Foot Joint Pain

This is the 3rd post in my Digestion Series.  Also see article on Prebiotics and Digestive Drugs 

Americans typically fall short on meeting their dietary fiber needs. We need about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we consume yet, most Americans get just 15 grams per day! Fiber plays an important role in digestive system health, alleviating constipation and it may help reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diverticular disease.

Types of Fiber
There are two types of fiber and both are vital to good health.  Soluble fiber is found in a variety of foods including oat bran, oatmeal, beans, pears, apples, lentils, nuts, seeds, peas, bran, citrus fruits and barley. It can help decrease LDL cholesterol (the kind associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease) and make your stools softer so going to the bathroom isn’t so painful.

Insoluble fiber intake is also associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition it provides “bulk” which means it can help slow the rate at which food moves through your digestive system keeping you full for a longer period of time and increasing stool bulk thereby alleviating constipation.  Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat products, the skin from fruits and vegetables, brown rice, wheat bran and seeds.


Tips for Increasing Your Fiber Intake
If you think you need to increase your dietary fiber intake, always do so slowly at first so your body adjusts. Try these steps to slowly boost your fiber intake:

1. Swap out the “whites” in your diet for high fiber foods. White foods include regular pasta, white bread, white rice and white flour products. Start looking for whole grain or whole-wheat versions of these foods.

2. Add fruits and/or vegetables to every meal and consider adding these to snacks as well.

3. Substitute dishes made with legumes for some of your meat-based dishes.

4. Eat whole fruits and vegetables instead of drinking juice.

5. Try new grains that you don’t normally consume including bulgar, quinoa, and barley.

6. Sprinkle high fiber cereals such as Fiber One and All Bran in your dishes.

7. Try a fiber supplement (some of the unflavored ones can be added to your food or taken separately).