a stinky situation ...

[SkinniMinni]

I've been struggling with raw, although I've read alissa's book, as well as a ton of other raw books and feel the concept really makes sense to me, however (here comes the big BUT) - the gas situation is unreal. I've actually had to sleep in another room than my husband it's gotten so bad. I've tried everything I can think of, using "beano", making sure my food combinations are good ones, drinking lots of water etc, nothing works. I've tried green smoothies (which seem to make things a lot worse), just simple raw (only fruits/greens and limited fats). It's like my body can't handle all that fiber. Even in my SAD days, my diet wasn't horrible - I've always been a good low-fat/whole grains kinda gal - this type of diet never given me gas as it has been with raw.

I keep going off raw to get relief from the gas (and be able to spend time with my husband). Any suggestions folks? I'd like to continue with raw, but I'm at the point if I can't get the gas to subsid, then it's a no-go, my family just can't put up with it anymore! I'm not normally such a stinker, so this is a real problem! Thanks!

[Lay-Lay]

gas is a common symptom when starting raw. What is the longest you have been 100% raw? It passes with time. If it continues it is often from bad food combinations.

[lissomllama]

I'm sorry you're struggling with this. Believe me when I say it is mostly detox. Raw is a radical change on your body, a good one, but still a change. It takes time, often, a few months for the body to adjust.

I highly reccomend not using beano. Don't use medications of any kind. If you must use something, eat raw peppermint (you can buy this as a live plant at many home and garden stores and put it in a pot in the sunlight) eat a few sprigs when you're gassy.

Make sure you are chewing your food really well, drink lots of water and keep paying attention to food combining. Gently rubbing the stomach in a clockwise motion and kneading the abdomen helps to release gas pockets faster so that it doesn't go on all day. It may take a while to subside but don't quit. The longer you are raw the more these detox/adjustment phases will go away. Part of the problem is that you keep switching back and forth between raw and cooked. Go 100% into raw and don't waver and then you can actually get past the not so fun stuff. But everytime you eat cooked you take a step back and have to re-adjust and go through the cycle all over again.

[vgloveforlife]

It can also be a sign of food allergies.
Keep a food journal and note down when it gets worse. You may see a connection with a certain food. Avoid that food and maybe add it slowly back to your diet with time.

[DavidZaneMason]

The above suggestions are great. Ultimately, you need to identify YOUR dietary goals...and stick with them. Follow your dreams.

-On the practical side....if you are serious....you can always try eating mono-meals of either fruits, vegetables, or nuts for a period of weeks....and see how it clears up.

-As long as you are mixing foods - and/or throwing cooked foods into the mix.....bacteria will have a field day.

-Just my opinions.

-David Mason

[Pierre]

Sometime after I went raw, I had an attack of borborygmus and diarrhea and expelled a whole load of muck. Since then, I have seen no tatters of leaves come out and not much gas, nor does it smell much. So try staying raw until this happens. What are your meals like?

[luckitri]

I thought that this is why people get probiotics - is it not? No more smoothies or juices. No more recipes. Mono eat raw foods. Do not have fruits and vegetables close together. That should calm it down after a few days. I am very new also so don't let that "root" by my name fool you. There are new people to this board that know way more than me.

[juliebove]

It could very well be a food allergy. My daughter and I both have this symptom when we eat something we are allergic to. That's about the only time I ever have gas.

[SkinniMinni]

I appreciate the feedback. I usually eat either a green smoothie for breakfast (banana, orange, spinach and water) or just fresh fruit. For lunch, it's more fruit or a salad. Dinner is usually a salad with a spinkle of nuts or an avacado. If I'm hungry, I'll snack on fresh fruit (grapes) in between meals.

Sorry to be graphic, but I also notice my bowel movements are almost pure green (is this normal?) - which I attribute to the salad greens. The gas is very fowl smelling, which isn't something I was expecting on raw as well (even eating meat doesn't cause this for me).

My hunch is that I am not digesting all this fiber correctly, is there anything I can take to break it down better (supplement wise). I feel like perhaps it's just bunging me up (hense the gas).

[musicalfruit]

is there anything I can take to break it down better (supplement wise). I feel like perhaps it's just bunging me up (hense the gas).
I have the same problem, so I take a milk free acidopolous morning and evening and I take a vegan digestive enzyme, that has helped me soooo much! Also I don't drink water with my meals but a 1/2 before or after.
Charcoal is another good thing for gas while your body is detoxing, when I first started I took one, and it helped get rid of the gas.
hope this helps!

[rawfigure]

ah, the side effect of newbie raw....this too will pass. Been there done that. I almost NEVER have gas. If I over do the cauliflower & cabbage, well then maybe..

Eat mono for awhile..more fruit and less gas forning raw veggies.

Chin up , stick to raw, when you go off, then back on...it starts all over again.

[luckitri]

Well there are different kinds of green. It could be the produce or it could be pale bowels colored with very fresh bile which can be a very bright green ranging to dark. That is all I know. Awhile back I made a post regarding using bowels as a diagnostic tool. 50 years ago doctors could learn alot from looking at them but that knowledge has been lost. If anyone knows a site that has this type of knowledge I would very much like the link.

[musicalfruit]

I found this site
http://www.diagnose-me.com/
and this one
http://www.puristat.com/bowelcolor/index.asp
and this one is a bit graphic
http://www.afraidtoask.com/bowel/frSTOOLCOLOR.html

[Indi]

Hi SkinniMinni .

I had a similar problem with gas when I started raw. Smoothies and especially juicing seemed to make it worse.

Although Im not keen on supplements, I started to take a good quality digestive enzyme supplement before each meal.

This worked for me. If I forgot to take the supplement i then had a problem with gas that day.
I took them for a couple of months, ran out of them, then realised that the gas was no longer a problem. (I was a eating totally raw diet by that time)

It may be worth trying.
good luck :)

[codajess]

I fart a lot. However I think it's one of my more redeeming qualities. *beams proudly* :D

Embrace your inner gas tank.

[alex]

Gas is produced by the microorganisms in your intestinal tract.

My first suggestion would be to take a probiotic.

You may also be helped a lot by some colonic irrigation - everyone should have this in fact if they were raised on a SAD diet.

Gas is usually a problem when one first switches to raw as the 2 - 4 pounds of microorganisms in your gut view raw food as a completely different type of food for them, which it is, and it takes a while for them to adapt.

The odour is a sign that you have some nasty things in your body that need to come out - detox and colonics and probiotics certainly help.

A short fast of several days may also be most beneficial!


alex

[Conscious Midwife]

I fart a lot. However I think it's one of my more redeeming qualities. *beams proudly* :D

Embrace your inner gas tank.


I thought I was the only one who found having gas ok :D .

I mean of course I don't want a loud onr to let loose at a conference where I'm the speaker or in a quite room where everyone knows it's me.
But I find it amusing. Especially when the gas smells exactly like what i just ate. Peach gas could almost be bottled as a room freshner.
Broccoli well is another story that sort of gas is probably a good burglar repellant.

Anyway I've done nothing but exercise to elleviate mine. When I'm on the lifecycle at the gym the music is so loud I just exchange my gas continuously and freely. No one notices the smell cause their sweat and BO are worse.
During Yoga or Pilates I try to keep it quiet.

As a child I was such a prude when it came to farts. Now my 12 year old professional farter son is blown away at the sounds that escape for me.

I don't know. gas makes me feel like things are working, churning, releasing cleasing or something. ;)