Comment by semi-extrinsic | Hacker News Reader

Comment by semi-extrinsic | Hacker News Reader

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The "your mileage will vary" part is definitely true, as well as the "incredible what kinds of pain you can get used to". I had 30 cm of my upper intestine removed 12 years ago. Doctors said it was so constricted you couldn't pass a pencil through, but I was still managing to ski double black diamonds two weeks before surgery.

When it comes to fiber in particular, I think what can confuse people is the difference between water soluble fibers like oatmeal, and extremely insoluble "macrofibers" like raw green asparagus, leafy greens, orange pith etc. The former is OK for some, the latter is no-go for everyone AFAIU.

Another curveball is nearly underbaked dough, like you'll find in a lot of commercial bread and rolls, even if it has zero fiber. If you can knead it back into dough with your hands, it might just form a nice lump in your gut as well.

I have the same thing as you with corn, and also with nuts unless eaten with lots of liquids. I think it goes back to the possibility of forming tough paste in the gut.

I wonder if water balance plays a big role. Like, you drink water but it easily gets absorbed by your stomach or small intestine before it gets a chance to work it's way down with the food. Then as the food is passing through, the water dries up. It's as if your body wants the water more than the intestines. Drinking the extra water with the nuts may help because of that? Just spiralling

Have Chron's with stricturing and anything more than a quarter cup of corn, popcorn, pineapple or leafy greens would bring me to my knees in about 5-8 hours. Nuts are a little hit or miss, I need to chew them up really well and not eat them on an empty stomach and I'm good for a few handfuls.

I tell people that if it looks the same coming out as it goes in, I can't have that banging around my guts.

Any fast or junk foods are totally fine since they're mostly low fiber, but high fiber foods are mostly okay, too.

Due to my strictures and the nightmare stories I've read from people online, I specifically eat foods that are mushy or smoothies and soups. Basically, I'm pre-digesting the foods before they're eaten so they're easier to pass through a narrowing intestional wall and it has worked well for years now. Only time I've had issues are when I eat too quickly, too much at once or have one of my problem foods.

I'm also on a biologic, which made all the difference after being untreated for about 6 months, which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I wonder if that's something I should do. I noticed once or twice if I ate something with pumpkin puree in it, the next day my bowels were heavenly.

Do you have a different reaction to soluble vs insoluble fiber?

No real difference for me. It mostly comes down to quantity, speed and how much it’s broken down by chewing, cooking or blending.

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