Diet Infos - Atkins and Intestinal Problems | Fitness

By JonasMilkei
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The major complaint of those who use the Atkins diet is the intestinal problems that are associated with reducing carbohydrates. These problems can include constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms can happen to anybody at some point, but those who follow a low-carb diet are especially prone.

Most of the diet will experience diarrhea during the first days of induction. This is a result of the body to get rid of excess carbohydrates. It also marks the beginning of the process of ketosis. So, in reality, the experience of diarrhea early in the diet is a good thing. It indicates that you are on the way to become a fat burning machine.

Constipation is a side effect of lack of fiber in the low carb diet. Whole grains, legumes and fruit are the normal sources of dietary fiber, and they are all restricted on the Atkins diet's initial phases. However, you shouldn't be scared off from the low-carb way of life because of these issues. There are simple solutions that can prevent and help with these symptoms and allow you to continue with staying on the diet plan.

The first advice is sure to include the appropriate amount of low-carb vegetables in their daily diet. In the induction phase, you can eat as much as 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is approximately equal to 3 cups of salad vegetables. Some people are tempted to use their carbohydrate in grams of cheese or artificially sweetened drinks. Eating vegetables acceptable is a vital part of maintaining intestinal health, while following the Atkins plan. It is also important to drink at least eight 8 oz glasses of water a day and exercising. Both of these steps can help with intestinal programs.

If you experience constipation precisely when there are many ways for relief. When you move from a diet rich in refined sugar and processing of products, your body will need time to adjust to this new way of eating. You will need to ensure your fibre intake acceptable with vegetables and fruit (some fruits are allowed after the first phase induction). You can also try to complete as the sugar-free Metamucil fiber.

Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of too little fat in your diet. Adding tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal health. Also, try to incorporate a variety of vegetables in your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce does not have much fiber in it. Try dark green lettuces or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these tips don't work, try cutting out all salt from your diet for a couple of days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and sometimes helps with bowel movements. Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction plan. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, analyze your diet. If you are eating low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, eliminate 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 problems. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some people.

If you are not used to eating raw vegetables everyday, this may be a cause of diarrhea. Understand that your body will adjust to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won't last forever. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this problem. Intestinal problems are common during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these problems 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.

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