Bowel Movements?

[Vegabond]

Ok wierd topic, but still good fun, no? Now my movements were always pretty good as, even before my conversion I always ate alot of veggies, but now, especially in the AM, after a couple cups-o-joe, I have a 15 second window to get myself upstairs and on the throne before I explode...in all honesty I have been putting off walking to work in the morning (about 40 minutes) for fear of round 2!!! Sometimes at work, my fellow employees will chuckle as I sprint to the john, I think they're just jealous!

[emmapresley]

aye...sounds like jealousy to me..who wouldn't be?

is joe coffee or something?

[Vegabond]

aye...sounds like jealousy to me..who wouldn't be?

is joe coffee or something?

Yeah I'm trying to sound hip

[missbettie]

i get like that when i have coffee in the morning too...not fun.

[bryzee86]

I put my bowls on the table or a tray, that way they don't do many movements.

Same goes for plates as well.

[RubyDuby]

it would be you.

[Vegabond]

I put my bowls on the table or a tray, that way they don't do many movements.

Same goes for plates as well.

Oh that British comedy

[Pob]

Caffeine stimulates bowel movements. Vegans tend to have more bulk to shi(f)t, too.

[harpy]

This thread seems to belong with the recent one about the person who has a bowel of porridge for their breakfast.

[auntierozzi]

As long as coffee wasn't consumed with the porridge a porridge explosion was probably avoided.

[Vegabond]

Speaking of bowel movements...ooops gotta go

[sandra]

Vegans tend to have more bulk to shi(f)t, too.

That was funny Pob, the 'shi(f)t' bit!

[Caramammal]

OK, this isnt something I would normally post about but have now been Vegan for 2 weeks and I swear, I have never poo'd so much in my entire life!

And yeah, I can see what you mean about that 15 second window !

[Vegabond]

OK, this isnt something I would normally post about but have now been Vegan for 2 weeks and I swear, I have never poo'd so much in my entire life!

And yeah, I can see what you mean about that 15 second window !

hahahah first off congrats on making the switch, and second of all your intestines will love you for it...now the one thing I did find, and this may be age related, is that if I eat something, still vegan, but not prepared the best way, like french fries, or potatoe chips, then it throws my system off...I have a feeling we, as vegans, might have a slighter than normal sensitive processing plant!!!

[don2wonder]

If you find that your digestive system is getting a little too sensitive for your liking it might b worth trying a probiotic. You will probs notice a significant change in just a few days. Got them for my Dad originally cos he suffers from IBS and gave it a go myself and was pleasantly surprised. I have only tried tablets as they are supposed to b a lot more effective than the little drinks.

[emzy1985]

As far as I'm aware there aren't any probiotic drinks that are vegan, even the supposed dairy free ones!

I go between four and five times a day. They are never really that solid and just flow out of my bum! Graphic enough for you?

[Cattmogg]

alpro soya yoghurts and the new drink have a probiotic in them...

[emzy1985]

I stand corrected!

[Brigitte]

Also Kombucha Tea has natural probiotics in it because it is fermented and it is vegan.

[Klytemnest]

Ok wierd topic, but still good fun, no? Now my movements were always pretty good as, even before my conversion I always ate alot of veggies, but now, especially in the AM, after a couple cups-o-joe, I have a 15 second window to get myself upstairs and on the throne before I explode...in all honesty I have been putting off walking to work in the morning (about 40 minutes) for fear of round 2!!! Sometimes at work, my fellow employees will chuckle as I sprint to the john, I think they're just jealous!

If the "urge to purge" is that sudden, then I think it is the result of the couple of cups of joe. Before I went vegan I would need coffee to make me go... Every morning. Almost as soon as I took the first sip, I would feel some activity... down there...

I no longer drink coffee. Well, extremely rarely. What keeps me regular these days is, I think, two things. First, juicing. This morning I juiced carrots, grapes and a little bit of ginger. That alone usually does the trick. But then my breakfast was half a cup of teff, boiled in unsweetened soy milk, with raisins, cranberries, mashed banana, strawberries, slivered almonds... They all have fiber (that's "fibre" to you Brits... ). Teff, more so than oatmeal, has a laxative effect on me. I don't know what it is about it, but I love it. And, by the way, I wonder if all this fiber is also responsible for my blood pressure - this is the lowest it has been ever (around 108/75).

If you want to see if your vegan diet is what is responsible for your bowel movements, give up coffee for a few days and see if your tummy reacts the same way.

Rami

[fortunecookie]

does anyone know if it is normal to have a lot of stomach cramping/gassyness when you first convert to veganism? It's every night that my stomach does this, very uncomfortable and a bit frustrating.

[harpy]

Hi fortunecookie. I think this can happen if you suddenly increase the amount of dietary fibre (especially insoluble fibre) that you're eating, which often happens when you first go vegan. This tells you which is soluble and which is insoluble:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber

You might want to cut down a bit for a while, e.g. substituting white bread or pasta for wholegrain versions if you normally have those. Temporarily eating more cooked stuff and less raw may help too. And there are some foods that can counteract the effect, such as rice and oats.

You might also want to think about any specific foods that you're suddenly eating more of. People sometimes have problems with beans or soy. Personally I seem to have trouble digesting some soy products - not traditional ones like tofu and tempeh, but fake meats made with TVP.

Hope it eases up soon.

[fortunecookie]

thank you so much Harpy! I was like, what is wrong with me? I was on the internet one night trying to find SOMETHING that would give me a bit o' info, couldn't find anything. I am still new to all of this and I have switched quite drastically, there is no doubt in my mind, that is why. I just hope it stops. Thanks again!

[harpy]

Poor you. If some days/nights are worse than others, you could try keeping a diary of what you eat and how you feel, then you may notice a pattern emerging if particular foods make it worse. Otherwise, going easy on the fibre is probably the best plan - you can always add it back in later, it's good stuff, other things being equal It's meant to be a good idea to drink plenty of water as well as fibrous foods soak it up.

I found this, it's about children but may have some ideas for you:
http://www.vegfamily.com/dietician/0605b.htm

[fortunecookie]

You are very helpful, thanks for your info. I haven't done great in the water department lately...I was in the heat for three days with my family and the sheer chaos of the weekend kept me from drinking enough. I am a personal trainer I should know better! But I didn't even realize fiber soaks it up. Makes sense though. I am on it

[Aradia]

I love you people!!!!!

[Vegabond]

If the "urge to purge" is that sudden, then I think it is the result of the couple of cups of joe. Before I went vegan I would need coffee to make me go... Every morning. Almost as soon as I took the first sip, I would feel some activity... down there...


If you want to see if your vegan diet is what is responsible for your bowel movements, give up coffee for a few days and see if your tummy reacts the same way.

Rami

Hmmm I don't think it's the coffee, really. On the weekend, I normally sleep in a bit, and when I wake up I barely have time to make some coffee, let alone drink that first cup. Besides I love the urge to purge!

[Josef]

this is the thread i was looking for.

[Tigerlily]

This is horrible, guys. I can't have my morning coffee anymore or else I'll be on the toilet all morning.

[Agatha]

oh gosh i'm glad its not just me. i don't really like coffee, but if i do have one cup in the morning i have about ten minutes to find a loo.

:s