In an attempt to start eating a little healthier, I recently started to put more whole grains and fiber in my diet, cutting out the foods that were more "enriched" that I had been eating all my life. Whole grain pasta instead of regular, brown rice instead of conventional, rye bread instead of white, bran flakes in the morning, etc.
About a week-and-a-half to two weeks (at most) after I started the new diet, I started to discover that my poo had gotten a bit "sticky," and would break off in mid-shit. Now small pieces often get stuck, and I'll have to strain a bit to dislodge them -- or go back to the toilet later to get rid of them.
This has been going on for about two weeks, and my butt's inflamed from all the pooping and straining. Could this recent change be due to my change in diet, or could this be more serious?
Dear Pooppuppy,
A very common mistake that people make when they convert to a healthier diet is that they completely cut out one of the essential ingredients for making good poop: oil.
With all the talk about cutting out fried foods and meats because of their artery-clogging properties, it's no surprise that many people don't get the types of good fats they need -- fats that will not only lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels, but also provide the proper lubrication and bonding needed to form a good poop.
Some examples of good fats/oils to choose from include olive oil, canola oil, fish oils, flaxseeds, avocados, and nuts (especially walnuts).
You can take simple steps to incorporate these good fats into your diet by putting a little bit of olive oil on your bread, making a fruit drink in the blender with a bit of flaxseed oil, eating some fish, taking a supplement containing omega-3 fatty acids, eating a handful of nuts every day as a snack, and so on.
I believe that if you add this to your already healthy diet, you will notice significant changes in energy and overall general feeling because of the healthy effects of better cholesterol levels. And you will also get rid of your sticky poop.
Thanks for asking Motherload!
Motherload is a Certified Nurse Assistant as well as an IBS sufferer, which means she knows a lot about poop. Got a question for her? Ask it here. [1]