Inulin - may help sleep and constipation

[Ruby1]

My daughter recently bought me some inulin to try as she had heard it can help you sleep.

I can't honestly say it helped me sleep at the time, but a side effect is that it is helpful with bowel movements!!

More recently I took some on holiday with me - for my bowels, and this time I do think it helped me sleep! It may depend on why you're not sleeping - initially I think I had things on my mind whereas more recently I didn't, but was having trouble dropping off.

Anyway, I thought I'd share just in case it is helpful to anyone else. I mix a teaspoonful in a glass of water before bedtime - not every night, but just if I think I need a little help with bowels or sleeping!

[humanbean]

a side effect is that it is helpful with bowel movements!!

Inulin is a soluble fibre, which is why it helps bowel movements. There are other soluble fibre supplements around. One well-known one in the UK is Fybogel.

[Ruby1 in reply to humanbean]

Indeed! I did know this when I tried it, but I thought it might be worth sharing for both constipation and sleep problems.

I did slightly worry that I might get stopped at customs with my bag of white powder

[JuliaWM]

Having taken a MOOC (modular open online university course) on gut microbiomes and having long term constipation myself I followed Prof Tim Spectors advice. I found I totally cured the constipation by buying a kilo of Baobab powder on ebay for about £15. It totally changed the working of my gut. I used it a few times not even using up half the baobab and my bowels have been fine ever since. As a lifelong insomniac I buy melatonin online from the Vitamin Grocer in USA and use it nightly with the blessing of my GP and endocrinologist. Prof Spector's book"The diet myth" well worth reading is are his Youtube talk to a group of doctors worth watching.

I am in my 60's and have had Hashimoto's since I was 7.I was first diagnosed properly by going to have one appointment iN harley street with the doctor who wrote the endocrinology texts book. he put me straight into a NHS hospital but my GP had previously totally missed what was wrong.I use T4 and T3.I am feeling a lot better recently having had the levels rebalanced. When I was first treated T4 eltroxin was enough, then not. I have a good NHS endocrinologist now who also tests all the blood levels of dozens of things like Vitamin D etc etc. JuliaWM

[Angel_of_the_North]

Makes me bloat and have the runs. I avoid it if possible

[Ruby1 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

That's interesting. Do you tend to get constipated? Perhaps too large a dose or I guess we are all different. I'm tempted to give the Baobab powder a try now too.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Ruby1]

No, I haven't been constipated in the last 30 years as far as I can remember - depending, of course, on the definition of constipation

[Ruby1 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Ah then that might make a difference, and yes to be avoided! I have to just keep an eye that I am regular. I can eat exactly the same as my husband and he will go daily, but for me it will often be 4 or 5 days.

[TSH110]

Just be warned it occurs naturally in salsify a very tasty root vegetable but some people are sensitive to it. It gave me chronic gut rot all night long - really awful, dreadful wind too. Apparently if you keep eating it you gradually become accustomed if you react, but I haven’t the nerve to try it again no matter how delicious!