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So for the majority of 21 years of living on this Earth, I have had the WORST digestion of all time; I was a baby with severe colic, struggled to worship the Potty God throughout my entire childhood (ie, going number 2 was a difficult experience, and doctors could not pinpoint the answer as to why, and chalked it up to that oh-so-ambiguous IBS), and tried every remedy under the sun to relieve my problems; I suffered from a confirmed (via stool test) candida infection last summer, got small intestinal bacterial overgrowth early this spring, and am currently restoring my stomach acid levels as I transition from 2 years as a vegan into a mostly plant-based paleo eater. Anywho. For the past month, I've been back to my childhood Potty God worshipping struggles- my pipes were backed up, to say the least. I attacked it with massive doses of magnesium, probiotics, fiber, and swedish bitters. Still no solution. This was very heartbreaking, as I am currently writing a book all about Digestion! But then, recalling my research, I managed to alleviate it with fantastic results! I feel like a new person. There's a weird sense of accomplishment when you are able to pass a damn good BM- easy, and oh-so relieving. I don't feel like there's something sitting in my gut. My body is like a well-oiled machine, absorbing nutrients and making do with the benefits they provide. What goes in, finally goes out. I am blown away by this victory! I am enjoying my food again, and not worrying whether or not it will make me feel even fuller and uncomfortable. This is all knock on wood, but so far, I am seeing tons of benefits. What I am doing involves zero laxatives, detox pills, herbal formulas, or complex rituals. It's just a combination of faith, good research, biology, and and determination.

Hello, everyone. I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this, but I am curious to each response. I suffer from IBS-C (irritable bowel with constipation), with occasional bouts of diarrhea. I've been diagnosed with IBS by a doctor, taken labs, enzymes, probiotics, food elimination/FODMAPS. While I've made great strides in improving my condition, the constipation and bloating are still a pain. Sometimes, sporadically, I get loose, and really just cannot pin down what in the world is going on. Much of my condition is psychogenetic, but even on the days when I am otherwise calm and happy, I still get 'plugged' up. Recently, I just ordered some L-Glutamine and Collagen Hydrosolate (it's like bone broth), so hopefully those will help. But otherwise, I try to eat a balanced diet. I am wondering what you guys have done to combat your own IBS problems? With probiotics, I have yet to find one that is dairy free- I've tried soil-based, but these only made my constipation worse (Prescript Assist, Primal Defense), but might try Megafood's Megaflora, as it's dairy free (I cannot tolerate ANY dairy whatsoever), so I'm wondering if this is another problem as well. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hello, everyone! I decided to post here in the Paleo section, as once I looked over the vegan section, I decided to spare myself from being burned at the stake given the title and subject of this post. (Don't Slay This Dragon…) I have an intro. post that you can read through for more detail, but I'll summarize my current state of health: Survivor of a decade of abuse, during which time weight was low and digestion wrecked (although to be fair I had troubles even when I was a baby and child). Went vegan in February of 2014, and digestion worsened. Saw Dr and went on candida cleanse in June of 2014. In that same month, I slowly integrated SOME animal proteins in diet. Digestion still bad, but a tad better. In August of 2014, took a comprehensive stool analysis; results showed no signs of infection or compromise, but a slight imbalance of healthy bacteria from stress/anxiety (dealing with personal problems at home). That same month, I came across the Body Ecology Diet. Incorporated fermented foods and coconut water kefir. Helped a little. September 2014, started taking Great Lakes Collagen Hydrosolate. Helped a lot. Mid November 2014-now: Digestion is getting kind of bad again. Improvements have been made, but still not ideal. I strain a lot now. Currently taking a probiotic called Prescript Assist, but I am stopping it at the moment to see if it is the culprit behind constipation; it is pre/pro biotic that is soil based. As I am looking to radically transform my health, body, and wellbeing for the better, I am considering adding more animal foods back into my diet (I hate to use the word- I don't diet, I eat). Right now, I eat chicken, fish, and if you want to be technical, the Great Lakes supplement. When I do eat the first two, however, it is only at night. From various sources I have found on the internet, doctors/nutritionists all say that animal foods rot in your intestines, make your body acidic, and leach calcium from the bones. Somehow, I doubt this would occur in most people; maybe in extreme cases, where there is a lack of dietary fiber and overall poor lifestyle. But still, the rotting in the intestines claim scares me. I tried many years ago to eat paleo, and it made me constipated. Of course, I was drinking milk back then (which I later learned I was allergic to; lactose intolerant), and had drastically reduced my fiber and water intake. So maybe I need to be mindful of those prior to approaching a paleolithic-way of eating. So, that's my problem. Anxiety over digestion, and also the ethical side of things, which is why I went vegan in the first place (although my current yoga training advises we do the same; there's a don't ask don't tell policy going on there right now, as I saw another student eating a roast beef sandwich from Arbys). Put I am wondering if eating paleo will help out. Because I eat A TON of veggies (I love them; what can I say?), I am wondering if the animal protein will one, help balance out digestion (as too much fiber can be a bad thing, from what I've read), and two, provide minerals that are otherwise very difficult to get in proper coenzyme form from a plant based diet (iron- anemia runs in my family; got to be careful- B12, retinol, zinc, magnesium…). Because honestly, I am tired of living this way. I am tired of the bloat, constipation, and occasional bouts of diarrhea. I am tired of worrying about going to bathroom or whether or not my IBS is going to act out. I am tired of not being able to get a flat, toned section because of these problems. I want to enjoy my food again. I'm working with a doctor, but our visits are limited due to insurance and health costs. So I am very cautious when it comes to supplements to take and lifestyle factors. Most of all, I want to evolve and unlock my true potential, my inner dragon. I want to get a toned, lithe body, and be able to eat well and healthy- enough so that I never end up in the hospital, get seriously injured or sick, and can wake up each day like a bada$$. So, help me out a bit. What to do, tips, advice, support, anything. I'm ready to make a change for the BETTER, and for ALL TIME. No quick fixes. Just sustainable lifestyle modifications. Thanks!

I've been struggling with gut health for a decade and a half now. I've been through the gamut of tests and possibilities. Conclusion: All roads lead to my diet! The major issue is that my digestive system, MY GUT, has been abused and neglected so often for so long that it is quite difficult to pinpoint what foods are troubling me and what are not. I recently went on two month long candida diet to battle a candida overgrowth in my gut, which I got under control. YAY! But right after this I fell back into old eating habits. I also had a small surgery that left me pretty inactive for two months and wreaked havoc on my stress levels and emotion (equalling an increase of "comfort foods") My eating habits are not as bad as I use to be, there has been some progress, but definitely still in the bad-for-my-gut zone. My digestion has been a mess. I've been struggling with my digestion for so long and have fallen off the horse so many times. I've never had anything be such a struggle before and have a history of being hard on myself about it. (Even quitting smoking wasn't this challenging.) I've also been afraid to be open about how often I've had to get back on the horse. Didn't want to sounds like a broken record or that I was looking for pity on something I was unwilling to correct. Well, no more! Feeling guilty, beating myself up, and hiding are only getting in my way. I'm kicking them to the curb! I've started tracking my diet and symptoms again. I've also started to slowly cut out possible irritants to see how it affects me. I've made huge changes in my diet before with some success, but nothing has been conclusive. I am accepting that this may not be something I can tackle all at once, but that it is a slow and steady process of regaining my health. I'm glad to have this forum here. Thank you for reading my respawning rant!

So quick backstory. I tried out intermittent fasting some time ago, skipping breakfast and eating around 11-12. During my recent cut, I kept up the no-breakfast thing because I liked being able to stuff my face and feel full during my meals. Now that I'm eating to perform, I've re-introduced breakfast, in the way of a breakfast scramble. Eggs, bacon/sausage, veggies, cheese. It's pretty goddamn nom. I've had breakfast now for 3 days. Between 8-9:30. And, okay, I'm having digestive issues. I'm sure y'all can infer my meaning. I'm concerned I am getting dehydrated. None of these foods seem to give me trouble on the weekend or individually, and I've never had an issue before. Has anyone else experienced digestive weirdness when re-introducing breakfast? Is there a way to go about it, other than diving right it, that might be more helpful to my gut?