3 Essential Reasons Women Need Fibre Daily!
Apart from keeping you regular, fibre can balance your hormones & support your body to detox daily.
Most of us don't eat enough fibre – according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (UK) 8 out of 10 adults don't eat the recommended 25g of fibre for normal bowel function.??
Why do you need Fibre?
- To prevent bloating and constipation
- To reduce your appetite and help with weight loss
- To ensure your body cleanses, detoxes and remove excess waste. Toxins tend to build up in your digestive tract, from foods you eat, or waste that is not properly disposed of by your body
- Manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your risk of diabetes and lower cholesterol levels
- Balance your hormone levels to reduce PMS symptoms especially for those with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).
- Ensure the elimination of excess (bad oestrogen) from your bowels, if you're bowels don't function correctly oestrogen can be reabsorbed back into your body. Elimination of these oestogens helps protect you from breast & prostrate cancer and will reduce PMS/Peri-menopause symptoms.
- Regulates testosterone levels in women with acne, facial hair, regulating ovulation and improving fertility
Where do you find fibre?
It is found only in plant foods. You body can?t digest it however it provides bulk to your diet.
Soluble fibre (which dissolves in water) is found in oats, barley, flaxseed (linseed), nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, peas and some fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fibre is found in wheat and particularly wheat bran. Insoluble fibre is often known as roughage and provides bulk to the diet.
How Can You Increase Your Fibre Intake ?
- Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal
- Add beans, vegetables to soups and casseroles.
- Snack on vegetables, fruits and nuts.
- Add flax seeds, nuts, fruit to your cereal or yogurt.
- Add fruit to your protein shakes
- Always have a fresh salad with your meal she you dine out
When you introduce the right amount of fibre into your diet it helps to keep the digestive tract working properly. This means that all toxins, waste, and anything else that has built up in the digestive tract will move through rapidly. You feel healthier and your digestive process works in the way that it is intended to.
Fibre is your friend, make sure you eat enough of it.
If you've had sluggish digestion, bloating or wind then it might be worthwhile considering a whole food detox.
Try to avoid low-fibre foods including all white flour products and refined breakfast cereals.
About the author
A qualified Naturopath & Herbalist, Women’s Health & Vitality Specialist and the author of ‘The Good Health Guide’ a bi-monthly ezine, Sue's mission is to help women have the best health they possibly can. She is passionate that women are empowered with the best knowledge, easy to implement health practices and tools available, so that with their health taken care of, they have one less thing to worry about!
Her background of many years in the corporate world, education, industry and now as a busy mum running her own private practice, means she knows first-hand the pressures and challenges of busy, stressed out women who are juggling a number of things at the same time.
