivia's black coffee. What works for me is a couple spoonfuls of coconut oil a day in the morning and my Enzymatic Therapy Pearls...or any probiotic that works for you.

answered Oct 4 2011 at 16:04

BaconHealsChic
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Bristlebeard · Answer 8 · 2011-10-04 19:16:00Z UTC

I'm surprised no one mentioned experiences with one of their first really high fat meals (for me, it was downing a cup of heavy cream before lifting). Needless to say, a large serving of fat, coconut oil works the best, will really get things going. Couple that with some coffee about 15min later, and you'll be cleaned out in 2-4 hours.

Really cleaned out.

Rockgrrl · Answer 9 · 2011-10-04 23:12:36Z UTC

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Aloe Vera gel may be another option. Not sure if it's totally fiber-free.

answered Oct 4 2011 at 23:12

Rockgrrl
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fiber-free laxative for cheese cheater?

9 Answers