please help: green smoothies causing constipation?

[Tetris15]

Hi, I hope I can get some of you wise ladies and gentlemen to give me some advice. And forgive me if I provide a little too much detail.
From past experience, smoothies tend to make me constipated. Having a smoothie once or twice a week isn't bad but a pint or more daily and I'm in trouble! I'm really not sure why. However, I just finished reading "Green for Life" (my new favorite book!) a few days ago and decided to give green smoothies another try. I've been having 1.5 to 2 pints of green smoothie a day this whole week and I feel pretty... um, full... and, er, stuck. I replaced my fruit breakfast with the smoothies.
Before this week my diet was: (keep in mind this is a very generalized description) two or three pieces of fruit for breakfast; a big salad or veggie crackers (with guacamole and salsa, or tahini and veggies, etc) for lunch; more fruit, a smoothie, or raw buckwheat/granola cereal for dinner; and I'd snack on fruits, veggies and/or my raw "halvah" (I used to make freezer fudge but I found it so tasty I'd eat too much too fast! Mmm). Also I drink water like a fish. With all this, I use to have 1 to 3 BM a day.
I've heard working-out helps but I exercise for one to two hours three times a week (in the evening) already. I suppose I could get my lazy bum out of bed uber early and work-out every morning but *sigh* I love my bed... and it loves me.:p
So anyways, what should I do? Have any of you had the same problem? Should I give up on green smoothies? Have them for dinner instead of breakfast? Keep at it as is and hope my body adjusts?
Pun intended: I want to feel crappy! Help!
Thanks!

[subbacultcha]

That's wierd...green smoothies always get me, urm, moving. Are you drinking enough water? They're high in fibre so if you don't have enough liquid to balance it out you will get clogged up. Maybe try replacing some of the fruit in your green smoothie with juice or water. If green smoothies don't work for you you could try green juices.

[rawstrength]

How long have you been raw for? Constipation and bloating can be pretty normal in the beginning as your body adjusts to raw. The green smoothies could just make it worse because they add even more fiber (a lot of fiber can cause constipation when your body isn't used to it).
You also may be drinking slightly less water when you are guzzling so much green smoothie. Watch your water intake, because for me, I need a lot of water and any less can bring on constipation.
That said, a really gentle herb that works well for relieving constipation is senna. Just make a cup, allow it to cool, stir in a tsp. of raw honey, and drink it right before going to bed.

[Cabosun]

What really works for me in my green smoothies is using a heaping tablespoon of Nutivia Raw Hempseed powder. It really pushes things along! I also make sure there is plenty of pure water added to my smoothies and drink plenty of water throughout the day. One more thing that helps is regular exercise. My choice is rebounding:) If you don't move it, you won't lose it:rolleyes:
Hope this helps. Lynn

[GlimR]

You could add a T. of ground flax seed or ground chia seeds...great for both Omega 3's AND fiber. Add blackberries or other fruits with a higher fiber content, even a piece of apple or pear. I wouldn't give up on the gs..what are you making them out of??

[Revvell]

What does your smoothie consist of... or what do your smoothies consist of?

You said what your food program consisted of BEFORE this week? What does it consist of now?

Revvell

[garden granny]

Are you putting alot of bananas in your smoothies? If so, they should be very ripe with no green at all on the stem. Unripe bananas can cause you to be constipated.

[Tetris15]

I've been high raw (+90%) for two years now. Most days I'm 100% but I make exceptions once or twice a month.
This week I did GS for breakfast and my lunch, dinner and snacks were the same as before.
My GS were various mixes of kale, shard, argrula, romaine, carrot and carrot tops, celery, tomatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, lemons, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, rasberries and blackberries.
I've never had problems with bananas, in fact they're one of my favorite fruits.
I'll keep doing the GS and increase my water. I'll also try adding flax or hemp and daily exercise. I've never had chia but I'll look into getting some.
My tried and true method for constipation is having nothing but fruit and taking a lot of vit. C (as in 12-20 grams). One day of this and I'm back to normal.
Thanks for the help!

[Raw Mom]

You may have just hit a block. Some impacted matter that's holding things up! Pun intended. Try twisting, seated or laying down, or pulling your knees in to your chest while lying on the floor, one leg and then the other, circling them to massage the internal organs, or deep belly breathing. best of luck moving things along...pun intended again. :) :cool:

[Revvell]

I don't see spinach in the mix. Spinach works for me. :)

[Raw Angel Mom]

You may have allergies reaction or some food that you eat. Some nuts will constipate me such almonds but greens help me.

What kind of smoothies and what do you put in them?

[deberaw]

...3-4 Tablespoons of ground flax seed works for me!

[deberaw]

.....added to the smoothie!:D

[rawererin]

Wow, I'm sorry about that, I get the exact opposite effect after drinking GS's, I can set a timer to my, er, bm's....
Are you using enough greens?
I started adding a tsp. of Green Powder to mine just to make sure and that really keeps me, eh, regular.