Eat the rainbow they say! So you load up your grocery cart with beets, asparagus, kale, and garlic to name a few. A few hours later you might be shocked at what's coming out of your body.
Why didn't anyone tell you about the rainbow of effects you may experience when you first adopt a healthier way of eating?!? Trust me I get it! I was in for the shock of my life the first time I ate an entire jar of pickled beets.
We're going to talk about poop, pee, body odor, and passing gas. Literally, everyone poops so lets just get that out of the way.
Here are 5 Kinda GROSS but totally normal things you may experience from eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, plus some signs of what to look for when things aren't so normal.
Red or Green Poop or Pee
If you've recently discovered a love for beets, you may notice a red tinge to your poop or pee. As long as it's not blood you're typically fine. Those with low or suspected low iron levels may experience this more often. Your doctor can test your blood iron levels if you're concerned. Things looking a little green? This means you're eating an abundance of greens! Keep it up, but if you have cramping, pain, or ongoing diarrhea you may want to check with your doc.
Increased Gas
Burping and passing gas more often than usual? The bacteria in our gut that digests food, produces more nitrogen gas than usual while breaking down high fiber fruits, veggies, and grains. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, and cauliflower can have particularly gassy results, so you may want to cook or steam these and chew them really well!
Stinky Pee
Blame it on the asparagus! Asparagus has sulfur compounds that cause this, not to worry though, it's totally normal! Asparagus is also a great natural diuretic if you've been eating a lot of salty foods or are retaining water on your menstrual cycle
Garlicky Body Odor
If you LOVE garlic like I do, you may start to notice more pungent sweat, or if you take a garlic supplement, garlicky belches. Try reducing your garlic intake slightly or taking your supplement at night. One bonus? It'll ward off vampires haha
More trips to the toilet
Fruits and veggies are packed with fiber and water (acting as a natural laxative) so you may find yourself running to the bathroom more often! While it can be a bit inconvenient at times, there's nothing to worry about.
I know these things may sound a little gross, but they're totally normal body functions! And if you eat healthy most of the time, you may not even have noticed these things. What we eat not only affects how we feel but can change how our body digests and disposes of waste.
Its important to keep an eye on your bodily functions so if anything is out of whack or you're not feeling well you can tell your doctor what's going on.
Have you experienced any of these yourself? Did you find them a bit scary or weird at first?
If not, what changes have you experienced since adopting a healthy diet?? Let me know in the comments!
xoxo,
Briana