Day 16 - Chronic Diarrhea

[gtinari]

My mom is doing her first Whole30 with me. (Im on my second one.) Digestive issues run in our family, but she really seems to be having a hard time. For the past week, she's been having chronic diarrhea. Yesterday she was in the bathroom seven times, and today already 3 and it's not even noon. Is it normal to be having this much digestive distress?

For context, I had her log her last three days of food.

Day 1

3 Egg whites, banana, coffee with almond milk

Salad with arugula, spring mix, Cole slaw, shrimp, hard boiled egg, olives cucumbers, olive oil and balsamic

Roasted chicken, more salad

Pistachios for snack, twice

Day 2

2 Egg whites and 1 sausage, banana, coffee with almond milk

Strawberries and raspberries

Seasoned steak with baked potato and salsa

Peach and cashews for snack

Day 3

Banana for breakfast, coffee with almond milk

Stawberries, blackberries and raspberries

two stuffed peppers with meat and almond flour, banana

Thanks so much!

[Karen_Suep]

A few things I noticed (but I'm not sure how they'd affect intestinal health exactly....)

It's a lot of fruit heavy meals. Veggies should be the primary source of carbs on the plate. Also, breakfast is light on everything (eggs are best whole... Egg whites tend to be more allergenic/problematic than yolk...) there's barely any protein, no veggies and no fat.

Nuts can be more problematic than not.

Snacking suggests that she's not eating enough.

Perhaps up protein, fats, and veggies and limiting fruits and nuts will help with digestion?

[jmcbn]

As Karen has said her meals are very fruit heavy. Sugar (even naturally occurring as it is in fruit) can run staright through the gut. Encourage your mum to fill up on veg first & *then* add some fruit at the end of the meal if there's still room, or put some berries into a salad...

I also see a lot of raw veg - maybe switch this up for more cooked which is easier on the digestive system, and should keep her fuller for longer which will cut out the need for snacks. Salad veg wilts down so much when chewed.... And by snacking in between meals (particularly on fruit & carb dense nuts) you're keeping that blood sugar roller coaster in business which is not a good thing. 

Nuts should be eaten in moderation only - say a closed handful every other day - opt for superior fat sources like olives, home made mayo, ghee, avocado etc. This means using maybe coconut milk in her coffee over the almond milk.... Her meals look low on fat anyway so some tweaking is definitely in order.

I think with more cooked veg, less fruit & more fat she should see some improvement.

And yes, eat the whole egg - the yolk is where all the nutrients are...!!!

 

[gtinari]

Thank you both! I've passed this advice on to her.