too much fiber?

J

jessicah

Cathlete
According to sparkpeople.com, I regularly consume over 34 grams of fiber a day. The FDA recommends 20-25 grams per day. I do not take any fiber supplements, but I do eat really clean. I have been eating like this for over a year so one would think my body would have adjusted by now!

I have been having some issues with bloating and constipation - do you think this is why? I don't want to go back to eating nutrient-less foods but I don't like feeling bloated all the time either. For those of you who eat clean, how much fiber do you intake? am I getting too much fiber?
does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Jessica
 
I probably get about that much fiber daily also & some weeks are worse than others with the bloating but lately it's been worse. I have been trying out beano & gas-x to see how that helps, I've only been using them for about a week or so- I think it does seem to help some with the bloating feeling. As for constipation, I've always had issues with that regardless of diet. When I was 21 & drank & ate fast food all the time, had problems and still have problems today eating healthy. The only thing I have found to help with that is hot water. I overheard a conversation of a coworker one day about 3 1/2 years ago about how his son goes & drinks hot water when he can't go. So, of course I asked about it & I guess the hot water relaxed the body-for some people coffee does the same. Anyway, I started drinking a glass of hot water every morning at the same time-it took about two weeks of doing this before it started working but let me tell you, I thank God everyday that I overheard that conversation because it works & I'm not longer in pain. Just be warned, once it starts working there is no "holding it" you have to go! I typically drink it right after my shower in the morning so it does it thing while getting ready. Hope that helps & sorry for the novel! :)
 
You do not want to over consume fiber all at once because it can cause an obstruction. Hot coffee in the morning usually works for me. Hot water would work. Tea actually can cause constipation. I think some people just genetically have a problem. I had two children with this problem and I had it since I was a child. Try a magnesium supplement as it will help. A lot of medications and calcium supplements can cause bloating, gas, and constipation. Calcium gluconate and lactate are better for alleviating some peoples problems. I take extra magnesium as this was recommended by my doctor.

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I have similar problems occasionally. My morning java usually gets things rolling, but sometimes I still have issues.

The bloating and gas is what plagues me the most, and I don't think it's because I've increased my fiber too much/too fast either. I just think I have trigger foods that I have to identify and stay away from.

One interesting find I've had regarding my trigger foods and upon research on the internet, I'm not alone in this -- is INULIN. This is the fiber that is added to the higher fiber yogurts, juices, etc., and is the main ingredient in the Fiber One bars. I was in so much pain with gas and bloating for weeks that I was about to get myself the doctor. I finally figured out that it was the Fiber One bars. Since I've added them to my taboo list, I've been much better. (Which is really a shame, because they are so GOOD!)

Just an FYI if any of you are having problems - consider the Fiber One bars if they are part of your daily diet or other items with added inulin. I really try to get my fiber from natural sources vs. artificially added fiber products that are really getting popular.

Heidi
 
hope you don't mind me jumping in here, but does anyone know if you can get too much fiber from eating clean? i eat fiber one cereal for breakfast everyday, and more than just the 1/2 cup serving. i eat tons of fruits, veggies, beans, anf whole grains. i am also very very regular. so could i be eating too much fiber? is that bad?
 
I wanted to step in here because I, too, eat a lot of fiber but when I eat a high fiber diet consistantly, I don't have problems with bloating or constipation (especially constipation - I tend to have more the opposite problem!) However, as another poster said, if I eat certain foods (certain types of beans are killer to me, but I can eat Chick peas and others with no worries, broccoli is another one as is cabbage) I'm a bloated fool.

I think fiber is like a lot of other things in our diets - you have to determine what works for you. If you're having a lot of problems, try to determine if any food is causing issues. If you're eating a high fiber diet with no issues, talk to your doctor, but I wouldn't change my diet unless she recommends it because I do believe for many people a high fiber diet is really healthy.
 
The FDA recommendations are a minimum, and better is 35 gm a day. There are many people around the world who naturally eat more fiber than that.

It's tough to get too much fiber, unless perhaps you are using a fiber supplement. Ones natural appetite will limit fiber to what is usable by the body. One problem that can occur is when people suddenly start eating more fiber, especially without drinking enough fluids. This can cause constipation.
 
I've read many times it is 20-35 grams a day. I saw Dr. Roizen on The View (last week I think) and he said 20-35g. I actually eat about 25-30 a day.

If you're eating tons of fiber you should drink plenty of water, otherwise that fiber is going to harden in your intestines and you'll defeat the purpose of eating it in the first place. Dr. Roizen said it can become as hard as a block of cement if you don't drink enough water. Probably an exaggeration, but he made his point.
 
thanks for the info. i definately get enough fluid, so i just won't worry about it. things seem to be working fine for me.
 
Funny, but when I was on the Fat Flush plan and took the long life cocktail twice a day (using ground flaxseed) I became very constipated.

Have switched to once in the morning and am still drinking the hot lemon water in the AM before food also. (1 TB lemon juice - real, not out of the bottle) and it has kept me just fine for over 6 months.

I eat 1 - 2 servings of fruit, 3 - 4 or more of veggies and the occasional serving of grains a few times a week.

Just something else to try :7
 
Thank you for all the advice and tips so far.
I don't think lack of fluids is my problem. I don't know how I could drink any more water without floating away.
I drank hot water all day yesterday and that didn't seem to do the trick. I have been taking flaxseed oil capsules so I think I'm going to lay off those for awhile and I will stop at Walgreens tonight to buy some magnesium.
I also checked the ingredients of Zone bars which I eat a few times a week hoping that they would contain inulin and I could just stop eating those. But they do not.
Grrrr . . . This is so aggravating!!

But again, thank you!

Jessica
 
I used to eat Kashi cereal in the morning. By 1:00, my belly was so distended, and it was very painful. I quit the cereal (though I hated to) and no more bloat. Something in it did not agree.

Jeanette
 
oh no, please don't say that! I have kashi go lean cereal (not the crunch) EVERY morning for the past 4 years (with the exception of vacations. Certainly that couldn't be the problem after all these years with no problems? i really hope this magnesium helps because i really don't want to give up my kashi!;(
 
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