rather embarassing question here.

Okay, I can't believe I'm even asking this, but does eating healthy make your stool harder or does it make you go to the bathroom less? I find this a problem, and is there anything I can eat or take that will help this? thank you.

Actually, when you eat lots fiber, i.e. fruits and veggies, you'll go to the bathroom at least once a day, and you'll find your stool comes out easier. It should be firm, float, and a brown color.  If you're having trouble (being constipated), you need more fiber: oatmeal, raisins, prunes & lots of green veggies.

and also make sure you drink enough !!!!

for the rest what kinezz said 

It shouldn't.  You should definitely be getting lots of fiber and don't forget to drink plenty of water.  I read recently (sorry, don't have a link to it) that the best way to tell if you're dehydrated is if you're constipated.  So drink up.  :)

You could be getting too much fiber, particularly if it comes in the form of added fiber (i.e. metamucil or high fiber cereals like fiber one). You didn't really say what you're eating so I'm not assuming anything.  Just try to get your fiber in the form of whole fruits and veggies.  It'll be better for you and you'll get hydration from the food ;-)

I suppose you could have some sort of illness too, I'm no doctor.  So if you feel it's necessary, you may want to go see one.  The answer in any case is, no, if you're eating and drinking properly, you should not be constipated.

Yeah, I drink 64 ounces of water daily, so that shouldnt be the problem. Maybe I'm not getting enough fiber. thank you (:

wait, do you think I really could have an illness? I've never been too regular with going to the bathroom pretty much my whole life. And when I was younger I had diaherria for a very long time, and they said it was because I was dehydrated.

You were probably dehydrated because you had diarrhea, not the other way around. 

Diarrhea is usually caused by a type of infectious disease. Many children and  elderly adults die each year all over the world from some form of diarrhea, mainly because they become dehydrated so fast that little can be done.  This is why doctors immediately tell the parents of a child with diarrhea to get a bottle of pedialyte or gatorade;  it can be devistating to a little one's system in no time flat. In more developed countries, however, it's usually a reaction to a food intolerance or caused by irritable bowel syndrome.  In women, minor cases are sometimes tied to the menstrual cycle.

As for constipation, no, if you're getting enough fiber and water, you should not be constipated.  Try eating a banana or two.  They sometimes help loosen stool in the short term.  They always did the trick when my daughter was constipated as a little one.

When I first started eating less, I definitely went #2 less. It's simple in my mind - eat less, poop less. There's less food, therefore there's less waste.

I've just now, after a year of cutting calories, gotten onto a daily pooping schedule. I would recommend upping your fiber and lots and lots of water. I personally try to have a big salad every day :)

All bran works pretty well. I mis it into my light yogurt for a little crunch and then it doesn't taste so dry. Oh and if you take a daily dose of fish oil, that also helps.

Also, if you are taking any iron supplement or have recently increased your protein and decreased your carbs, this will happen too. Good luck!

64 ounces of water is not that much... if you're eating a lot of fiber you really need more water than that. Try drinking a few more glasses each day and see if it improves matters.

Hm, I only poop once every two or three days with hard stools, but I consume 25 g fiber MIN every day and drink at least 9 cups of water - what gives?

Original Post by kae1106:

wait, do you think I really could have an illness? I've never been too regular with going to the bathroom pretty much my whole life. And when I was younger I had diaherria for a very long time, and they said it was because I was dehydrated.

I really don't know honestly.  It's possible I suppose.  If you haven't gone in days, I'd say definitely go see a doctor.  But if you're just not going all that often and/or it takes a long time to go, then you're probably okay.

It used to take me forever to go #2.  And it was always a struggle.  Then I changed to a vegan diet.  Now I go several times a day and it only takes a fraction of the time too.  If anyone cares about my bowel movements :-D

Contrary to popular belief it's normal to only poop every 2-3 day's....when it's been a week and extremely painful is when it's more. If you are concerned try drinking apple juice....for most people bannana's make it worse as well as potatoes and such....try adding in fiber and water and if it get's bad either go to your dr or you can take mineral oil or fish oil.

"Contrary to popular belief it's normal to only poop every 2-3 day's...."

Says who?  If someone is eating 5-a-day (1lb a day) fresh fruit and vegetables and several portions of high-fibre wholegrains where is it all supposed to go?  Given how poor the typical Western Diet is with low fibre content, few vegetables and far too much starch, fat and meat, once every 2-3 days may be the 'average' but I don't think it's normal or particularly healthy.

I only go about once a week...

this is nuts.  i eat virtually no fruit, nowhere near enough veggies (closer to 2-3 servings than 5-10), and i poop once a day or more.  if i miss a day, something's wrong.  if i don't poop for two days, i take steps to correct it (with whole grains, flaxseed, water, etc.  i've never taken a drugstore laxative in my life).

Yes, ever since I started eating a lot more fiber, I have the worst time with constipation!  I use to go every day and now I go days without being able to go and when I do it's not easy.  I have started taking Citrasil once a day and it has helped.  I eat lots of fruit, veggies, beans, whole wheat bread products, etc...  I get in plenty of fiber. 

Talk to your dr if you don't believe me....constipation is more then just missing a day....as I said more than 2-3 day's...and when you go its small hard little pellets....The food you eat has alot of water in it and your body breaks it down and you urinate alot of the weight of the food out....as well as do you know how long your intestines are? they are Huge!!! (not going to look up the exact measurements now) but when your body is done processing it it is a heck of alot more compact then when you put it in your mouth....people are all different when it comes to this. Here is a great website on it http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs /constipation/

Original Post by alyssandra:

Talk to your dr if you don't believe me....constipation is more then just missing a day....as I said more than 2-3 day's...and when you go its small hard little pellets....The food you eat has alot of water in it and your body breaks it down and you urinate alot of the weight of the food out....as well as do you know how long your intestines are? they are Huge!!! (not going to look up the exact measurements now) but when your body is done processing it it is a heck of alot more compact then when you put it in your mouth....people are all different when it comes to this. Here is a great website on it http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs /constipation/

You're saying it's normal to have a bowel movement only every 2 to 3 days? Where else can I see that?  Is there a study about it or something?  The "just ask your doctor" argument is critically flawed in my opinion.  Doctors can be amazingly mis-informed when it comes to topics of nutrition and many will give old wives' tale answers without knowing it.  The nih site indicated that constipation was defined as going 3 days between bowel movements.  And even though the bowels are very long, it doesn't mean you empty out your entire intestines every time you go. I'm interested, I'd like to know what range people should be going and why.

I hope it's ok to go only every 2 or 3 days because that's how regular I've been for my whole life, even when I ate more fibre and drank more water.

Somewhere along the the lines I think whomever came up with the phrase "being regular" was probably saying "going regularly" on your individual schedule. Going every day. Every 1-2 days. 2-3 days... I don't think has anything to do with it. Being regular means going on your very own individual cycle no matter how long it is.

It's all a combination of genetics and what you're eating.

My personal schedule is every 1-2 days. I had a roommate in college who went every day like clockwork. If we ate McDonalds (this was back in the day) give me less than an hour afterwards and WATCH OUT! My poor roommate on the other hand, he wouldn't go for nearly 4 days.