Discover the Secret Sauce for a Happy and Healthy Gut
A Diet Rich in High-Fiber Whole Foods
Your digestive system relies on clean and clear passageways. However, when gunk builds up and blocks these passageways to keep things moving, chaos occurs.
A diet rich in high-fiber whole foods will make your belly and body happy. It is the jumpstart you need to take control of your gut health and get things rolling.
Your gut and gut microbes love Fiber. 🥒
Soluble and insoluble Fiber improve bowel motility and can assist with stiff and painful stool.
Helping with constipation is not the only benefit of Fiber.
Let's break it down.
What's the deal with soluble and insoluble Fiber?
Soluble Fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel that slows digestion, allowing it to take longer to move through the gastrointestinal tract. Some soluble fiber also includes prebiotics, which feed the healthy bacteria in your gut.
Insoluble Fiber stays intact in the digestive system. It speeds up the movement of stool through the GI tract, improving the timing and regularity of bowel movements.
Soluble fiber foods include:
Artichokes
Berries
Apples
Onion
Carrots
Beans
Oats
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Pears
Watermelon
Banana*
*(only if you have a Fasting Blood Glucose of less than 90, exercise daily, are not insulin resistant or diabetic, and do not have PCOS or any liver dysfunction)
Insoluble Fiber foods include:
Nuts (Raw, not roasted)
Seeds (Flax and Chia are my go-to favorite seeds)
Beans
Potatoes (both soluble and insoluble)
Cauliflower (both soluble and insoluble)
Green Beans
Frozen Green Peas
Sweet Potato (I eat these 2 - 3 times/week)
Asparagus
Do you prioritize fiber in your daily diet?
Maybe not, considering that only 5 percent of people in the US meet the Institute of Medicine's recommended daily weight target of 25 grams of fiber/day for women and 38 grams for men.
Digestive and Health Benefits of Fiber
1) Proper Elimination of Toxins
Improper elimination keeps toxins in the body and stores them in fat cells. This toxin overload can lead to an increase in liver and glymphatic (waste clearance system) congestion. Daily bowel movements are a critically important part of optimal health.
2) Metabolic Health
Adding more soluble Fiber to your diet can lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Soluble fibers lower cholesterol levels and improve blood glucose control.
Soluble fibers reduce LDL by binding to cholesterol particles in the small intestine. The body excretes the trapped cholesterol in stool, lowering LDL and total cholesterol levels.
Soluble Fiber improves insulin sensitivity and lowers fasting blood sugar levels by slowing down glucose absorption in the small intestine.
3) Immune System Improvements
70-85% of your immune system lives in the gut.
Want to decrease your risk for bacterial, viral, or autoimmunity?
Feed the belly with prebiotic fibers to enhance the body's immune response.
Foods with prebiotic fibers include Leeks, Asparagus, Artichokes, Onions, Garlic, and Oats.
4) Reduces the Risk of Colon Cancer
The more dietary Fiber you eat, the lower your risk of colon cancer. Research shows that for every 10 grams of Fiber you eat, you lessen your colon cancer risk by 10%. Fiber improves bowel motility, decreasing fecal carcinogens.
REAL WHOLE FOOD IS MEDICINE
Effects of a Lower Fiber Diet
While constipation is a common condition caused by not eating enough Fiber, if left unresolved, it can result in numerous other health problems.
Please give it a bite or two and add more dietary Fiber daily.
If there are no improvements after a few weeks, it is best to contact a practitioner or physician to determine whether there is a more significant issue.
If you want to know what the your best options are, set up a time to chat today.