Atkins and Possible Intestinal Problems

The most general complaint of those who are on the Atkins diet is the intestinal issues that are brought on with cutting back carbohydrates. These issues can include constipation and diarrhea. These problems can happen to anyone at some point, but those who follow a low-carb diet are especially prone. Most times dieters will experience diarrhea during the early part of the diet. This is a result of your body flushing out excess carbohydrates. It also starts the beginning of the ketosis process. So in actuality, experiencing diarrhea at the start of the diet is a positive beginning. It shows that you are on the path to becoming a fat burning machine. Constipation is another and because of the lack of fiber in the low carb weight loss program. Whole grains, legumes and fruit are one source of dietary fiber, and they are all prohibited on the Atkins diet’s initial start. However, you should not be afraid of the low-carb way of living because of these small issues. There are simple solutions that can stop and help with these symptoms and allow you to continue with the weight loss diet plan. My first tip is to make sure to include the exact amount of low-carb veggies in your daily eating plan. In the beginning phase, you can eat up to 20 grams of carbs per day. This is roughly equal to 3 cups of salad veggies. Some individuals are tempted to use their carbohydrate grams on cheese or artificially sugared soda. Eating proper vegetables is a crucial part of maintaining intestinal health while following the Atkins diet. It’s also important to consume a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day and get some sort of exercise. Both of these steps can help with intestinal issues.

If you are experiencing constipation only, then there are many ways for relief. When you switch from a diet full of processed and refined sugar foods, your body will need some time to correct itself to this new way of eating. You’ll need to make sure to add more fiber intake with proper vegetables and fruits (certain fruits are allowed after the initial induction phase). You can also try a fiber supplement like sugar-free Metamucil. Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of not enough fat in your diet. Adding a tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to your salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal issues. Also, try to add a variety of veggies to your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce has very little fiber in it. Try dark green lettuce or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these suggestions don’t work, try cutting out all sodium from your diet for a few days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and should help with bowel movements. Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction diet. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, look over your diet. If you are consuming low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, stop them. They may contain sweeteners like glycerine, sorbitol and malitol which are known to cause diarrhea and gas. Homemade low carb desserts may also be a cause of your issues. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some individuals. If you are not used to eating raw veggies everyday, this may be a cause of your diarrhea. figure out that your body will fix itself to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won’t last very long. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this issue. Intestinal problems are well known during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these issues will go away within the first few weeks of the new way of eating. If the problems persist, try the previously mentioned tips to get relief.