Bloating

I don't know if you by bloating think about edema or a stomach that looks like the first stages of pregnancy. The two sometimes comes together, but edema doesn't come every time the stomach stands out.

I get gas from certain foods and avoid them to not have the hurting stomach. If I eat not just a tiny portion of the following my stomach will hurt and stand out:  iceberg salad, nuts, mushroom, sugarfree pastilles/candy, sugarfree chocolate, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, onion, green beans and snow beans. I don't handle too much sugar at a time either, so if I eat a lot of fruit my stomach will hurt. Raspberries is ok because it is low in carbs.

If not the type of food is the cause it can be the amount. If the amount is bigger than usual it's normal to get gas. Then you can try to eat more calorie dense food, meaning fats and not so much carbs.The body may also lack some of what is needed to digest the food properly. This will be better with time the more nutrients you give it.

I have a theory that the edema won't come (or be as bad) if you increase calories slowly and make sure you get a lot of rest and sleep. I can't tell if it works quiet yet because I have not increased a whole lot yet, but I have no edema now. I eat about what my body needs (but not the extra amount for healing purposes quiet yet). When I increase the calories so it is enough for healing and weight gain as well then the edema will set in, I suppose. But if I eat just a little more at a time intended for healing I think the edema will be little too. And most importantly the fact I give the body time and rest enough to heal too. It's not just food that is needed.

I have read a lot in recovery forums and what people are experiencing is that edema is worst for those who ave been very active while they were restricting, and that eating more, not less, as well as relaxing more will help to reduce it. Crying it out has also been helpful, perhaps because crying as well as laughter decrease cortisol levels, because stress is reduced perhaps?

Lower estrogen levels result in lower levels of bile that keeps the intestines lubricated. Without bile the stool gets dryand hard and accumulate in the intestines.

Five main causes of constipation are:

• Eating sporadically, or eating meals that are too small to elicit mass peristalsis.
  
• Not going when you feel an urge to go.
  
• Lack of a healthy intestinal lining that is capable of producing enough mucous to properly lubricate your stools (vitamin A deficiency is a potential cause of this situation).
  
• Insufficient intake of water, water-rich foods, and/or fiber-rich foods.
  
• Stress.
  

For some the problem is too little peristaltic waves, so the stool is too long in the intestines and too much water is absorbed from the stool back to the body, making the stool dry and harder to move. Enough intake of fat is necessary for the peristaltic movement.

I rather use a lot of time gaining/healing than doing it quick and risk a relapse. I have lost weight slowly, and I will gain slowly, to make sure it happens in a steady pace and that I reach my goal, and have it under control. I am not very underweight or in a busy hospital so I can use time.