Gas induced by Vegetarian diet?!??!?!?!?!?!

[Beautiful Disaster]

I'm a week and a half into a meatless diet. I read quite a bit before I started this and knew that I may have some gas/bloating problems at first due to the increase in fiber. Also, I know that spirulina does help to clean out the system which could be causing part of it. I've tried beano, it only seems to work for beans and some fruits. I've considered taking a few supplements of "Nature Cleanse" to cleanse my colon and get a "fresh" start.

Does anyone have any recommendation? I have the constant feeling of either having gas or feeling like I need to poo when I can't seem to. ANY suggestions are VERY WELCOME!!!!

[WildChild]

Most likely you aren't digesting something fully and it is fermenting in your gut - that is waht causes gas. Dramatic changes in diet can do that. Are you eating a lot of whole grains or beans?

[Beautiful Disaster]

I'm eating a ton of vegetables, and yes some beans and whole grains. I'm making a conscious effort to get plenty of fiber. I read some about spirulina last night and it talked about how it cleans out your system especially when you first start using it. Perhaps thats part of it. I feel like a good colon cleanse would do me good....... but I've never done it before.

[WildChild]

Gas means something isn't moving through your system like it should. It may be improperly prepared, something your body doesn't like or that system is sluggish. Papaya enzyme can help, as can acidophilous tablets. Drink plenty of water.

I have trougle with heavy dairy, like ice cream or too much milk and with stuff like pie crust, anc't have too much bread (even homemade whole grain) yet when I've done an elimination diet for glutten there hasn't been a response. You have to just keep experimenting to see what will work for you.

[Beautiful Disaster]

Thanks....it seems to be getting better but we'll see! Thanks for the tips.

[Ravsoma]

Meatless diet, eh?

Darker veggies and beans are usually the culprits.

[karibaxter]

Hi BD!
Good for you for going veggie! I've been a vegetarian for a looooong time and just went vegan the last couple months.

Those veggies will give you gas, certain ones seem to be worse, like broccoli and cauliflower. They're so good for you though! Sometimes it takes a week or two for you body to get used to the extra fiber.

I have a cleanse I do every season and I love it. I take tablets in the morning that put the good bacteria back in the body (maybe like the spirulina) and the tablets at night flush out the bad stuff.

You might need more "good" bacteria to help process your food better. That definitely makes sense. Yogurt puts some of that good bacteria back in your system. Antibiotics kill all the bacteria in your body, including the good stuff. You may have to be more diligent if you're on anything.

If you've always eaten dairy, it's probably not that, though many people are intolerant. You might have to play around, too. Maybe certain things make it worse for you than others. And certain things give all of us gas, like lentils---you just have to stay home after you eat them!

Have fun!

Kari

[sidhedraoi]

Use Beano!! It really helps!!!

[broseph]

This is common.

What happens the the PH of the stomach gets less acidic due to the vegetarian diet. Try adding in extra bacteria such as acidophilus, lactobilus, dophilus, etc. "Now" is a good brand. Also digestive enzymes before meals will further aid in breaking down the food resulting in less gas. Now makes one called "super enzymes" that's pretty good. You can also experiment with upping your vitamin C (as ascorbic acid). This will make your stomach a more acidic environment for digestion.

[WildChild]

Or take a tablespoon of cider vinegar.