Copyright (c) 2006 Ted Crawford
Everyone should include an ample amount of fiber in the
diet everyday. Eating foods that are high in fiber helps
relieve problems with constipation, diverticulosis,
irritable bowel syndrome, and hemorrhoids. Fiber may also
help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent diabetes,
heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Fiber, also called roughage, is obtained from plant source
foods. It greatly aids in the digestive process, improving
gastric emptying and ridding the gastrointestinal tract of
toxins that can accumulate in our gut. If we do not eat
enough fiber, the food and by products we take in do not
move through the digestive tract as efficiently. To
ensure that you get enough fiber in your diet, try the
following. Replace white bread with whole grain breads and
cereals. Replace white rice with brown or wild rice and
eat more bran muffins, multi-grain cereals, oatmeal 100 per
cent whole grain bread and even popcorn. You can check
package labels for the amounts of dietary fiber in each
brand. Some cereals have less fiber than one might think.
Add ¼ of a cup of wheat bran (also called miller's bran) to
foods such as cooked cereal, applesauce, or even meat loaf.
You can buy this in health food stores and many grocery
stores. Eat cooked beans each week and at least five
servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Fruits and
vegetables that are high in fiber include:
Apples Figs Green peas Oranges Pears
Prunes Beans All berries Broccoli Carrots
Cauliflower Brussel sprouts
An important thing to consider if you don't already eat
much fiber is to start SLOWLY. Some people notice
bloating, cramping, or increased gas when they start to add
fiber to their diet. This is normal. Don't stop! You
digestive tract is merely adjusting to the change. Making
small changes in your diet over a period of time can help
prevent this. Start with one of the changes above and wait
several days to a week before implementing another change.
If one change does not seem to work for you, try a
different one.
It is important to drink more fluids when you increase the
amount of fiber you eat. If you do not already drink more
than six glasses of liquid a day (NOT soda pop), then drink
AT LEAST two more glasses of water a day when you increase
your fiber intake. Everyone should drink at least 64
ounces of water a day.
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Dr. Ted Crawford is a family practice physican in Tucson,
Arizona and has a website devoted to helping patients find
reliable health information and products. His article
"Increasing Your Dietray Fiber...How To Do It" can also be
found at http://www.babyboomersdoc.com
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