Digestion when new to Zone

Brandon Oto · 04-04-2007, 11:34 PM

Hi all,

I just started the Zone recently and had a quick inquiry to make. My digestive system hase been going a little nuts since I started this, with fairly frequent bowel movements that are largely liquid. It's not a tremendous problem, nothing I can't deal with, but I wanted to ask -- is this normal? And is it temporary?

Matt DeMinico · 04-05-2007, 09:57 AM

Make sure you are getting enough carbs (if you're not eating any breads or starches at all, you better be sure you're eating a ton of fruits and veggies). I've heard that not enough carbs can result in irregular or strange bowel movements.

Also might try eating an apple or two, I've heard that the pectin in apples is the same (or very similar) stuff they use in Kaopectate (a laxative), and it might actually help to regulate things, even though it's a fiber, and even though the apple skins have tons of fiber in them.

Brandon Oto · 04-05-2007, 07:45 PM

Calculating my intake via the formulas, and I have two or three apples a day...

I'll see if things change, and maybe try adding a little starch back into the diet.

Kevin McKay · 04-05-2007, 08:16 PM

forget the starch, your body is probably just adjusting to healthy eating. You can't do better than fruits and veg as a carb source.

my 2 pennies

Kevin McKay · 04-06-2007, 07:00 AM

How long have you been having this problem?

Brandon Oto · 04-06-2007, 12:32 PM

Since I started the Zone. A week and a half, two weeks.

Steve Liberati · 04-06-2007, 02:22 PM

No, that is not normal. Garrett Smith ("Dr. G") is the man to go to for something like this. Shoot him an email. Sure he'll be glad to help you out.

Garrett Smith · 04-07-2007, 08:14 AM

Brandon,
I suggest to anyone/everyone that they need to be getting their proper "exposures" to probiotics (aka good bacteria). For my patients, I always start them on a high dose of a very potent probiotic pill and that always seems to help regulate stuff like this.

I did have a friend have a similar situation when he started the Paleo eating. While I cannot be sure that it was the new style of eating or if he got food poisoning, a serious dose of good bacteria fixed the issue within a day.

I can get you the probiotic I recommend or you can try another option: get the "best" probiotic you can at a local health food store (typically look for the most different strains and the highest live cell count, these are the best guidelines until you really know what you're looking at) and start taking around 10 pills a day of those, in divided doses. Also, for the first three days, get three bottles of G.T.'s Synergy Cranberry Kombucha (it's a cultured tea) and take one bottle a day.

That should clear the issue right up, also make sure you're not eating any bad food (like bad meat, I think that played a role with my buddy).

Best of luck, keep us updated.

Brandon Oto · 04-08-2007, 01:43 PM

Thanks all --

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04-04-2007, 11:34 PM	#1
Brandon Oto Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 3,002	Hi all, I just started the Zone recently and had a quick inquiry to make. My digestive system hase been going a little nuts since I started this, with fairly frequent bowel movements that are largely liquid. It's not a tremendous problem, nothing I can't deal with, but I wanted to ask -- is this normal? And is it temporary?

04-05-2007, 09:57 AM	#2
Matt DeMinico Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling Heights MI Posts: 1,938	Make sure you are getting enough carbs (if you're not eating any breads or starches at all, you better be sure you're eating a ton of fruits and veggies). I've heard that not enough carbs can result in irregular or strange bowel movements. Also might try eating an apple or two, I've heard that the pectin in apples is the same (or very similar) stuff they use in Kaopectate (a laxative), and it might actually help to regulate things, even though it's a fiber, and even though the apple skins have tons of fiber in them.

04-05-2007, 07:45 PM	#3
Brandon Oto Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 3,002	Calculating my intake via the formulas, and I have two or three apples a day... I'll see if things change, and maybe try adding a little starch back into the diet.

04-05-2007, 08:16 PM	#4
Kevin McKay Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: albany ca Posts: 1,110	forget the starch, your body is probably just adjusting to healthy eating. You can't do better than fruits and veg as a carb source. my 2 pennies

04-06-2007, 07:00 AM	#5
Kevin McKay Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: albany ca Posts: 1,110	How long have you been having this problem?

04-06-2007, 12:32 PM	#6
Brandon Oto Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 3,002	Since I started the Zone. A week and a half, two weeks.

04-06-2007, 02:22 PM	#7
Steve Liberati Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pennsauken NJ Posts: 1,641	No, that is not normal. Garrett Smith ("Dr. G") is the man to go to for something like this. Shoot him an email. Sure he'll be glad to help you out.

04-07-2007, 08:14 AM	#8
Garrett Smith Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,264	Brandon, I suggest to anyone/everyone that they need to be getting their proper "exposures" to probiotics (aka good bacteria). For my patients, I always start them on a high dose of a very potent probiotic pill and that always seems to help regulate stuff like this. I did have a friend have a similar situation when he started the Paleo eating. While I cannot be sure that it was the new style of eating or if he got food poisoning, a serious dose of good bacteria fixed the issue within a day. I can get you the probiotic I recommend or you can try another option: get the "best" probiotic you can at a local health food store (typically look for the most different strains and the highest live cell count, these are the best guidelines until you really know what you're looking at) and start taking around 10 pills a day of those, in divided doses. Also, for the first three days, get three bottles of G.T.'s Synergy Cranberry Kombucha (it's a cultured tea) and take one bottle a day. That should clear the issue right up, also make sure you're not eating any bad food (like bad meat, I think that played a role with my buddy). Best of luck, keep us updated.

04-08-2007, 01:43 PM	#9
Brandon Oto Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Santa Cruz CA Posts: 3,002	Thanks all --