Fill Up on Fiber

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Fill Up on Fiber
Sat, 08-16-2008 - 5:17am
Fill Up on Fiber
How do you know if you're getting enough fiber in your diet? Well, kids, there are a couple of pretty obvious symptoms if you're not:

  1. You're constipated. Ouch, I know, but it's true. You should be having at least three bowel movements a week. If not, chin up and try adding more fiber-filled foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, to your diet and see if that doesn't fix the plumbing!

  2. You're hungry a lot. Well, you could be hungry for a number of reasons, including emotional ones, but fiber is also a legitimate suspect. Fiber helps you feel full, and if you're not getting that warm, fuzzy feeling of fullness, it may be because you need to eat more... you guessed it: fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
So fiber can help keep you regular and make you feel full. The FDA also considers it to be a powerful fighter against cancer, diabetes, and heart disease as well as digestive disorders and obesity.

As a general rule, you should eat as many veggies and as much salad as you possibly can (dressing is on the side, please!) because this will make you feel full and keep you from overeating other, more fattening foods. Fill up!

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