You probably know the importance of having enough fiber in your diet. Fiber affects the body systems, our skin, heart, gallbladder, and our immunity. With that being said, fiber is really an important substance that could build our body. This substance can be found in several fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Indeed, fiber will make our body really strong. However, lack of fiber may also cause a reaction to our body. This reaction may cause harm. If your diet does not contain or fall short on fibers, you may be risking yourself for heart diseases, cancer, and weight gain.
Although there are no clear-cut symptoms of a fiber-poor diet, there are four warning signs that one should be watching for:
Weight Gain
Fiber makes us satisfied and full. Being satisfied or having that comfortable fullness after a meal is one of the effects of fiber. Without the assistance of fiber in our body, we may not be experiencing that feeling. To avoid having this problem, you should be adding at least twenty-five to thirty-five recommended grams of fiber every day. Try to eat fruits, seasonal vegetables, and other foods that contain high fiber. Also, one tip is to choose a fiber-rich food that you are more likely to eat very often.
Constipation
Constipation may be the result if you are lacking fiber. Constipation is when you are having fewer than three bowel movements each week. Additionally, constipated people tend to have a hard and dry stool than those who are not. Although constipation is one of the results of lack of fiber, it may also mean that you are having little exercise or having a certain medical treatment that causes constipation.
If you are constipated because of your diet, you must try to add more fiber-rich foods like raspberries, apples, broccoli, carrots, or whole grains to your diet. Boosting the fiber intake can help to form bulky and soft stools, and can prevent or relieve constipation. In addition, adding fiber to your diet must be in a slow phase, in order for your body to get used to it. You should also help yourself by drinking lots of water or fluids, and having regular exercise.
Diet-Related Tiredness or Nausea
If you are getting most of your calories from a high-protein and low-carbohydrate food like eggs, meat, and cheese, this may lead to a rise in cholesterol. It can also leave you tired, weak, or nauseous. To prevent this, you may boost your dietary plan with vitamins, minerals, and fiber-rich fruits and veggies. Also, you may want to cut back on your fatty food intake.
Fluctuations of Blood Sugar
If you are diabetic and you find it hard to control your blood sugar, you should talk to your doctor. One of the reasons for this is that you are not getting enough fiber that is needed by your body. If you have enough fiber in your body, it may delay the absorption of sugar, which can help you control your blood sugar levels. With that, eating rich-fiber foods like beans, brown rice, peas, and other food high in fiber may be the solution. However, you must also note to discuss the changes in your diabetes management plan with your doctor.
Fiber Can Reduce Risks of Chronic Conditions
Those above are the signs to watch out for in order to know if you are missing your fibers in your regular diet. Moreover, a high-fiber diet does not only aids people to feel satiated and full. Interestingly, a study suggested that fiber also helps the body in combatting illnesses and other risks in health. In fact, fiber may reduce the risks for illnesses listed below:
- Cancer: According to the National Cancer Institute, one-third of cancer-related deaths are reported to be connected with our diet. Research shows that low-fat and high-fiber food like vegetables, fruits, and grains, can reduce the risk of cancers including rectum and colon cancer.
- Hemorrhoids: Swollen veins near the human’s anus and lower rectum may develop if there is a strain or push every time a person is having a bowel movement. However, eating a high-fiber food, plus plenty of liquids can help prevent and relieve the pain of hemorrhoids. Also, fiber and liquids help to keep human stool soft so it can easily pass through the digestive system.
- Heart Disease: According to a study, a healthy heart is low in cholesterol and saturated fats. One way to achieve this is to add at least 0.5% to 2% grams of soluble fiber to your daily diet. Soluble fibers bind to cholesterol and help to eliminate it in the human digestive system. As well as that, soluble fibers reduce the deposits of cholesterols in the arteries. These types of fiber can be found in legumes, oats, bananas, apples, berries, and vegetables.