A Delicate question..."Floaters?"

[fleadogs]

I've recently completed the three week sans ALA (cutting out egg yolks, meat and flax ) to see if I am sensitive to arachondic acid (Eades discusses this in his second PP book, due to brain cramp I can't remember the name)

Anyway
There is a tiny paragraph that says if your system is in balance then your...ahem, stools should float.

Mine are still sinkers, even after the three weeks. I'd like to know what's the effect for other people following PP.

Strange question but I'd like to know.

[razzle]

:D at the title of your delicately-phrased post.

I don't take the floater/sinker thing very seriously, myself. I think the reason they float is the indigestible fiber--and it can be hard to get loads of that on LC eating.

HTH

[Rhonda0726]

Hey, we don't know if we don't ask, and that is why we all found this sight, right? I fluctuate, but fiber is one contributor, and if I don't drink at least my 8 glasses of water a day, that also effects the "floatability". Are you getting enough liquid?

[fleadogs]

I've gotten pretty good at consuming water (approximately 16 cups a day or 3.78L) The fiber thing is a bit more difficult. I've started adding a heaping teaspoon of pysilium husk to my protein drink, wheat bran to anything I bake and I eat veggies every night. I'm not as good about eating veggies for lunch. None of this made any difference as in regards to "floating" Although I must admit too much bran and there isn't anything to "float". :daze:

[Rhonda0726]

I am not familiar with Atkins program, so I don't know what else to suggest. Maybe a moderator could give a suggestion? Hope everything goes well, and hang in there! :)

[rustpot]

This is a messy subject and I don't want to delve into it too deeply but the physics of "Poo" is quite complicated as it is the density of the whole item that determines whether it floats or not.

The problem is that Poo is a conglomerate and not a uniform substance. Slicing a specimen in half, which is not recommended, will determine whether it is made of residue (urea) or undigested fibre/artifacts but usually a mixture of the two.

If you have had children you will know the exquisite pleasure of searching through stinking piles looking for swallowed beads.
Those without children should try corn on the cob and wait 24 hours for similar results.

The next problem is the surface tension, water and gas content of the movement. Explosive motions invariably float. Soft motions invariably sink, and harder motions are more likely floaters.

But the crucial factor is that what comes out one end is a direct consequence of what goes in the other and the determining ingredient appears to be fibre in the diet.

A popular diet several years ago was the F-Plan diet, "F " for Fibre, but was often known as the "F*r*" Plan. Copious amounts of Bran and baked beans were recommended and the test was the same. You are getting enough fibre if they float.

Bowel movements are a study in themselves and in 18thC medicine it was about the only thing they did study along with the colour of you urine.

There is nothing inherently wrong with sinkers but most will and do experience the full range. If the movement is persistently unusual, a visit to the Dr. could put one's mind at rest.