1) Breakfast is an important contributor to daily fiber intake. Eat high-fiber breakfast cereals (bran based cereals, oatmeal, etc.), add 1-2 tablespoons of unprocessed bran.
Dried fruits, chopped nuts, soy grits and seeds are also excellent additions to cereals.
Note: A gradual increase in fiber will prevent bloating, gas, or pain. People intolerant to bran may benefit from psyllium-based fiber supplements and cereals.
2) Drink adequate water daily. Fiber works by absorbing many times its own weight in water.
3) Eat whole grain breads or fiber-enriched breads. They have over double the fiber of regular white bread.
4) Enjoy fruit as fresh fruit with skin rather than fruit juice. Enjoy whole grain pasta, barley, brown rice, nuts and seeds.
5) Eat more vegetables, salads, and legumes - especially cooked beans, lentils, potatoes with skins, avocado, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, carrots and peas.
6) Add bran (barley/rice/wheat)or soy grits to soups, casseroles, yogurt, desserts, cookies, cakes. Also use whole-meal flour or soy flour in place of white flour. Use nuts, seeds, and ground linseed.
7) Snack on fresh or dried fruits, carrot or celery sticks, popcorn, nuts or seeds, whole-grain crackers, high-fiber bars (low fat). Limit amounts if overweight.
8) Exercise regularly to strengthen abdominal muscles and stimulate the gut. Keep up water intake, especially in warm weather.
9) Avoid indiscriminate and regular use of harsh laxatives. They can overstimulate the intestinal muscles and may make normal bowel activity impossible. It may take several weeks to restore normal bowel function.
Foods with zero fiber content are:
Dairy products (milk, cheese, etc)
Meats, poultry, fish, eggs.
Fats/Oils, Sugars/Syrups
(Only foods of plant origin contain fiber.)
~ Aunt Millie
No comments:
Post a Comment