Optimal Natural Health:
Get Moving with Fiber
Optimal Natural Health: Get Moving with Fiber
There is a lot of hoopla right now about fiber-what kind is best, how much to eat, when to eat it and what the value of enough fiber can be. Ready for some straight talk? Some of it isn't pleasant, but it is all good for you.
Don't quit reading too soon, because there are some super-benefits toward the bottom of the page.
Okay- here goes:
What is Fiber anyway?
Fiber is indigestible parts of the plants we eat. They are carbohydrates that are too complex to be broken down.
You may have heard the term 'roughage.' It's all the same thing. In the past, fiber wasn't so important because
it didn't give our bodies energy. Think about it-fats and carbohydrates generate energy for us. Fiber-well, not so much. But that doesn't mean it isn't important.
Are there different types of fibers?
No, there aren't. Oh, just kidding. Of course there are.
One group is most beneficial to our bowels and may reduce the risk of disease of the colon, including colon and rectal cancer. These are the insoluble fibers called cellulose and lignin which is found in wheat bran and other whole grains.
Another group called hemicellulose is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. They are partially soluble in water. Psyllium seed is also in this group of hemicellulose and is the main ingredient in Metamucil and other bulk laxatives. They make the stools softer, larger and easier to pass.
I know this isn't a pretty subject, but it is an important subject when optimal natural health is your goal.
Another type of fiber is water-soluble. This means it passes through our digestive system it is broken down by fluids-unlike insoluble fiber which doesn't break down. Water-soluble fiber is found in seeds, including oats and sesame seeds and fruits and vegetables.
Where do we find fiber?
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Fruits and Vegetables give us fiber and Optimal Natural Health with Antioxidants. Click here to learn how antioxidants can change your life!
Optimal Natural Health: Why should we be concerned about fiber?
The jury is still out if fiber really helps prevent colon cancer-and other cancers for that matter. Clearly, fiber helps your intestinal system to function a lot better. It increases the bulk and frequency of bowel movements.
Not enough fiber=constipation. Of course, adequate water is an important part of the recipe because fiber without water is about like cement.
One theory about how insoluble fibers work is that they tend to speed up the time that food takes to pass through the digestive tract. This means that contact of food products that could be cancer-promoting with the colon is limited because things are moving along quicker.
This insoluble fiber may help to provide some protection to the person who is susceptible to colon cancer. Someone susceptible to colon cancer is one with a family history of colon cancer.
Irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis are also helped with this insoluble fiber.
What are the Optimal Natural Health Benefits of soluble-fibers
The insoluble fibers get a lot of attention, but the water-soluble fibers are beneficial, also.
These types of fiber bind bile acids and also cholesterol. It keeps the cholesterol from being absorbed into the blood. This is important because we do not want the cholesterol to be in our blood! We want it to get moving on out. Oatmeal is a good example here-about 2 grams of soluble and 2 grams of insoluble fiber per serving.
Are you starting to see the wonderful optimal natural health benefits of those fruits and vegetables?
Now you really want that fiber, don't you?
So, how much should you eat?
About forty grams of fiber a day is recommended. How much do you eat now? I'm not watching over your shoulder, but the average person gets half of this or less.
How do I measure the fiber?
You really need to start looking at labels if you want to know how much fiber is in food. It isn't as intimidating as it seems. This is important because some of the writing on food boxes and bags say 'high fiber' but it may not be that 'high' after all. Why not choose the one with the highest fiber if you can.
If you take a look at cereal boxes, focus in at insoluble dietary fibers. Some have as little as 1 gram per ounce while others have five or more per ounce. If you add some fruit to this, you'll be getting a great start to the morning with regard to antioxidants and fiber-you'll be on the road to optimal natural health.
Now, reading labels takes a bit of time, but as you get used to it, you'll speed right along. I doubt that I spend more than an extra 3-5 minutes reading labels per shopping trip. It is so important, though.
Choosing foods that are high in fiber at the grocery store is your first goal. That way, whatever you choose out of your cupboard will be a good choice. There are other ways to keep track of it, also.
Optimal natural health is easier with a bit of monitoring: I like to track what I eat and my exercise on fitday.com. They make it very easy. Take a look at this website. It is really awesome. The website has a free program, and you can upgrade for very little. This is fantastic!
Optimal Natural Health and Fiber
Reasons we avoid fiber?
GAS and more GAS
This is especially true if you are not accustomed to a lot of fiber and then you overdo it. Start slow at first. This will help. Why is gas such a problem? Methane gas is released when the bacteria in our intestines tries to digest these complex carbohydrates.
Optimal Natural Health and Fiber Advice:
Fiber supplements and powders and straight wheat bran may be okay for you, but be careful to avoid taking these with food. They interfere with the absorption of minerals from our food. Also, if you don't drink enough water with these and throughout the day, you'll end up with constipation-hard, infrequent stools and even more gas.
Best advice:
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and products made with whole grains.
What if you pass up whole grain bread for white bread?
You would have to eat about 80 peices of white bread to get your daily allowance of forty grams of fiber. OR, you can eat between 6 and 7 slices of whole grain bread to get your daily allowance of 40 grams of fiber. You want to have a variety of fiber sources, of course, but I'm sure you get the point!
Choose whole grains!
Fiber Suggestions toward Optimal Natural Health
Alright, so perhaps the downside to the fiber (gas) was enough for you to read to make you turn away. Thank you for not clicking away, yet. You'll be glad you didn't!
Here is why!
Fiber packed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are filling without being fattening. The soluble fibers can help to keep the blood-sugar levels more stable. This helps to curb food cravings.
If the food is high in fiber and unprocessed, it is probably low in fat. That means you can eat more of them. Who doesn't like that!
Suggestions:
1. Be sure to have at least two fruits and/or vegetables and at least one serving of whole grains breads and cereals or legumes, such as kidney beans, chickpeas or black beans with EACH meal.
You will feel full longer and stronger than ever because you've chosen foods high in nutrients as well as fiber.
2. Drink plenty of water. Drink 6-8 glasses of liquids that are mostly water. When your urine looks very light or nearly clear, you've had enough. We all have different needs at different times. If you are outside working in the heat, you will need more than when you are indoors on the computer.
A few interesting studies (I really like THESE results!)
In one study by Dr. Rolls, he found that people stop eating when they've consumed a given weight or volume of food, regardless of the calories. In other words you might eat a pound of chocolate-which would be highly enjoyable, but would cost you 2000 calories. OUCH! OR, you could eat 1 pound of carrots for a total of about 195 calories.
Both weigh one pound. How many of you would volunteer for this study?
Rolls, B: Sensory specific satiety. Nutr Rev 1986;44:93-101.
Which foods would you fill you up the quickest: calorie dense fatty or sugary foods OR low calorie, fiber-rich foods?
It isn't a trick question, actually. Foods that have more water and fiber weigh more. A group of researchers out of University of Sydney in Australia did a study by feeding people 38 common foods and then measured their hunger levels at the time they ate and then two hours later. They found that peole who ate fewer calories felt more satisfied after eating fiber-rich foods such as potatoes, oatmeal, oranges, pasta (whole grain) and beans then when they ate high fat and fiber-poor foods like croissants, cake, doughnuts or candy.
HOlt, S, Miller, J, Petocz, et al: A satiety index of common foods. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1995:49. 675-690.
Of course there are many factors involved, yet this is certainly food for thought (yes, pun totally intended). Test yourself! Keep a simple diary and record what you ate, what time you ate and how you felt afterwards. When you document what you ate, ask yourself if you were really hungry. That can be very enlightenning. Optimal natural health requires self-awareness.
It is important to remember that optimal natural health is not only about what you eat,(body),mind and spirit.
To learn more about how carbohydrates work, click here.
Ready to put it all together? Nutrition is just one part the goal for optimal natural health. Choose a few aspects you would like to improve on when it comes to nutrition. Make some goals that you can achieve and set a day to begin. Remember not to bite off too much. Then, remember that optimal holistic health and medicine is about the body, mind AND spirit. Click on the photo below to take your next steps.
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It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. Always take the advice of your doctor before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program. We will not be liable for any complications, or other medical accidents arising from the use of any information on this web site.
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