A healthy lifestyle is a high fiber lifestyle.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is found in plant foods. It passes through the body undigested, keeping your digestive system clean and healthy, easing bowel movements, and flushing cholesterol and toxins out of the body.
Good sources include
Bran-- oat bran, wheat bran, rice bran.
Beans--- black beans, lentils, kidney beans, white beans, french beans, mung beans, yellow beans.
Whole wheat--- barley, popcorn, oats, millet, wheat flour (whole wheat), brown rice, bread (whole wheat), wheat crackers, spaghetti (whole wheat).
Fruits--- banana, pear, orange, apple, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, figs.
Nuts--- almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, raisins, sesame seeds, flaxseed.
Vegetables--- spinach, broccoli, mustard greens, red cabbage, sprouts, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potato.
In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber.
Dietary fiber, along with a well balanced diet, is important for good health.
Your daily dose should be 25 to 30 grams of fiber.
It is an important nutrient with many health benefits.
Digestive system--- fiber normalizes bowel movements and relieve constipation, inflammation of the intestine, hemorrhoids, gallstones, kidney stones, irritable bowel syndrome (ibs), gastroesophageal reflux disorder (gerd) and ulcers.
Heart disease--- eating a diet high in fiber can improve cholesterol levels by lowering ldl (bad) cholesterol and improve levels of hdl (good) cholesterol, reduce risk for metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease and stroke, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
Diabetes--- diet high in fibre can lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
Cancer--- high fiber rich diet can help prevent colorectal cancer and also lower risk for other common digestive system cancers, including stomach, mouth, and pharynx.
Skin health--- when yeast and fungus are excreted through the skin, they can trigger outbreaks or acne and eating fiber can flush toxins out of body, improving the health and appearance of the skin.
Weight loss--- aiding digestion and preventing constipation, fiber adds bulk to the diet, help in losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. Since fiber stays in the stomach longer, the feeling of fullness will stay much longer and will eat less.