Fiber 201

So we know there are two different types of fiber--soluble and insoluble--and that we need to consume more fiber in general. See a recap of these fibers below. 

Soluble fiber: dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance. This type of fiber has been found to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. 

Insoluble fiber: does not dissolve in water and helps waste move throughout our digestive systems and increases the bulk in our stools.  This form of fiber is beneficial for preventing colon cancer. 

It's recommended to consume 25-30 g of total fiber every day, with 25% from soluble fiber and 75% from insoluble fiber.  To start adding up the amount of fiber you eat each day, use the provided table as well as the resource from Harvard University's Health Services mentioned below. If you are eating foods that include a nutrition label, add those values in too to get you to your grand total for the day.

Keep Things Moving: Part 2

So we’ve talked about keeping things moving through our digestive tracts by adding more real, fiber-rich foods into our diets.  Now to keeping our bodies moving!

Although some may ask why we need to walk or ride bikes if we have more advanced modes of transportation, evolutionarily speaking we are built to move.   The bipedal motion of the Homo sapien species and the improved capacity to walk compared to our primate ancestors confirm our natural need for movement.  In fact, walking is the ideal form of exercise, that is, if we actually had the time to do enough of it! As hunter gatherers, our survival and livelihood actually depended on our abilities to walk and run.  If we didn’t sprint to kill prey or walk miles to locate edible foods, we, along with our tight-knit communities, would perish.