Expert: Dr. Kristina Conner - 1/27/2011

Question
Hi Doc.
Sorry for the indelicate nature of this question but I thought you might know-I cant find a good answer anywhere!
I suffer from IBS and an inability to lose weight. I discovered last summer that cutting out red meat really helped my symptoms especialy the bloated belly.
As a new years resolution I  decide to go vegetarian. I have gone off the wagon a few times but I am doing OK.
I am seeing lots of benefits even losing weight. I am wondering about bowel movements.
Mine are very nice now but every couple days I will let go a very small, hard, one. My vegetarian friend says that is 'impacted matter probably meat'. It was this stuff putrifying that was contributing to the big belly. This stuff also contributes to colorectal cancer that runs in my family.
Whats your opinion.
Thanks and happy new year!

Answer
Hello Barb,
People can often have some changes in bowel movements when making a significant dietary change, especially when moving towards a higher fiber diet (as assumed would occur when eating more vegetarian foods).  A weight change would be fairly common as well.  So it might take some time for bowels to normalize, particularly if you had issues before.  Most likely that's what's occuring when you see some abnormal stools.  Food doesn't really stick around very long in the GI tract for most people, even meat eventually works it way out.  Often with GI problems it stays around longer, but does get elimianted.  The idea that impacted food due to a poor diet stays in the system for months or even years is a popular one especially among alternative medicine, but it's speculative and not backed up by much data.  
However, your diet changes are still likely to be helpful in decreasing your risk of colon cancer and other chronic conditions. Moving towards a plant-based, higher fiber diet is one of the best ways we know about to prevent these conditions.  
In health,
Dr Conner