Fiber

Many people find the loss of grains in the diet leaves the digestive tract sluggish and a little constipated. After years of eating lots of carbohydrates, your intestine gets used to that type of bulk. If you become constipated during the Two-Week Test, or afterward when you’re maintaining a lower amount of carbohydrate in your diet, it could be due to a number of reasons. First, you may not be eating enough fiber. Bread, pasta, and cereals are significant sources of fiber for many people.

Psyllium is a high-fiber herb that is a very effective promoter of intestinal function. Adding plain unsweetened psyllium to a glass of water, tomato juice, or a healthy smoothie can keep your system running smoothly—start with a half-teaspoon a day for a few days to make sure it’s tolerated, then use up to about one teaspoon a day or about six grams. Another way to add psyllium to your diet is to use it in place of flour for thickening sauces or in place of bread crumbs to coat meats and vegetables. If you require a fiber supplement, be sure to read the labels and use the ones that do not contain sugar. There are sugar-free psyllium products on the market, so you should not have trouble finding one.

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Another reason for constipation at this time may be dehydration. If you don’t drink enough water, you could be predisposed to constipation. During the Two-Week Test, you’ll need more water—up to a total of two to three quarts or more per day. After the test, vegetables, legumes, such as lentils, and fruits are also great sources of both water and fiber. So if you become constipated, it may simply be that you need to eat more vegetables and fruits as tolerated. In addition, adequate intake of natural fats, discussed later in this book, can also be helpful.

Occasionally, some people get very tired during or after the Two-Week Test. This can be due to a number of factors. Most commonly it’s from not eating enough food or not eating often enough. The most common problem is not eating breakfast. And many people should not go more than three to four hours without eating something healthy.

Once you successfully finish the Two-Week Test, and add back the right amount of tolerable carbohydrate foods, you should have a very good idea of your carbohydrate limits—the amount of carbohydrate you can eat without producing symptoms. This is best accomplished by asking yourself about your signs and symptoms on a regular basis: energy, sleepiness, and bloating after meals, and so forth. You may want to keep a diary so you can be more objective in your self-assessment. In time, you won’t need to focus as much on this issue; your intuition will take over and you’ll automatically know your limits.