Fibre

[Daisy]

You may have gathered from my 'healthy' cakes thread that I'm trying to eat more healthily, and hopefully lose some weight.

Fibre in the diet seems to be taking centre stage for healthy eating, but I was shocked to see how much fibre you 'should' eat in one day - 30g are being recommended, and this article shows how you might reach that target! I'd better put more lentils on my shopping list!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46827426

[Qwerty]

I’ve always tried to eat fibre Daisy as if I don’t well I won’t go into detail, I read somewhere that African countries that eat more wholewheat no refining can ,(now there is no easy way to put this) but they pass 75 grams out every day now that’s a lot of poo 😰

[Sum1Ls]

It is. And bowel cancer is unknown in Africa south of the Sahara.
Its tricky with a western diet but if you switch to whole mealbread, and porridge instead of other cereals and nibble on carrots and apples and nuts for snacks, it becomes a lot easier.

[Qwerty]

That’s right Sum1 there is very little bowel cancer in those countries just makes you think doesnt it, ours is so refined and messed with keep on with the 5 a day folk

[Daisy]

Qwerty - your post made me smile. I belong to a FB raw-feeding group for cats and dogs, and it's the main topic of conversation.

But as Sum1 says with our refined western diet we have to make conscious choices. I do use lentils and nuts in various meals and add seeds to home-made wholemeal bread but I'm sure I could do more!

[Gemini]

It is very difficult for those of us with ibs

When I was first diagnosed in 1976, fibre was the answer, you even had to sprinkle bran onto your food!
Now it is known that fibre in most cases actually irritates the over sensitive gut more. We are not supposed to eat our 5 a day really. I find I can and do, but have to be careful what I choose.

[Nanto2girls]

I often put lentils in a stew/casserole.

[Sum1Ls]

Gemini have you come across this:

https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/starting-the-low-fodmap-diet/

A friend of mine who has suffered greatly from IBS was advised by her Dr to follow this. It was hard, but it’s only for a bit and now she knows what to avoid and is pretty much cured.

[Daisy]

Sum1, that's interesting. I have a friend who follows the Fodmap regime religiously. I don't know exactly what all her symptoms were, but they resulted in major abdominal surgery, following which she found it very difficult to reconcile her needs with what was supposedly healthy eating. Then she discovered Fodmap and she's since become symptom-free.

Although it looks hard to follow, once you get into the routine, as with most eating regimes, it's fine. The one problem was concern about whether she was getting enough protein, and her lovely OH, who is retired (she's not) makes her protein shakes every day. They stay with us when they're in the UK and I can honestly say it wasn't hard to adapt our meals to suit her.

[Gemini]

Very interesting Sum1. I may give this a try.
I am more or less restricting my vegetables to carrots and green beans already, and having almond milk.
Oh the high list nectarines, mushrooms , yogurts and poultry would be very hard for me to give up.
This could be worth a go though, to see what is problematic.
Interestingly my worse trigger foods, beef and chili, are on neither list.

Thank you for this.

[Daisy]

Gem, my friend, J, who follows the diet eats chicken - and I think it's the only meat she can eat which is why I think her OH is so concerned to make sure she has enough protein. so I think there are some items on the low Fodmap list (ie should be ok) that she can't eat. Fish seems to be ok.

[Mimi]

We usually have for breakfast a fruit and fibre cereal or porridge.
I buy bread wholemeal bread with seeds. Also there is always plenty of fresh fruit in the fruit bowl.
We started this healthy eating just after OH had his heart attack as the drugs he is on can lead to constipation.

With all three pregnancies I was terribly constipated after each birth no matter now much 'roughage' I ate during and after each birth!

[Gemini]

Oh that's the worst time to be constipated isn't it Mimi?!

[Plantaholic]

Very interesting although I fortunately do not have IBS