In general, what foods or food types are thought to cause constipation? And what foods are thought to cause diarrhea?
- Rick
I believe that constipation can often result from too much dairy - cheese especially. Dehydration and lack of fiber are probably the largest factors in constipation, though.
Is diarrhea caused by a type of food or by nasty bacteria resulting from improper food handling, poor refrigeration, failure of preparers to wash hands?
For instance, chicken kabobs purchased on the street on Mount Pleasant Day in Washington D.C. will give you epic trots. It’s not the chicken itself that’s giving you the trots, it’s the fact that the people cooking it probably haven’t washed their hands in a while.
Constipation depends more on what you don’t eat than what you eat. Lack of fiber is the chief culprit in most cases. Second is use/misuse of opiate-based painkillers, which slow the bowel and make stool thick as a brick. Overuse of OTC anti-diarrheals like kaopectate and imodium may also cause constipation.
My advice? Get more fiber! A daily helping of metamucil or citrucel or similar fiber supplement is very beneficial for those who don’t want to push bran, beans, or fresh fruits and vegetables.
If problems persist, see your doctor.
QtM, MD