Fiber

Hello there! Dr. Glen here with your weekly dose of Monday motivation. As I was walking through my garden this morning, admiring the leafy greens finally sprouting, it struck me how perfectly timed it is to talk about fiber.

Why Fiber?

Fiber is essential for our body’s optimal health. It isn’t just a remedy to avoid certain conditions; it’s required by our bodies for overall wellbeing. A high-fiber diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 40%, helps manage gastrointestinal issues like diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome, aids in controlling inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, and even assists with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Types of Fiber

There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber gets digested into a gel-like material, slowing down the transit time in our gut, which helps us absorb nutrients from our food more completely. On the other hand, insoluble fiber sweeps through our system, ensuring that food keeps moving through our GI tract, enabling complete digestion.

Good and Bad Sources of Fiber

Most good sources of fiber contain both soluble and insoluble components. You can find these primarily in your garden – root vegetables like sweet potatoes and onions, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, lentils, peas, and even almonds.

However, beware of poor sources of fiber like bran flakes, bran muffins, and bread. These may seem like they’re doing good on the surface, but they can actually do more harm than good, causing issues like leaky gut syndrome.

Let’s Get Planting!

So, this week’s goal? Incorporate more fiber into your diet. If you have a garden, plant some fiber-rich veggies. If not, no worries! Just make sure to add more of these foods into your meals.

Here’s to a week of healthier eating! I’ll catch you next Monday morning for another dose of motivation.