Is There A Way To Avoid Constipation When Eating Cheese?

[cout12]

I read that cheese makes you constipated. Why is that and is there a way to avoid it?

 

[XPlus]

I don't find fresh cheese as constipatative as aged cheese, especially the ones made with bacterial rennet and ones full of lactic acid.

 

[EnoreeG]

I read that cheese makes you constipated. Why is that and is there a way to avoid it?

I find it's true when I eat my fill of a hard, aged cheese (might be 3-4 oz in a sitting). Then, even though I might eat a lot of fiber (tends to keep me far away from constipation) in the same day, sometimes I become slightly constipated. I do better limiting the cheese to 2 oz.

I tend to rely on fiber from green veggies, (but not from grains, nuts, or roots), for gut health, immune system fortification and a good supply of vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and minerals, including a good calcium/phosphorus balance and lots of trace minerals. Many think something else when one says "fiber" so I want to be clear on that.

Besides constipation, I also feel a slight "morning after" disorientation, but not really "fog" from eating hard cheeses, so I am going more and more minimal there. It matters the cheese I choose, but even the best case of European or organic cheese still gives me an effect. And some cheese like mozzarella really does me in.

 

[pboy]

why no..no there isnt

 

[tigerlily96]

Wish there had been more responses to this as I find this a problem also.

 

[DrJ]

Wish there had been more responses to this as I find this a problem also.

The trick is that you have to take magnesium in proportion to calcium. Too much calcium constricts the intestinal muscles, while magnesium relaxes them. From personal experience, you want at least 1 part magnesium to 2 parts calcium, but probably even better to get 1 part magnesium to 1 part calcium. But note that some magnesium supplements are less effective than others. Magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate seem to be the most effective. Although it's always good just to get it through food.

 

[tigerlily96]

The trick is that you have to take magnesium in proportion to calcium. Too much calcium constricts the intestinal muscles, while magnesium relaxes them. From personal experience, you want at least 1 part magnesium to 2 parts calcium, but probably even better to get 1 part magnesium to 1 part calcium. But note that some magnesium supplements are less effective than others. Magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate seem to be the most effective. Although it's always good just to get it through food.

Just seen this, sorry! Yes I think my problem is definitely not enough magnesium, I must work on this!

 

[schultz]

It's cold here in Canada right now, so I've been eating a lot of mushroom soup. It feels like it would be impossible to be constipated while eat mushroom soup everyday, as I seem to have a few bowel movements per day. It's not a creamed soup. There are chunks of mushrooms.

 

[WestCoaster]

Probably wouldn't hurt to drink more water as well. Also to keep in mind, carby foods run through the digestive tract much quicker than protein/fatty foods. If you were having bowel movements daily, don't assume they will still happen daily if you are eating more fatty foods like cheese.

 

[kranum]

I had problems with constipation for several years, but after I started having greek yogurt with fruits and shredded coconut in the morning and carrot salad in the afternoon I'm having more or less perfectly timed bowel movements two or three times daily. I would, however, also support previous mentions of magnesium, which i am currently taking as magnesium sulphate before bedtime dissolved in water.

 

[x-ray peat]

The trick is that you have to take magnesium in proportion to calcium. Too much calcium constricts the intestinal muscles, while magnesium relaxes them. From personal experience, you want at least 1 part magnesium to 2 parts calcium, but probably even better to get 1 part magnesium to 1 part calcium. But note that some magnesium supplements are less effective than others. Magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate seem to be the most effective. Although it's always good just to get it through food.

+1. I think Ray recommends Magnesium Carbonate as it gives off CO2 as a bonus. Magnesium citrate can mess up your teeth as its an acid.