If you have gas after eating vegetables and beans its a huge sign you are not getting enough fiber and your gut is extremely out of balance with good bacteria, and is struggling to digest food. Your body most likely is not getting nutrients it needs and using more energy and loosing nutrients and not properly being fueled. Fiber is probably one of the most under rated part of the Medical and Nutrition World. I guess its just not as sexy as Protein or Carbs but Fiber is extremely important to your body running on all four cylinders. I think people have a mental image of Metemucil that is prescribed to people later in life to get their bowls moving but Fiber is so much more then that.

Do you suffer with any of these symptoms:

• Inflammation

• Depression

• Acid reflux

• Mood Swings

• Ulcers

• Low Energy

• Poor Sleep

• Stubborn Acne or Cystic Acne

• Lack of stools (Chronic Constipation)

• Weight Gain

• Hemorrhoids

• Bloating and Access Gas

Do you have any of the chronic diseases:

• Diabetes

• Heart Disease

• IBS

• Auto Immune Disease

• Leaky Gut

• Colon Cancer

• Dumping Syndrome

• Diverticular Disease

• Breast Cancer

All of the these symptoms and Diseases are linked to not having a diet that is filled with whole food fiber sources. Scary right? You could be suffering with skin issues and have taken rounds of acuetanine, and if some one said “hey lets try a high fiber low animal protein diet for a while before we do this” you would have happily have tried it first before going though such a serous medication protocol. Also you are depressed, not sleeping well and are sluggish maybe before we prescribe a medication you could do some diet changes and see how you feel first maybe you would, wouldn’t you? Your body gives you signs its in jeopardy we just need to be able to pause and take notice and start asking questions and doing some research.

Daily Recommendations for Adults according to the Mayo Clinic Recommendations:

Men 38 grams per day ( Older then 51 is 30 grams a day)

Women 25 grams per day ( Older then 51 is 21 grams a day)

Th average that most Americans get is around 10 per day to 12 per day. So we are all pretty lacking and this can explain the high rates of many issues effecting Americans today. People talk about Probiotics and Gut health but the subject of Fiber and what are the types of fiber you should be eating and how much are never brought up. Fiber is crucial to making your gut health and full of good bacteria that protects you against Disease, makes your skin clear and your immune system strong to fight off invaders.

Basic Types of Fiber:

Soluble- dissolves in water and forms a gel like material and helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, weight loss, skin issues etc.

Foods that have this type are: oats, peas, beans like lentils, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, asparagus, radishes, psyllium,

Insoluble- does not dissolve in water and promotes the movement of material through the digestive track. Helps with constipation and irregular bowls.

Foods that have this type are: whole-wheat flour, what bran, nuts, certain beans, cauliflower, green beans and potatoes.

But there is more…

Fermentable Fiber- fibers that the friendly gut bacteria are able to digest and use as fuel these are soluble and are in inulin a popular supplement. A whole food source is in Legumes and beans.

Viscous fiber- these are the gel-like fibers that sit in the gut and slow digestion so your food can actually absorb its nutrients and another benefit is feeling full longer and reducing your appetite. You can find this type of fiber in Psyllium, beta-glucans, guar gum and in whole food sources in certain types of Legumes, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Oats, Oat Bran, Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds, Citrus Fruit, Mango, Avocado, Pineapple, Apples.

Resistant Starch- this means that the starches that you eat are resistant to digestion so it passes through you unchanged. This type is great for digestion and enhances and lowers insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure. Great sources are Green Bananas, certain legumes, Cashews, Raw oats. If you like rice and potatoes they have to un fried and cooked for long periods of time and completely cooled to attain the good starch in these foods.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is a MD and a Gastroenterologist and has written a guide to Gut Health through a Fiber filled diet. He goes in to peer-reviewed scientific evidence that he poured over to write his book called Fiber Fueled. In America we focus on diets about Keto and Paleo and eating like our Ancestors, but our Ancestors really didn’t eat a lot of Meat and Fat. Our Ancestors where always trying to just survive and not get eaten by the animals that we where “supposedly” to be feasting on. Remember, we where the hunted not the other way around so Fiber was key in our survival. Any meat and fat that we ate was a treat and rare except in places that smaller easily hunted and fished animals where available. Dr. Will’s book is compelling and worth the read or the listen in Audio format. He also gives recipes and plans to start your journey in repairing your gut and body as a whole. His website is full of information if you want to dive in and learn more about him and how he came to write his book and the work he is doing in his local area.

If you rather take in his research in a Podcast form I highly suggest you listen to his interview with Simon Hill. Dr. Bulsiewicz has been interviewed on many podcast and I have listened to quite a few, but this interview is probably the best of the best. Simon Hill is an Australian Physiotherapist and has a Masters Degree from Cornell University in Nutrition. He is a Plant based advocate and is a world renowned figure on the Health and Nutrition stage. He has quite an international fallowing on his web site called Plant Proof, Instagram and Podcast. Also his voice is amazing! He just has a way of understanding things and asking the right questions to help the listener get the most out of the information.

Click here to go to the Interview

Have a great week everyone and eat your Fiber!

Shara

Sources: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/, https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/4-warning-signs-your-diet-may-lack-fiber, https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7871141/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-don-t-eat-enough-fiber/, https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/problems-can-not-getting-enough-fiber-7557.html, https://blackdoctor.org/7-things-that-can-happen-when-you-dont-get-enough-fiber/, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/different-types-of-fiber#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4,