Ideal Protein Constipation

Dieters are often concerned with the side effects of the ideal protein.  There are many things your body will experience, and constipation is part of the effects.   This is because a high protein diet does not have enough fiber. Foods rich in fiber like fruits and grains are not part of the diet.  Fortunately, you will only constipate in the first few days as your body transition to the new diet.

Causes of ideal protein constipation

High protein diet

Protein is part of a healthy diet. It repairs muscles, bones, and organs.  A high protein diet is helpful for weight loss while retaining muscles. High protein meals are derived from animal protein. Food rich in proteins lacks fiber, thus triggers constipation. Fiber-rich foods such as fruits are not included in the program.

Low fiber

Fiber helps to move stool effectively out of the body. The ideal protein diet involves animal products rich in proteins with low fiber.  This is why you are supposed to pay attention to the amount of fiber intake. Adults are recommended to take 20 to 35 grams of fiber intake daily—one way to get the minimum amount of fiber while on an ideal diet is through drinking water. Also, the diet includes vegetables to make the math right.  

Dehydration

Dehydration takes place when the body does not get much water.  The body cannot function properly when the water content is low. You will start to have symptoms like dizziness, swollen tongue, bad breath, thirsty, little pee, dry lips, eyes, and mouth.

Dehydration is the main cause of constipation.  High protein diets risk a person to abnormal bowel movements.  Your kidney is forced to work hard in order to remove waste from digestion. This organ depends on water to work effectively.

How to deal with ideal protein constipation

Drink water

If you are searching for a natural way to cure constipation, drinking enough water can help to relieve constipation.  It is the fastest and easiest way to rehydrate quickly.  600ml of water treats mild constipation within 45 minutes.

The best indicator to show you are hydrated is by checking your urine.  Strong smelling and dark yellow pee is a symptom of insufficient water. Pale yellow, transparent, and light yellow pee indicates normal hydration.

Zucchini

Zucchini is rich in fiber and water. These compounds aid digestion and lowers the risk of constipation.  It has 1g of dietary fiber.

Squash

Squash is packed with many nutrients.  It is loaded with magnesium, potassium as well as a good source of fiber. Like other vegetables, squash is free from cholesterol, fat, and sodium.  This makes it to be part of the ideal protein diet.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a great source of fiber with 2.6grams per 100 grams. This soluble fiber promotes a healthy gut by putting good bacteria in the colon.

Cucumbers

Cucumber is rich in water and fiber that helps to treat constipation. The amount of fiber content is about 1g.

Kale

Kale has small amounts of dietary fiber and protein. These two nutrients are essential when losing weight.            

Celery

Celery contains 95% water content and a good amount of insoluble fiber. These keep your bowel movement regular and healthy digestive tract. One cup of celery has 5g fiber. 

Spinach

Spinach contains insoluble fiber and magnesium; both help the large intestine to flush wastes and cure digestion symptoms.

Enzymes

Digestive enzymes assist the body in breaking food nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, and fats.   Break down of food allows the body to absorb nutrients easily. Dieters get enzyme supplements to aid healthy digestion tract and treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is available in a multivitamin supplement formulated on the ideal protein diet. The soluble vitamin passes water into the colon. This effect helps to soften stool.

Omega 3

Fish oil can be derived from supplements with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  Also, it is found in specific cold water fish are salmon, sardines, halibut, tuna, mackerel, and herring. Omega 3 fatty acids are used for various body functions, including digestion. In addition, Research indicates that the supplements treat constipation caused by diseases like Crohn’s disease.

Omega 3 from other sources can bring bloating or gas. Henceforth, it is good to know the source of the supplement. Some fish oil has heavy metals like mercury and other contaminants. Dieters should consume ideal protein omega 3 to avoid downsides.

Things to avoid when treating ideal protein constipation

Laxatives

Consuming laxatives when you are constipated is not a good idea.  Most people get extreme constipation after taking over counter drugs. These drugs result in movement of the bowel through irritating the colon. As a result of this, colon muscles contract; hence bowel comes out. 

Laxatives make the colon to rely on an outside mechanism in order to eject stool. Therefore, the muscles become lazy and over-dependent. This leads to chronic constipation that can only be relieved by drugs.

Fiber supplements

Fiber supplements are used to treat chronic constipation.  It takes water from the colon, thus makes your stool to be soft and easy to pass. However, fiber can worsen the situation. It remains in the gut and lowers bowel movement.

The supplements can be substituted by a fiber-rich diet. For example, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and kale and drinking eight glasses of daily water work well.

Probiotics

Probiotics are referred to as live bacteria that are good for the digestive system.  The body has both good and bad bacteria. Probiotics are good bacteria for keeping a healthy gut. Nonetheless, most people claim to experience side effects. This drug triggers digestive symptoms like bloating and gas. Moreover, yeast-based probiotics increase thirst and constipation.   

How to track normal bowel

A bowel movement should be tracked regularly. Here are some of the guidelines to indicate normal stool:

• Have regular stool movement at least three times daily.
• The shape should be solid.
• The smell should not be extremely foul.
• The stool should sink. Floating indicates that fats are not digested well.
• Soft and easy to remove from the body.
• The color should be natural brown.
• Hard and lumpy stool indicates that the digestive system cannot move waste.

Conclusion

It is common to experience drawbacks when you have not consumed the right foods. This includes sugary meals, flavored creams, refined and processed carbohydrates. Your body will work to adjust to the change of diet.  Besides that, it eliminates toxins that were present in the foods you were eating.