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Sweep away the Toxins by Dr Pia Martin

We all know they're good for us. As children, we learned that high-fiber Foods -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes -- aid digestion. Now we're discovering that fiber can help protect against obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Yet most of us still don't get enough fiber.

Almost everyone needs to increase his or her intake of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, however only one in five consume the recommended amount, which is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. For women and men over 50, the amounts are a bit less: 21 and 30 grams, respectively.

Dietary fiber, which comes from plants, is easy to work into your diet. Start with any of the fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, or legumes -- they're all good sources -- or try one of the recipes at the bottom of the page.

Soluble Versus Insoluble Fiber Both types of fiber have health benefits. Soluble fiber, as the name suggests, holds water. It binds to and helps eliminate cholesterol, boosting heart health. Soluble fiber also normalizes blood glucose and insulin levels, and this can help prevent or manage diabetes. Insoluble fiber, sometimes referred to as roughage, facilitates digestion.

Insoluble Fiber is found in most fruits and vegetables, including raspberries and broccoli; Whole Grain foods, such as bran, bread, and bulgur; and nuts and seeds, such as walnuts and sunflower seeds.

Soluble Fiber sources include oats and oat bran, legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils, peas, and pinto beans.  It is also found in seeds like flaxseeds and some fruits such as citrus, blueberries, peaches, plums and some vegetables like okra, broccoli cabbage, carrots, other root vegetables and green beans.

What is fiber good for?

We all know that fiber is helpful in relieving constipation, however it is also helps form a softer bulkier stool, which reduces straining that can lead to hemorrhoids. Fiber also fills you up and therefore you eat less and lose weight.   A high fiber diet can make you less susceptible to digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and crohn’s disease. Research has shown that fiber can also reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.

GO SLOW!!!

To increase fiber in your diet go slow, otherwise you could experience some embarrassing and uncomfortable side effects, such as gas, bloating etc.  Give your digestive tract time to adjust, and Increase 5 grams at a time.  Be sure to drink plenty of water.  (8 big glasses) is a minimum. To get you started try this delicious recipe below.


Grilled Organic Vegetable Salad with Mint

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper cored and cut into 4 pieces

1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut across into 1/4-inch rounds

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a tray or work surface. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Preheat a grill or grill pan over a medium-high heat. Grill the vegetables in batches until both sides are nicely charred and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes for the pepper, about 8 minutes for the eggplant and onion, and about 6 minutes for the zucchini. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Pour over the vegetables and toss. Season, to taste, with a little sea salt and pepper. Gently stir in the tomatoes and mint. Divide the salad between 4 plates and sprinkle with the feta.

Per Serving:

Calories 275; Total Fat 22 g; (Sat Fat 5 g, Mono Fat 13 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 6 g; Carb 18 g; Fiber 7.5 g; Cholesterol 17 mg; Sodium 230 mg

Excellent source of: Fiber, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Folate, Manganese, Potassium. Good source of: Protein, Thiamin, Vitamin K, Calcium, Copper, Magnesium, Phosphorus

 

Dr Pia Martin DC, CCN

www.cre8wellness.com