I read two newspaper articles this morning about a recent study, led by the National Cancer Institute, which focused on the dietary benefits of fiber. Most Americans aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets. The study says that eating more fiber might make you live longer. We now have something else to think about and more grams and milligrams to track. Who knew that eating would become such an exact science?
Fiber found in whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruit pave the way for a healthy digestive system, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels and improving blood glucose levels. A diet rich in fiber is thought to provide significant health benefits. Dietary guidelines suggest that you consume14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories that you ingest a day, which means 25 grams for an average sized woman and 38 grams for a man. The study found that the most significant benefits were derived from fiber found in whole grains and beans.
As you get older you need to pay a little more attention to what foods enter your body and what happens along the way. Peristalsis slows down and digestive fluids decrease so things aren’t as efficient as they were in the old days. This is where the fiber comes in. Dr. Michael F. Roizen, M.D. in his book “You Staying Young,” has some tips to help you be kind to your stomach. Deciding what you put in your mouth, he says, influences how well or how quickly your digestive system ages.
- Add bulk. We’re not talking about dietary supplements commonly seen in the bathroom cabinet of older folks. The duo of fiber and water, the natural way, is most influential. Together they keep food soft and bulky so that it moves easily through your system. If you take a fiber supplement the instructions always say to drink a lot of water with it, and I know from working with seniors that drinking a whole glass of water is sheer torture for most of them. Remember, without water, fiber gets hard. The good thing is that fiber has no calories but can make you feel full (hopefully keeping you from eating other things that are more apt to lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes).
- Shower your insides. Dr. Roizen uses that particular phrase to remind you to drink water. Despite popular opinion about the classic 8 glasses of water a day, he says there is no particular magic to that number. The right amount of water for you can vary according to your activity level and size. Drink enough water so that your urine is clear. Water helps the digestive process. It lubricates everything so that it slides down easily, fills you up, fights bad breath, and keeps your mouth moist. Your mechanism for detecting thirst doesn’t work as well when you get older so it is important to remind yourself to drink regularly throughout the day.
Fiber is the in the news these days and this makes it easier to select foods that are good for you. Energy bars, cereals, and enriched breads all fall into that all important grain group. If you buy bread with 5-6 grams of fiber in each slice you are half way through your daily requirement before lunch. If you have thought of other ways to sneak fiber into your diet I am hoping that you will share.
Comments