Give Us This Day Our Daily Fiber.

Today the sun is shining and clothes are drying on the clothes line. this morning I did yoga and meditation as I resolved myself to do then ate a bowl of cooked oat bran flavored with butter, dark brown sugar and raisins. The oat bran alone has 6 grams of dietary fiber, three grams of soluable fiber. I also ate a whole orange. I know I ate at least 33% of my daily requirement of fiber with this meal.

I plan to do equally as well for lunch. I have made a pot of butternut squash soup and will eat it with crackers and peanut butter. Though I can't tell the exact amount of fiber in my soup, I know that it is chocked full of fiber because it contains carrots, celery and garlic as well as the butternut squash.

According to health experts the average adult needs to consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day. As you can see with the above first two meals of my day, I will already be within range of getting enough fiber in my diet today.

The average adult here in The United States doesn't consume any where near that. The average person consumes about 12 to 15 grams on a good day.

Some people supplement their diets with over-the-counter supplements that contain psyllium but fiber can easily come from natural sources which not only provide the fiber but also provide soluable vitamins and minerals as well. If we would simply focus on eating more fresh fruits, fresh vegetables,(including the skins)and whole grains, we would see a marked improvement in our overall health.

Proper fiber intake helps prevent a host of diseases. It lowers blood cholesterol, improves. It lowers the LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) and increases the HDL (the good stuff) It prevents constipation. It fills up our stomachs and slows down digestion helping keep us from gaining excess weight. Fiber helps to regulate blood sugar thus decreasing the need for diabetic medications. Eating the recommended grams of fiber could lower your risk for colon cancer by 40%!

Getting fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains can be expensive but one of the best ways to supplement your fresh fruits and vegetables and to a limited extend whole grains, is to grow food in your own back yard. Plant a dwarf fruit tree. Plant a garden bed full of vegetables that you pick daily. It doesn't take a lot. Just grow enough that you'll have something to pick everyday and that you'll eat.