My body either hates produce or just not used to it!

[SereneHome]

For the past 6 yrs I've been trying to loose weight.  And when I say "trying", I really mean just thinking about it, going for a few walks here and there, doing elliptical here and there - stuff like that.  I also never changed what I eat, which is not too terrible, but I eat very little vegetables and hardly any fruit.

Knowing myself and knowing that I need to do things in baby steps, I decided to eat at least one vegetable and one fruit a day.  Without going into gory details, let's just say, that my trips to the bathroom increased quite a bit.

So......has anyone, who started adding more produce to their diets experienced that?  I am hoping that it's just my body adjusting and not that any kind of "condition" or anything.

Thoughts / ideas?

 

[mamaraby]

It’s probably the fiber and it’s a good thing. If your diet was lower in fiber than you probably were slightly constipated or at the very least had longer transit times. Shorter transit times in the colon are tied with a reduced risk in colon cancer. It will probably adjust some as you adapt to a higher fiber diet.

[catz]

I think it is extremely common to have an adjustment period.  You could consider adding probiotics too which might speed up the process of adjustment a little.  Just keep baby stepping, it will work itself out.  

[HomeAgain]

It could be an adjustment, but I've found certain vegetables are not compatible with my body.  Lettuce when we're out & about is a bad idea.  At home we eat spinach or hydroponically grown butterleaf, but the pesticides on the stuff in bags or in restaurants isn't washed completely off. I get so sick if I eat it. Onions I love, but have to be very careful about moderation.

You may be experiencing something similar or just need to pick and choose to see what is okay and what isn't as you change your diet.

[BeachGal]

Plant fiber is “eaten” by the microbes in your large intestines. Without the fiber, their populations dwindle and even die out which is not ideal. Your body is probably adjusting to the fiber which is not at all unusual. Might take a few weeks to adjust.

[SereneHome]

I also noticed that my body is reacting very differently to tomatoes from my garden vs store bought ones....

[regentrude]

If one serving of fruits and one serving of vegetables is really a new thing for your diet, it means that up to now you have gotten very little fiber, and yes, your body needs to get used to the increase in fiber.

Edited August 24, 2018 by regentrude

[ondreeuh]

Interesting comment above about microorganisms.... I drink 3-4 L of water a day and eat a minimum of 6 servings of produce (most days that includes an apple, a carrot, and blueberries), and I am always constipated. I have some Culturelle in the cupboard that maybe I should try.

OP, are you making any other changes to your diet?

[KungFuPanda]

If you’re not eating fruits and vegetables, your diet IS terrible. It would be worth the health benefits to push through the adjustment period. 

[lavender's green]

One fruit and one vegetable is not much produce at all, and you probably just need an adjustment period. I also wouldn't consider that a healthy diet, sorry.

That said, one of the healthiest eaters I know has trouble digesting certain types of produce. She pays close attention to how each thing makes her feel, often has to cook/process the heck out of it, watch her portions, and I think she mentioned digestive enzymes, too. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Odd question but do you notice it is worse when you eat mainly raw veggies?  Try having the veggies cooked for a bit and see if it helps.  

One of my friends has to have most veggies cooked and takes digestive enzymes to help her.  She can’t tolerate raw veggies too well.  

[kbutton]

I have trouble with greens in any significant quantity. Overall, I think probiotics help a great deal, and I have heard digestive enzymes are really helpful. I would add a little fiber at a time until you feel better. 

There are also different kinds of fiber: https://www.webmd.com/diet/compare-dietary-fibers

 

[SereneHome]

I didn't say I don't eat any vegetables, I said I eat little.  Not 5-6 servings that all the diet gurus think is a must. 

And no, my diet is not terrible, just not the best.  I should have probably said that I started eating vegetables that I wasn't eating that much before -like peppers and broccoli, vs my regular cucumbers and tomatoes (for example).  I was trying to add an extra different vegetable and at least one fruit.  Nothing new, just not something I ever ate regularly. 

 

[SereneHome]

3 hours ago, ondreeuh said:

Interesting comment above about microorganisms.... I drink 3-4 L of water a day and eat a minimum of 6 servings of produce (most days that includes an apple, a carrot, and blueberries), and I am always constipated. I have some Culturelle in the cupboard that maybe I should try.

OP, are you making any other changes to your diet?

no, not really. 

 

[Pen]

You might try pesticides free or low version in case you are reacting to something on it. Or at least wash well with something likely to clean them well. 

Then, I would try adding one unaccustomed item at a time and keeping a record of how your body reacts. 

 

[Pen]

Of what you mentioned, broccoli sometimes has been a tummy irritation culprit in our family. And it makes our dog gassy. It seems inconsistent, however. 

[SereneHome]

20 minutes ago, Pen said:

Of what you mentioned, broccoli sometimes has been a tummy irritation culprit in our family. And it makes our dog gassy. It seems inconsistent, however. 

Just like with tomatoes, I  also wonder if there is truly such difference between farm vegetables and store bought

I am in New England, so our growing season is super short but I like farm produce much better so thought now would be a good time to start on my health journey. 

[Garga]

I have some friends who don't do so well with bananas.  Are you eating bananas?  

[SereneHome]

1 minute ago, Garga said:

I have some friends who don't do so well with bananas.  Are you eating bananas?  

No, I used to LOVE them when I was a kid bc it was a novelty item where I am from, but totally lost interested once we got in US

Isn't it interesting - you truly do what you can't have

[regentrude]

Peppers and broccoli are more difficult to digest than cucumbers and contain compounds that cause gas for many people. You might try cooking them instead of eating them raw.

[Pen]

 

On peppers, I had an image of sweet red ones. 

Green ones have some toxic thing that dissipates as they ripen, someone told me. I have tended to avoid green ones. 

[SereneHome]

18 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

On peppers, I had an image of sweet red ones. 

Green ones have some toxic thing that dissipates as they ripen, someone told me. I have tended to avoid green ones. 

Didn't know that...thanks

[regentrude]

5 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

Didn't know that...thanks

Green peppers are unripe red peppers. They contain more solanine, an alkaloid that occurs in all night shades. The content lessens as the pepper ripens.

Edited August 24, 2018 by regentrude

[Selkie]

Yes, this is normal and to be expected. I'm on several vegan/plant-based forums and Facebook pages, and this topic comes up often - people are surprised at how many more trips to the bathroom they make once they start eating lots of plants.

This is one of the benefits of eating plants, as all that fiber basically scrubs your digestive tract and very efficiently removes toxins from your body. If you are interested in finding out more about it, check out the book How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger.?

[Katy]

IME it takes about 6 weeks of daily eating to adjust to the fiber in peppers, broccoli, and beans.

There's a reason there was a whole episode of Big Bang Theory devoted to the giant flaw in Sheldon's Cruciferous Vegetable Night.  He thought he was dying.

[Rosie_0801]

Make sure you're chewing properly. People tend not to because it's such a boring thing to think about.

Also drink more water. Your need for water increases as your fibre intake increases.

Probiotics help too. ?

[SereneHome]

3 hours ago, Selkie said:

Yes, this is normal and to be expected. I'm on several vegan/plant-based forums and Facebook pages, and this topic comes up often - people are surprised at how many more trips to the bathroom they make once they start eating lots of plants.

This is one of the benefits of eating plants, as all that fiber basically scrubs your digestive tract and very efficiently removes toxins from your body. If you are interested in finding out more about it, check out the book How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger.?

Thanks, I'll look it up

I just finished Dr Furhman's book The end of dieting and started Plant Paradox - I find all those theories are very fascinating.

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

A couple other ideas:

Your body produces less of the digestive enzymes needed for vegetables and pulses when not exposed, but can ramp back up over a few weeks, so just give it time.  

If you are still having issues after this, you can look into a FODMAPs elimination diet to see if you can narrow down which things are causing issues.  

[MEmama]

After my DH suffered an attack of pancreatitis, he's no longer been able to tolerate many fresh greens (a big part of our diet). We found that he can digest greens like spinach and kale in green smoothies, however; being already puréed takes the stress of digestion off his body. So that's become a regular workaround for us.

Something similar might help you while you increase your vegetable intake--instead of a side of broccoli, try a puréed broccoli soup; instead of a side of carrots, a smooth tomato carrot soup with fresh garden veggies might be easier for your body to digest as it adjusts. There are limitless ways to introduce additional vegetables into ones diet while being mindful of making them easier to process.

Good luck! 

[Serenade]

20 hours ago, ondreeuh said:

most days that includes an apple, a carrot, and blueberries),

 

My mom says blueberries stop her up, so that might be something to consider.

[ondreeuh]

4 minutes ago, Serenade said:

 

My mom says blueberries stop her up, so that might be something to consider.

It usually has the opposite effect on people! Regardless, even when I don’t eat them I am constipated. I eat whole grains and beans too. My system seems to be very efficient. 

[SereneHome]

I don't know if it's bc I am getting old or bc my body completely changed after having kids, but this is all soooo new to me.  I used to eat anything and everything, in all ours of day and night and never blinked an eye.

Such a different story now....

[BarbecueMom]

8 minutes ago, SereneHome said:

I don't know if it's bc I am getting old or bc my body completely changed after having kids, but this is all soooo new to me.  I used to eat anything and everything, in all ours of day and night and never blinked an eye.

Such a different story now....

Kinda the same here.  I have a ton of GI issues, but honestly with three young boys needing constant supervision, the constipation is way easier than the alternative.  Nothing will derail a school day or draw blood from a kid faster than mom needing to go to the bathroom stat.

I suspect I subconsciously let some of those high fiber foods slip from my diet so I wasn’t out of the room as often.  

[SereneHome]

1 hour ago, BarbecueMom said:

Kinda the same here.  I have a ton of GI issues, but honestly with three young boys needing constant supervision, the constipation is way easier than the alternative.  Nothing will derail a school day or draw blood from a kid faster than mom needing to go to the bathroom stat.

I suspect I subconsciously let some of those high fiber foods slip from my diet so I wasn’t out of the room as often.  

Or if I have to go to work.....I hate using toilets somewhere else!

[Pen]

11 hours ago, WendyAndMilo said:

No way!  I have a green pepper plant (never grown peppers before) and I thought they were kinda small, I left them on the plant and a week later I have red peppers.  I thought I had gotten a red pepper plant by mistake!

 

Way!

Peppers start green and then can ripen to a variety of colors. Usually red, but also yellow, orange, and sometimes even more unusual colors like purple and chocolate.

The first time I saw a chocolate colored pepper I thought it was bad, but it was a special sweet pepper cultivar.

It is similar to tomatoes which usually ripen to red, but where some varieties are other colors when ripe. 

 

[Pen]

12 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Make sure you're chewing properly. People tend not to because it's such a boring thing to think about.

Also drink more water. Your need for water increases as your fibre intake increases.

Probiotics help too. ?

 

I need to do more chewing too. 

Maybe I can imagine a contented cow ? munching ?

[BeachGal]

On 8/24/2018 at 10:37 AM, ondreeuh said:

Interesting comment above about microorganisms.... I drink 3-4 L of water a day and eat a minimum of 6 servings of produce (most days that includes an apple, a carrot, and blueberries), and I am always constipated. I have some Culturelle in the cupboard that maybe I should try.

OP, are you making any other changes to your diet?

 

You could also have a nerve signaling problem. The biochemicals in your gut (mouth on down) communicate with your nerves which send signals to your brain. Vagus nerve signaling devices are going to trial for people with slow motility problems. The device is worn behind the earlobe, IIRC. For some, it may be that they just need to condition their body so that the signal is “heard.”

Do you eat leafy greens on a daily basis as well? Cooked spinach, kale? 

Eating a variety of fruits and veggies, including raw, fermented foods like sauerkraut, might help as well. Walnuts and other nuts as well (the skins of nuts are especially nutritious).

[BeachGal]

The researcher Rhonda Patrick offers excellent, free online information to anyone interested in learning more about health issues. She is by far my favorite resource.

For example, in regard to losing weight and preventing certain diseases, when and how often you eat is just as important as what you eat. Rhonda has two interviews with Satchin Panda (Circadian rhythms researcher) that are worth checking out.

Another person I like is William Li and his work on combining foods for antiangiogenesis.