I told him that it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Have you ever heard of a constipated lion? Animals in the wild that eat what they were meant to eat have no problems with bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. They don’t need relief from Bean-O or Ex-Lax. They eat, they go, end of story. I have to imagine it used to be pretty much the same for us as humans before we started eating all the processed garbage we now call food.
Whenever I am talking about the Paleo diet, I always get asked two questions. The first is related to cholesterol. The second is about fiber. Specifically, how do you get enough fiber in your diet if you don’t eat grains? I think I basically covered the answer to the first question in my last post. Let me see if I can break down the fiber issue for you today. (Get it? Break down… fiber?)
These days, doctors, health experts and nutritionists all praise the benefits of eating plenty of fiber. It’s practically a diet commandment. I think it falls somewhere right between “thou shalt only eat low-fat, low-sodium foods” and “thou shalt drink too much milk.” Open up any fitness/nutrition magazine or read any story about diet and nutrition in the health section of your local paper and you are likely to get some advice about upping your daily fiber intake. Typically they recommend somewhere in the range of 25-35 grams of fibrous foods like whole wheat bread, wheat bran cereal, and oatmeal.
The food manufacturers have most certainly jumped on the fiber band-wagon. You can’t take two steps down a grocery aisle without “HIGH FIBER” screaming at you from various packages and boxes. No one seems to notice or care that these words are often found front and center on boxes of sugary cereals or bags of chips and cookies. Do Americans really think a tortilla chip is somehow better for them if it has added fiber? And if all this added fiber is working, why are we all still bloated, constipated and taking Metamucil to keep things moving along?
Unfortunately, eating a so-called high fiber diet is not healthy or good for your colon. The truth is your bathroom habits have little to do with all the fiber you are ingesting. The health of your gut and its good bacteria actually has a lot more to do with whether or not you are regular. While many people tout the benefits of insoluble fiber found in whole grains for speeding things up, this is actually wreaking havoc on your system. The more you add these types of fiber-laden foods to your diet, the more you upset the balance of good bacteria in your gut. You will no longer be able to digest your food efficiently and you will continually have to increase the use of these fibrous torture tools to get the same effect. The bottom line is that a diet full of fiber from grains is ultimately causing your body to be less functional. It is also important to note that you aren’t likely to absorb much in the way of nutrients while your food is being ushered out so quickly.
I know what I am saying goes against the grain - literally. It’s crazy to think that all of this much-touted fiber could actually be contributing to our bathroom issues. But it’s true.
The fact is that any diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables will have more than enough natural fiber. That’s all it takes. So put down the shredded wheat and pick up an apple.
Take it from me. I used to think that fiber was my friend. Now I know better. I can eat plenty of meat and fat and NO grains and be just fine. I will leave you with this humorous article titled “In Search of a Good Poop(or SH*T Happens).” It is sure to make you laugh and, perhaps, think.
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