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—ANNE VANBEBER, R.D., PH.D.
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FIBER
Found in plant-based foods, Fiber is
the part of the food that the body
doesn’t digest. There are two kinds,
insoluble and soluble, and they’re
both good for you. As its name
indicates, the former doesn’t really
change in the digestive tract; it
promotes regularity. Insoluble fiber
helps to move foods and toxins
through the body quicker, says Pat
Baird, R.D., author of
Be Good to Your
Gut.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water
and can help lower cholesterol and
glucose levels.
Best fiber foods:
Wheat bran, oat
bran, bran flakes cereal (look for one
with at least 5 grams of fiber per
serving), legumes (especially soybeans,
peas, and peanuts), and the skins of
fruits and vegetables.
Tip :
Aim to get 25-38 grams of fiber
into your diet per day. Figures show
that most of us get only 10-15 grams.
And if you’re upping your fiber, make
sure to increase your water or
fluids, too, to avoid blockage in your
colon, suggests Anne VanBeber, R.D.,
Ph.D., chair of the department of
nutrition at Texas Christian
University in Fort Worth.
SPICES
Made from dried seeds, bark, roots,
or fruits, spices confer benefits
beyond the palate and have long been
used in Chinese and Ayurvedic
medicine, which is practiced in India.
Ginger treats nausea and diahrrea.
Cinnamon, which contains
antioxidants, helps control diarrhea
and relieve abdominal spasms due
to gas, as well as constipation.
Best digestion spices:
Ginger,
cinnamon, and coriander.
T ip :
Add fresh ginger to your cooking
or take ginger root extract in pill
form. Avoid ginger in pill form if
you’re taking blood pressure or blood-
thinning medications, says Hannah El-
Amin, R.D., L.D., C.D.E., a clinical
PROBIOTIC 411
We know that probiotics are one
of those wonder helpers that ease
digestive problems. But which is
better: supplement or whole food
form? Both are equally helpful in
aiding digestion. Opt for a
probiotic in supplement form if
you're taking antibiotics (which can
wreak havoc on your digestive
tract), are lactose-intolerant, or
don’t particularly like probiotic-
filled foods like yogurt. If you're
shopping for a probiotic
supplement, look for one with i-2
billion colony-forming units per
recommended dose, says
Northwestern’s El-Amin. Also good
to know: More studies are showing
that probiotics are important for v
your overall health. In a recent
Swedish study, probiotics not only
helped keep participants’ digestive
systems healthy they also kept
participants from getting sick.
Those who took a daily
supplement of
Lactobacillus
reuteri,
a probiotic that also works
to boost white blood cells, ended
up taking one-third fewer sick days
than those taking the placebo.
“Tea reduces the level of the stress
hormone cortisol, which can seriously
affect digestive health.”
—CYNTHIA SASS, R.D.
200
AUGUST 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
