“Why YaYa?” asked my grandson. “Because the apple is good for you and the apple juice is not.” “But why?” I looked at the big eyes of this five-year-old and thought, surely there is a way I can explain the benefits of fiber to him. Without understanding why we should try something new, none of us are likely to do so.
My grandson’s innocent question also reminded me of how hard it is to forgo something we like for something better for us when we don’t understand the why. When you are five, you just might need to trust that your elders have your best interest at heart. However, as a grown up, I need to understand the why. I first learned about the importance of fiber from one of my early attempts to shed unwanted pounds. I read Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman’s book titled ‘The Fat Flush Plan’. I felt amazingly good following her recommendations, but sadly I didn’t stick with it. As a working mother, I found all that chopping and cooking and avoiding excess fat seemed like just too much work. The only ‘why’ I gleamed from her book was losing weight, although when I looked back many years later, there was so much more offered.
Then along came another NY Times Bestseller I devoured. Dr. John McDougall’s “The Starch Solution” provided yet more research and reasons ‘why’ I should incorporate more fiber into my diet. But knowing what you should do, and doing it are two very different things. I rationalized that if it was really that good for me, surely my doctor would tell me, and everyone would be doing it. Now I know that it is not true, and fiber is one of the best kept secrets for optimal health.
Through all my reading I have learned that fiber affects you in more ways that just satiation. From your mood to your bowels, your brain to your heart, fiber is essential. But if you don’t currently eat a lot of it, be sure to add fiber slowly until your system gets used to processing it. In no time at all, your gut health will radiate into more energy and a healthy glow, and in my case, a few unwanted pounds gone! So, why not give fiber a try, and make an investment in your good health and longevity.
“Buy truth – don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight.” (Proverbs 23:23 TM)
“Fact: if you don’t eat at least 30 grams of fiber per day, your breast cancer risk goes up 50 percent.” (Kristi Funk, M.D. Breasts The Owner’s Manual)
“Though stroke is considered an older person’s disease, the risk factors may begin accumulating in childhood…the best available science suggests you can minimize stroke risk by eating a minimum of 25 grams of soluble fiber (fiber that dissolves in water, typically found in beans, oats, nuts and berries) and 47 daily grams of insoluble fiber (fiber that does not dissolve in water, found primarily in whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat).” (Michael Greger, M.D. – How Not to Die)
Yours for a Joyful Journey,
Joyice