Hi All!!! Welcome to Better Health Life Coaching’s blog which I will fondly call, “Nuggets”. Why? Because I enjoy reading short articles that provide me with information that is helpful and which I can start implementing in my daily life. Today’s topic, gut health, seems to be the hot topic in today’s fast-paced world. Our ancestors who lived in a much slower paced world (they had time to observe things or so I imagine) recognized early on the importance of making sure that you have a bowel movement at least once a day; it is the main way to remove the waste product of our cellular activity. And trust me, our cells are active 24/7. Constipation (not a dirty word) is a reality for many of us and should be addressed (the same as diarrhea but we will focus on constipation for now). Growing up, we thought fiber was for grandma and grandpa. This is not the case; the young need it too. So, to promote daily bowel movements you can do the following:
- Eat 2-3 servings of fruit per day (a serving may not be the whole fruit; persons with diabetes should pay attention to their recommended “serving”).
- Eat 8-9 servings of vegetables per day (this one can be difficult but there are different things that you can do to get it in).
- Drink at least 64 oz of water (some may need less, others more depending on their daily activity; drink when you are thirsty).
- Take extra fiber if you cannot get the above in. Psyllium and Flax seeds are great sources.
- Try to eat your fruits and vegetables in their original form; most of the fiber is in the skin so wash them really well.
Hope this helps. New post next week!!!