Gas and Diarrhea from Vegan Diet

by JJ
(Bozeman, MT)

Question:
I have been eating vegan for the past few weeks because of a few books that I read that convinced me to do so. I am ready to give up because of the gas, pain, bloating and diarrhea I am experiencing. My friend told me to wait a week until my body adjusts and its been a few- it seems to be getting worse. The diarrhea has gotten so bad that I am afraid to leave the house. I tried to stop eating beans and legumes and that has not helped and don't I need to keep those in my diet? Please help I am about to give up!

Answer:
Don't give up! First of all, your friend is probably right; it often takes a few weeks for your body to adjust to a new diet. It's hard for me to tell exactly what's going on without knowing what you used to eat and what you are eating now. However, in many cases, people who go vegan are eating way more fiber than they ever ate as non-vegans, and that causes the body to pass more excrement than in the past.

I know this is a huge pain, but it's actually really good for your body. You are most likely getting rid of things that have been stored up inside your body for a long time and that aren't contributing to your health. It's sort of a way of detoxification inside your body.

If I am too late with this response and you already gave up, don't fret. You can always go back to it. And, I would love to be able to help you more with more specific information. If you'd like to add comments here on what you were eating before and what you eat now, that would help me to help you (and it would also help our other readers to grow as well). Or, if you'd rather be private, feel free to email me directly.