Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm just curious if higher carb helps some people that had issues with constipation on paleo. I remember seeing a few people mention eating higher carb helps people with constipation on various forums and I THINK on the perfect health diet too they briefly say something about it.

I have an issue with constipation ever since I was paleo. I'm seeing a GI specialist in a few days to see whats wrong. Especially in the last week i am get bouts of stomach pain, bloating, and i've decided to go off the laxatives because i know you can become dependent on them and have issues with gut flora.

I used to be low carb, approx 50-80g. sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. I'm a student and it seems easier for me to go higher carb in terms of meal preparation and all my life no matter what diet, from crappy takeaway to paleo i've always been " thin ", so no suspected insulin levels there. My energy levels are the same low carb or higher carb which I am climbing more towards.

If there's any other advice that you might have that would be awesome.

I just stopped laxatives two days ago after using them on and off for about 3 months. I take Inner health plus dairy free probiotic once a day. I am lactose intolerant so I don't eat dairy, if i do it'll be yogourt with a lactase supplement.

flag	asked Feb 4 2012 at 0:37 Crystalie 61●7

	Your problems started on paleo? what was your diet like before? – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Feb 4 2012 at 0:46
	Yep they started on paleo. But stupid me I should have added that I essentially accidentally starved myself having undereating tendencies and thinking the symptoms i were having were " swapping fuels" So I could have starved my gutflora or something. My diet was basically: A mixture of european and asian food (Take away :/ ). So basially eating a wide range of different foods. Eating all the grains, drunk rice milk ( s.a.d lactose intolerant method >< ) , just the standard diet really. Just a slightly healthier version. By that I mean, choosing asian takeaway or sushi instead of Mcdonalds >< – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 0:59
	and thankyou everyone for your advice – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 1:08

Bread-Eating Beelzebub · Answer 1 · 2012-02-04 01:05:00Z UTC

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Why stick with a diet that requires you to take laxatives? Is there something particular about paleo that makes you willing to subject yourself to that? I would go back to your old diet and see if the issue goes away. Then I would gradually transition out foods that you think might be unhealthy and see what happens. I did something similar and I found that carbs definitely seem to help my stomach regulate. It was weird to be struggling on paleo and then I made a move and couldn't cook for awhile and lived on Asian takeout...and I felt awesome. I think that's when I realized that paleo isn't a panacea and that rice works really well for helping regulate my stomach. Though I've eased off it lately and I've been fine.

answered Feb 4 2012 at 1:05

Bread-Eating Beelzebub
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	I originally went to paleo because of my emotional eating from school issues and eating shitty snacks at night. I was becoming more ' puffy ' ( gaining weight) and i didn't like it. So i found mark's website and I took the leap. I am really happy that someone understands me! :). I actually introduced brown rice ( soaked with yogourt) and my blood sugar went funny, because I was stupid and wasn't used to it, but I should ease myself upwards I guess, so like starting with sweet potato etc. You've eased off it? mind explaining? Thankyou so much! – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 1:12
	I was eating rice every day, a haiga (I buy it on Amazon, it's like brown rice, but gentler on the stomach) rice/bone broth porridge. Adding a little vinegar can blunt any blood sugar issues. You can also soak brown rice to be gentlerhttp://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/04/new-way-to-soak-brown-rice.html If you are a student, a rice cooker makes this easier. But a couple of weeks ago I just was forgetting to eat it in the morning and nothing bad happened. I think once your stomach is normalized you can take it away and see what happens. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Feb 4 2012 at 1:18
	Will do! I'll definitely soak the brown rice according to that website. Thanks again Melissa :) – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 1:25

Nance · Answer 2 · 2012-02-04 01:23:13Z UTC

It sounds like you might go in another direction, but I will confirm what you heard--for me, eating only meat leads to constipation and eating moderate carbs results in excellent stool quality.

Please note I don't eat what you'd call high carb. I have 1 or 2 pieces of fresh fruit, a leafy green salad and some quantity of cooked non-starchy vegetables every day. Most days I am between 60 and 100g total carbs including a small portion of home-made yogurt, extra-fat, and that also seems to move me away from constipation.

I agree with Melissa that you should return to whatever foods will restore normal gut function. You can then choose to gently, gradually and carefully experiment to see if there's a mix of ancestral foods that suits you.

j3wcy · Answer 3 · 2012-02-04 18:12:49Z UTC

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Great read on the subject

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=2998

answered Feb 4 2012 at 18:12

j3wcy
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ah yes this was the article I read! I'm pretty sure it's insufficient gut flora. – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 23:21

Matt · Answer 4 · 2012-02-04 00:59:16Z UTC

I believe if your diet is fine, a problem is often adjusting to eating more meat with eating Paleo and converting from a previous food habit. Also, look out for too much fiber and if you are eating a lot, which is normal and almost unavoidable for eating 150% to 200% percent the daily value, then make sure to drink more water and I believe higher calories are needed to adjust to this and sometimes even long after adjusting just for periodic maintenance. I know people say fat constipates them but it actually has always helped me. But look towards having more fat and this could help.

CharlotteM · Answer 5 · 2012-02-04 02:31:39Z UTC

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I started taking 500mg of magnesium citrate to address some nightmares and muscle tremor problems last year. It fixes those problems, but it also keeps me super-regular. You might give that a try, too.

answered Feb 4 2012 at 2:31

CharlotteM
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	I don't go well with magnesium citrate for some reason, last time I did my stomach felt like it was bashing itself up, and made me feel drunk :/ – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 3:25
	Crystalie, how much mag citrate did you take? – Cody Feb 4 2012 at 3:38
	I think per capsule it said 900mg, and like 139 elemental magnesium or something :/ – Crystalie Feb 4 2012 at 4:29

primalpat · Answer 6 · 2013-02-08 15:28:13Z UTC

I'm currently experimenting with higher carb, moderate protein, lower fat consumption a la Matt Stone. I don't think he's out to lunch as most paleo folks do. I've never been this regular, nor had such normal looking stools. My energy is great too!

Loads and loads of sweet potato, coconut oil/butter, and my normal protein choices: beef, pork, chicken, whatever.

Edited to add: WOW. I resurrected an old thread. Thought it said 2013!

Higher carb suggested for people with constipation?

6 Answers