The FastDay Forum

I am looking for some advice. I have a tummy ache. But is it from fasting or is it from coffee or something else? The abdominal pain ache feels like rocks, stomach to bowels. Yoga, abdominal stretches helped a lot. Fasting or not. It could be that my digestive system is more sensitive. I have been on the 5:2 for 2 months and this started a week ago. My first sip of coffee was painful this morning, after a fast yesterday. After eating an orange, I feel better.

[Moogie]

I've read that fasting can sometimes make minor food intolerances more noticeable so whether that might be the case, I don't know.

I've found that after a fast day if I eat too early (ie, breakfast for the sake of breakfast and not because I'm hungry) or try to eat too much at once (big bowl of cereal instead of little) I'll get a tummy ache. I just see this as my body telling me I can't go back to my old ways and that I need to listen to it more!

[Moogie]

Oops, didn't spot that it had been going on for a week. Is that constant pain? Defo see your doc or call NHS direct.

The pains I had would only last for a day at a time and only after a fast day if I broke my fast too early or with too much. This sounds like something different if the pain is constant.

My tummy ache may be something other than fasting. I'll make an appointment on Monday if it's not better. Thanks for the advice.

I have been going a little research and pondering my diet and habits. It might be the sugarless gum that was giving me tummy troubles. I have been chewing a lot of it. The gum has maltitol and aspartane and sorbitol. I found some health sites that say these sweeteners can cause tummy troubles. I will cut down on my coffee too. 4 or 5 cups of coffee might be too much.
I had one cup of coffee and no gum yesterday and feel much better for it.

I had to stop drinking diet pop and chewing sugar-free gum a long time before starting this diet. There's a gum called Pur that has xylitol as the sweetener that doesn't irritate my stomach. It's not calorie-free (5 per piece) and my kids complain that the flavour doesn't last very long but it's better than being all 'gassy'! I buy it at a specialty grocery store but I think health food stores carry it as well.