# Foods for constipation



## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

What foods can help with constipation without gaining weight?And has anyone ever made bran cakes or bran muffins and do they help at all? I'm getting at a loss as what to eat although I do eat fruit and veg and wondering what else I can try?


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## goldiestar (Jun 10, 2007)

janetmtt said:


> What foods can help with constipation without gaining weight?And has anyone ever made bran cakes or bran muffins and do they help at all? I'm getting at a loss as what to eat although I do eat fruit and veg and wondering what else I can try?


Depending on what your stomach can handle. What works for me is raw almonds, flaxseed slightly ground. Celery, raw and apples with the skin or slightly baked before bed. A really fiber powder is good too. Tell us what you have decided to use and what works for you.


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

I'm not sure whether I have IBS-C or not to be honest or just really bad constipation because I don't really get stomach pain. The only time I get the pain is if I haven't been to the loo for a good few days and start feeling backed up but my stomach seems to be able to handle all food.I do eat healthy - was having granary bread/seeded bread on a morning, fruit at lunch and something with veg on a night and always almonds and brazil nuts during the day but even this isn't making me go.Today I had shredded wheat for breakfast and think this is maybe what I need to do - skip the bread and have a good fibre cereal.I'm unable to take psyillium because I get hayfever with the tight wheezy chest so they tell you to stay away from this product. But I was wondering whether I would be able to take flax powder in juice or would it also be a no no.I'm thinking of trying to make an All Bran cake or make flax muffins - do you know if this would help.I was always under the impression that stewed apples were for diarohhea but are you saying that stewed/baked apples are good for constipation?Also been having a couple of prunes on a morning but after my disastrous time with FruitEze (the prune, raisin, date jam) and the side effects I haven't had prunes for couple of days as I've had a bad reaction to the jam. However will give it a couple of days and go back to having them on a morning.Was wondering about natural live bio yoghurt too - is that constipating, did buy some live bio yoghurt with pineapple and mango in and will give that a goAny other advice you can give will be greatly received. Thanks


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## megflyin (Jun 16, 2007)

I'm not sure if you're looking for a long term solution, or immediate relief, but here are some things that can help for immediate relief: 1) Anything that is slow to digest will just make you more constipated - this includes protein, fat, and fiber. So for a bowel movement, you want to eat an overabundance of something easy to digest - I would recommend fruit - either watermelon or grapes as they have little fiber. Putting a teaspoon of ground ginger into hot water and drinking can always stimulate digestion and therefore a bowel movement. 2)long term - I use Miralax once a day - it works by drawing water into the colon and therefore you cannot become dependent on it. Also be sure you are drinking plenty of water as dehydration can cause constipation. Hope this helps!


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

Looking for a long term solution without having to resort to laxatives. Think I've become to relying on laxatives to make me go!I used to have seeded bread for breakfast but have changed to shredded wheat - which is best. And why does a lot of people say increase fibre to reduce constipation when some people say fibre makes you more constipated. Which is correct? And I hate grapes and watermelon - just cannot get away with them but the ginger is a good tip.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Generally if you have standard run-of-the-mill constipation or IBS-C most of the time fiber will help if you drink enough water to help the fiber keep water in the stool fiber is helpful. (so this is go a couple of times a week or more)If you tend to let yourself get mildly dehydrated a lot your body will pull the water it needs out of the stool and so you just get more hard, dry stools that tend to be hard to pass. The point of the colon is to remove water from the stool to conserve it. You have to make the food really wet (so you dump water in) so you can digest and absorb it. The colon removes the water from what is left over so you don't have to drink so much.IF you have a much rarer condition that is called slow transit constipation (go a couple of times a month or less) you want to avoid fiber because 3 weeks worth of a high fiber diet all being in the colon at the same time is very uncomfortable.Almost everything in the world has an upside and a downside.If you are looking for something that is universally good in all cases or universally bad in all cases you will find that pretty much nothing is that black and white. Most people find there is a certain range of fiber grams per day that tends to best for them most of the time. (you are not the exact same every day so even if something works most of the time it is unlikely to work all of the time).K.


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

Hi kathleenI tend to go a little bit some days but not really emptying bowels so presume I may need to up the fibre and water. Thanks for explaining the differences though.


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## scarlet (Jun 12, 2007)

goldiestar said:


> Depending on what your stomach can handle. What works for me is raw almonds, flaxseed slightly ground. Celery, raw and apples with the skin or slightly baked before bed. A really fiber powder is good too. Tell us what you have decided to use and what works for you.


have linseeds and dried figs but figs on bran flakes with hunny i do works for me most of the time hope you will be ok


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

Thanks for that - how many figs, bran flakes and honey do you use. Saw your earlier post regarding linseeds - do you just put teaspoon in water and leave overnight and drink the water next morning and chuck out the seeds?Can I ask with regards to the bran flakes - how long does it take to have a BM after eating? With regard to the linseeds if you drink first thing on a morning - how long to have a BM afterwards?


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## scarlet (Jun 12, 2007)

janetmtt said:


> Thanks for that - how many figs, bran flakes and honey do you use. Saw your earlier post regarding linseeds - do you just put teaspoon in water and leave overnight and drink the water next morning and chuck out the seeds?Can I ask with regards to the bran flakes - how long does it take to have a BM after eating? With regard to the linseeds if you drink first thing on a morning - how long to have a BM afterwards?


hi there have 30g branflakes with soya milk each moring 4 dried figs with linseeds put 10g in cup a little water drink all in moring first think before breakfast all thats in cup give a stir first to should go toliet next day add me to friends if want


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## firstone (Jul 21, 2007)

Anything that is high in fiber. AND EAT 1-2 PAPAYA EVERYDAY!!!!!.LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER. Fiber with not enough water equals hard rocks.But be careful, you should add fiber to your diet slowly or your body will give you gas like there is no tomorrow.


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## goldiestar (Jun 10, 2007)

janetmtt said:


> I was always under the impression that stewed apples were for diarohhea but are you saying that stewed/baked apples are good for constipation?Also been having a couple of prunes on a morning but after my disastrous time with FruitEze (the prune, raisin, date jam) and the side effects I haven't had prunes for couple of days as I've had a bad reaction to the jam. However will give it a couple of days and go back to having them on a morning.Was wondering about natural live bio yoghurt too - is that constipating, did buy some live bio yoghurt with pineapple and mango in and will give that a goAny other advice you can give will be greatly received. Thanks


For me stewed apples have helped when I'm constipated as has raw carrots. It is really interesting to see what works for one is not the right thing for them. I hope you have found that what works for you.


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## BUCKEROO (Jun 12, 2007)

I had to change my eating habits to eating 6 times a day. This helped with my weight - I also had to eliminate lots of foods - I didn't realize that my body could not tolerate. Milk is one - I can eat some fresh fruits especially dark ones - grapes, plumes and they also help with my ibs c , which surprised me. I can eat certain veg steamed and they help me as well. Broccoli steamed works for me - go figure and if I'm really in trouble I take some dried prunes - within a few hours I am on the go.


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