dohpeterchina wrote: I found this article on PubMed:
Association of Low Dietary Intake of Fiber and Liquids With Constipation
Try increasing liquids as a first line against constipation.
Does lactulose work, because you drink more with it? That is for later studies.
Hope this helps
I think there is a fundamental difference between chronic constipation due to chronic dehydration (the most common situation Drs see) and occasional constipation brought on by extreme variability in fecal output brought on by fasting.
I agree with you that the first thing to ask is whether you are drinking enough water on fast days, since MM makes a big point that we do derive a lot of water from our food, hence when we eat less we need to replace the water we would have consumed in our food. Fasting or not, you should be drinking enough to keep your urine pale straw yellow or nearly clear.
Aside from that, if one day you eat a large volume of food and the next day you do not, the food from the fast day will tend to sit longer (have a slower transit time) which gives the body more time to extra water from the stools, making them harder. That is why consuming fiber with a LOT of water can be helpful -- it keeps the throughput in the gut more steady. "Keeps things moving" and the fiber is better at holding on to the water, keeping the stools softer.
So, if my child complains of constipation or rabbit poo, what will I recommend? Drinking more water. If fasting brings about a slower gut, I'd up my water and consider fiber to smooth out the ride.
Of course, I was already taking psyllium for other health benefits, but my colon is sure happy about it.
