When it comes to digestive issues, it can be hard to pinpoint what exactly could be causing your extremely active bowel. Could you have an undiagnosed lactose intolerance, or is it just an unavoidable side effect of being a menstruating woman? Take this quiz to find out whether your frequent bowel movements are a sign you should go dairy-free or just another reminder that having a period is not easy!
Is there a pattern to the sudden increase in your bowel activity?
A) Yes, it’s triggered every time I eat heavy foods, like fettuccine alfredo or a milkshake. Hmm.
B) Now that I think about it, it always happens with the start of my period every month. What a weird coincidence.
Do you experience painful indigestion and bloating after consuming dairy?
A) Oh yeeeeahh… Whenever I eat something with milk or cheese in it, I get terrible stomach and gas pains and, eventually, diarrhea.
B) Well I do eat a lot of dairy when I’m on my period, and that’s when I have the WORST shits. I’m talking multiple flushes, need-a-shower-after shits. It’s like clockwork!
Does eating dairy make your stool looser and more abundant than usual?
A) Definitely. It practically gives me a never-ending case of the runs the minute I eat soft cheese.
B) Yes! But the moment I start my period, my pelvic region becomes a fountain of blood and very soft poop no matter what. Is that normal?
Has there ever been any blood in the toilet with your loose stool?
A) Oh god, no…is that normal? What the fuck.
B) Oh yeah, of course. That’s my period!
If you got….
Mostly A’s: It sounds like you probably have a lactose sensitivity and should seriously consider cutting out dairy to resolve your digestion problems. Luckily, we live in a world where going dairy-free is becoming an easier and more common thing to do. So if you want to put an end to your loud dairy-induced diarrhea, you know what you need to do: cut out that dairy, girl!
Mostly B’s: No need to worry – you just had a period poop, which is completely normal and basically unescapable. During your menstrual cycle, hormonal changes affect your uterus and nearby organs (like your gastrointestinal tract). So when your period starts, the result is an enormous downpour of blood and poo-poo from your nether-regions. Because just blood wasn’t enough! Sorry.
