My sweet Joe has kept his promise to me that 2011 will be a check-everything-out year, and it started with a physical and blood work up. Everything came back great, thank God. Next, they want to test him for sleep apnea (I can save them the trouble. Man snores like it’s his JOB.) and do a baseline colonoscopy.
So in honor of the test that he has to endure this week, I think it’s a pretty good time to talk about colon health. Remember, I believe that we are what we eat. Think about that. If we aren’t what we eat, or drink, or breathe, what are we? (I’m not talking about our souls. I’m talking about the our bodies, our machines.)
I can name this colon tune in two notes.
FIBER and WATER.
Think of that push broom that Bert danced with while singing “Chim Chiminee” with Mary Poppins. THAT’S what fiber does to the roughly 25 miles that is your colon. (I might be exaggerating some. Maybe it’s not 25 miles, but it’s an unbelievable length of twisty turny tube in there.)
And to put it bluntly, fiber will get stuck (as in constipation) without enough water to keep it moving.
I usually don’t give people a number for anything. (For example, if someone told me that I should eat “X” amount of calories, Miss Type A would bydang hit that number and not have a stick of gum more.) But I make an exception with fiber.
You should aim for 35 grams of fiber per day.
You’ll find fiber in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. Thanks to the nutrition facts label, the processed foods you buy make it easy to keep track of. The “whole” fresh foods, like corn and potatoes will take a little more research. Go here for a good place to start. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582
And Mike, I’m not a huge fan of getting your fiber through Metamucil. The reason is simple. I’m sad thinking about all the other nutrients, vitamins and minerals you don’t get drinking that nasty stuff. Plus, I like to chew.
Oh, and do yourself a favor. Take a few days without changing anything and tote up your fiber numbers. If you need to ramp it up, don’t do it all at once with a bunch of Fiber One cereal. (It’s an acquired taste...I LOVE it.) You will blow up like a toad and not be fit to be around as you toot and toot some more. (She said “toot!”) I recommend adding 5 grams each week until you’re in the 35 grams per day range.
There’s so much more to say about fiber, so stay tuned. For now, do a little research and get smart and get busy!
Fruit is fiber.I am no longer a big fan of chewing.It's a pain.Those huge salads,forget it,they take too long to eat and who wants to eat a MOUND of anything.This is really just a note to you about me Alicia. You know the pizza thing? I can get through a piece and a half.The way Ken and I eat now are so different than what I used to eat.Forget Steak,makes me gag.Greasy anything...grossssse me right out.I am a yogurt and fruit mainly but I eat roasted turkey a lot! Avocados,how great are they for your skin? I have always loved them,Dad used to rant at me for the "fat" in them.He would have been thrilled to know that they are a good fat.He loved avocados too.Well,I got interrupted by the phone and I am on a different mind set now.I really am enjoying your blog.Thanks Alicia!
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