I eat all kinds of fruit and veggies and whole grains and my BMs are extremely soft and never nicely formed. They're always kind of squiggly and lightish brown. My kids, ages 3 and 6, on the other hand, eat nothing but junk food (lots of pizza and hot dogs) and barely any fruit or veggies, and their stools, for the most part, look textbook. Big and a nice dark brown color. They each go once a day.

Does anyone think I could be overdoing the fruit and veggies and whole grains? I'm taking dried fruit out of my diet. I'm also no longer drinking fruit smoothies. I still have lots of whole grains, but also am eating stuff like Saltines, deliberately to slow things down (I go about three times a day). This diet change is something I've just started doing. I've also stopped chewing gum (I used to all day -and thought this might have contributed to speeding up my system).

Any thoughts on this? (By the way, I've never had blood in my stools or suffered any pain, and they've looked this way for years) Also, I've tried Metamucil in the past and it does tend to produce larger, better looking results, at least for a few days.

There are 2 kinds of fiber insoluble and soluble. Fruits and veggies are insoluble fiber-- that cause your intestines to contract moving digested food.

Soluble fiber bulks up the stool because it absorbs fluids--
It sounds like you need to intake more soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber is the inner part of all grains, beans and peas. Also root veggies like potatos, carrots, beets, and turnips . And, of course the fiber supplements like Metamucil, Citrucel, Benefiber and Fiber Choice.

I take psyllium but the Equate Brand from Wal Mart twice daily to bulk up my stool. It is the same as Metamucil.

Harry

hi Dnaimal

Slowing down on your chewing gum intake will help as the gum has a natural laxative in which taken on a regular basis will produce softer stools than other people.

I wouldnt worry about eating the fruit and veg as long as it isnt causing excessive loose stools. You ahould stay on the whole grain as this will also help to bulk your stools up. becareful not to bulk them up too much as you may start to sufffer with problems of trying to go to the loo.!!!

Thanks, Harry and Sharon.

Having said that, do either of you have any explanation for my kids' healthy-looking output? The only fiber they ever eat is Cheerios.