Please excuse me for this blatant post title, but this is a very common area of concern for many of Victoria’s readers and lets face it, it’s a good way to catch your attention. The first question posted below was published in Green Smoothie Revolution; the second was edited out of the final print.

QUESTION: I started eating a raw food diet and drinking green smoothies three days ago, and I feel constipated. What did I do wrong?

VICTORIA: When people eat predominately refined food, which is low in fiber, their bowels become sluggish. For this reason, the contents of the large intestines are moved not from peristalsis but rather from being pushed by the following meals. Raw food is high in fiber and nutrition, and it consists of 90 percent water. That is a big change for the intestines to get used to. It may take a couple of weeks and sometimes longer, for the intestines to heal, for their muscle tome to improve, and for them to start working properly.

QUESTION: “Sometimes when I eat something with fruit, my belly starts to produce gas right away and make lots of noise. Is that because my body doesn’t like what I am eating at the moment?”

VICTORIA: Unfortunately, as we age, hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach become lower. We become gassier with age. My recommendation is chew your food more – even your smoothies and juice- drink slowly, munch it in your mouth and mix it with saliva. Also, try to use a blender (like a Vitamix or K- Tec blender) that will break down your green smoothies as much as possible. Break it down into small particles and you will have less gas. If you are using a cheap blender, you will have larger particles and will have to be more careful about eating it slowly and chewing it thoroughly.