Does olive oil hurt or harm digestion

#1

I have adhesions and problems from a stomach surgery that make me prone to constipation. Because even the fattiest fish aren’t all that fatty, I will add olive oil to my fish. Sometimes I feel like it’s hindering my digestion, making things hang around in my stomach a long time and perhaps causing more constipation. My mom says the oil will give me more energy to facilitate digestion. What are your thoughts?

And how do you feel about people who say olive oil is processed and should be avoided? As in, eat real olives and forget the oil?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

The pressing involved in getting oil out of olives is nothing like the full-scale refining required to make industrial seed oils palatable and appetising, so most people don’t worry about it. But there is no reason not to enjoy olives in place of their oil, if you prefer.

Myself, I tend to cook with butter, bacon grease, and lard, in preference to any of the oils.

Also, as far as constipation is concerned, for me it is largely linked to my salt consumption. If I get enough salt, my bowel movements are very easy. If I have to strain, it means I didn’t eat enough salt the day before.

A word of caution: your bowel movements on a keto diet are likely to be less frequent than pre-keto. This is perfectly normal and healthy. The notion of “regularity,” namely a bowel movement at pretty much the same time every day, was invented as an advertising ploy by one of the laxative makers in the 1950’s and 60’s. As long as you don’t have to strain when it comes time to move your bowel, all is well.

#3

When I upped my salt in the past it helped. However something has me stuck back into severe constipation mode. I’m eating really salty foods. Crab legs, oysters, olives, and salt on top of my fish. I began to think I may be overdoing salt and it and it’s somehow affecting me. The only other thing that’s changed is I’m also eating a bit more avocado than usual to try to gain weight. I have high levels of lactic acid in my body indicating possible ketoacidosis and because of this I’m being threatened into the hospital so I’m really stuffing in the avocado and olive oil in an attempt to gain weight and somehow get rid of this. Honestly I don’t want to be underweight but I have an intense fear of carbs. My body doesn’t even particularly want them, it goes straight for the salmon and the crab and salad.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

What kind of weight are you trying to add? If fat, then sugar and carbohydrate will put on fat the quickest. If muscle, then eat plenty of protein, especially protein containing the branched-chain amino acids, and exercise your muscles to failure. (A great deal of weight is not required; only working the muscles to failure.)