Health & Medical Advice and Information - UK Medical Health

At one time fibre was thought to serve no useful purpose in the body, as it does not contain any nutrients, but gradually nutritionists began to recognise that what the naturopaths had been saying for a long time had some truth in it – fibre was really important in the diet.

Fibre has many benefits:

§ Fibre bulks up stools and so reduces the chances of you suffering from constipation.
§ Fibre keeps the intestinal wall clean and reduces the likelihood of developing diverticulitis.
§ Bacteria in the colon can break down fibre, creating an acidic environment that decreases the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
§ Foods high in fibre can take longer to eat, increasing the feeling of fullness after a meal, and so help you weight control.
§ Food high in fibre is digested more slowly and so glucose may be released more slowly into the blood stream. This helps stabilise blood sugar and reduce mood swings.
§ Fibre binds with cholesterol and removes it from the body.

Fibre is only found in plants. Fibre rich foods include wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, vegetables - especially beans, peas and lentils - nuts and dried fruit.

So are there any disadvantages of eating fibre? Fibre can bind with some minerals such as iron and reduce their absorption. So, if you are taking an iron supplement, take it away from a fibre-rich meal.

Although fibre can help protect your colon from inflammatory diseases such as diverticulitis and Crohn’s disease, if you already have one of these conditions fibre will often aggravate the condition as it physically scrubs the inflamed tissues. Instead of increasing your fibre intake, take herbs to soothe your gut and reduce inflammation.

Here are some tips you can easily incorporate into your life.

1. Reduce the number of times you go to the supermarket. The more often you go the more you are likely to buy unhealthy food.
2. Watercress contains 12 times as much vitamin C as lettuce and more iron than spinach.
3. Try half sparkling water and half fruit juice instead of fizzy drinks/sodas.
4. Beans are good for you, but if you find they give you gas/wind, start with split peas and lentils.
5. Many people are short of zinc. Brazil nuts and almonds are great sources of this important trace mineral. If you have problems with nuts take a good quality nutritional supplement.
6. Eat garlic, leeks and onions for the probiotics they contain. These feed the healthy bacteria in our guts.
7. Many people think eating healthily is expensive, but a piece of fruit is often much cheaper than a chocolate bar or a cream cake.
8. Most post-menopausal women do not need iron supplements. Excessive iron intake has been linked to heart disease. If you are taking a vitamin and mineral supplement and you are past the menopause make sure it is specifically designed for you.
9. Some research suggests that a high-fat diet can contribute to bad breath. Fats in meat, cheese and milk seem to be a particular problem.
10. Bought a pizza to cook at home? Add extra veggies (e.g. tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers, corn) to make it healthier.
11. If you’re trying to become pregnant, take 400 mcg of folic acid as a daily supplement and eat folic acid rich foods (yeast extract and dark green leafy vegetables). Folic acid is a B vitamin that can help prevent spina bifida.
12. Fish oils supplements can contain heavy metals and dioxins, so buy flax seed oil supplements instead.

Detox time! After the excesses of the holiday many men decide to start the new year with a detox program. In a flush of enthusiasm they make outrageous decisions – no alcohol, lose weight, go to the gym, clean up the diet. All of these are great resolutions, but setting out to do them all at once is a recipe for disaster. Make a small decision now that you have a good chance of keeping rather than planning to do everything.

Let’s look at going to the gym. Is this really what you want to do? You are more likely to keep a resolution if you enjoy the activity. Going to the gym doesn’t suit everyone. You could try joining a runners’ group – pick one that has a welcoming attitude to beginners, and that will teach you how to run properly without overstretching yourself. If you do want to join a gym, make sure you get personalised advice or use an online trainer who can tailor a program specifically for you. If this all sounds too energetic, get a pedometer. Many people walk about 3000 to 4000 steps a day, whereas the recommended amount is 10000 steps a day.

Want to clean up your diet? Start simply – drink a lot more water and add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Concentrate on adding good things rather than depriving yourself of bad things. Don’t put yourself on a diet that you couldn’t (with some small modifications) follow for the rest of your life. Otherwise the time will come when the diet is too difficult ad you break it big time. Many people end up putting on weight as a result of going on a diet!

Feel your insides need a clean out? Traditionally herbs have been associated with detoxifying and cleansing the body. Herbs such as cramp bark, dandelion, milk thistle, fennel and ginger support the liver, soothe and cleanse the digestive tract. Go for a good quality herbal detox formula that consists of several different herbs for maximum benefit.

Make one of these changes in your life. Don’t try to do everything. Then when that activity is just part of your every day routine, add another change. Go gently on yourself, but go forward into a better life.