>Why does whether it is >firm or loose indicate how much is digested. Sheila, can you help? I know >that >when I stopped eating raw juicy >fruit in the evening after protein, and was taking cassia, that I believe >my digestion improved, and for a period of about a month I put out huge >quantities of old stuff, fairly loose. Now I eat less and put out less >and my weight had stayed the same for a long period. I will sure watch >for loose or firm on days when I eat more fruit. Sheila: I can only share my experience. Recovering from eating disorders has skewed my intestines and I'm recovering from that and watching how the intestines will restore itself. I went through a phase of hard stool and I tried to correlate it and I eat a lot of fruit consistently. I increased my fluids. It comes and goes, mostly gone. I notice that when I take large amounts of flora ie acidophilus with enzymes that I have a softer stool, more consistent elimination. I find that when I eat more fruits and veges and not too much else I don't have alot of elimination and for the most part I have incomplete elimination anyway. My intestines aren't strong enough to eliminate efficiently or completely. If you are using cassia it is a potent laxative and I have developed cardiac insufficiency from using the plant (many years and too much). The fruit is the same based on descriptions of earlier posts. It certainly cleaned me out for many years. I think digestion is better when there is less in the digestive tract ie better elimination or the use of cassia to clear the tract. Feedback welcome. Kind Regards, Sheila Shea http://www.sheilas.com