risk of high protein diets

One of the things that may keep you from starting a new diet is remembering the last time you started eating healthier foods - gas and its unhappy partner constipation. Healthy foods like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, corn, prunes, eggs, peppers, radishes, onions, etc. all produce gas when eaten. This usually happens at the beginning of a diet, and until the body gets used to you treating it better with these kinds of healthier foods there are some over the counter remedies you might want to stock up on. Always remember, though, if you continue to experience painful gas and nothing seems to help it, see your doctor.

Here are some things you can do in your everyday activities that will prevent gas and constipation while dieting:

• Drink lots of fluids, water in particular. Fluids in the intestinal track will ensure the bowels are moving comfortably.
• Get plenty of exercise, even if it is just vacuuming, walking the dog, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. If your body is moving on the outside, it is also moving on the inside - a sedentary lifestyle will be reflected in sedentary bowels.
• Dieters often eat a lot of dairy products like yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Be sure to balance these with lots of fiber-bearing foods like nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
• When you 'get the urge' to go, then go. Don't put it off for a 'more convenient time.'
• To help establish regularity it is also a good practice to set aside a certain time of the day to go to the bathroom.

Some other tips to help prevent gas and constipation anytime, not just while you are dieting, include:

• Make sure you are consuming enough fats and oils, which will prevent things getting hard and dry. Flax and olive oil are best.
• Eat dark green lettuces like romaine (not pale iceburg, which is mostly water). Spinach, and endive are also excellent 'movers.'
• If you are experiencing some bloating, which can create pressure and slow the bowel down, cut out ALL salt for a few days. This means no ham bacon, mayo, mustard, pickles or diet soda (which contains sodium) or any other salty foods.
• One last hint: drink a cup of hot water with the juice of half a fresh lemon in the morning and again in the late afternoon. The sodium citrate in the lemon juice acts as a natural laxative.

Speaking of laxatives, it is not a good idea to take commercial laxatives on a regular basis. They are fine for a onetime event, but can be habit forming. These products irritate the bowel, causing it to 'spasm.' A stool softener, on the other hand, is safe to add as it is not absorbed and helps the stool to hold onto water, making gas and constipation while dieting less likely.

While gas and constipation while dieting may make the first week or two of a diet difficult, once your body begins to understand what you are doing to it, these symptoms should go away.