Fiber 101

So we know we need to consume real, naturally occurring fiber.  As in, naturally in the fruit-, vegetable-, nut-, bean-, or whole grain-fiber, not the “natural” fiber in the random-food-product-fiber, which is “natural” only because the package says so.  I’m only emphasizing this because I want us to think more about eating foods over food products.  If you are eating a FiberOne bar now for your breakfast, don't feel bad (recall the entry about guilt and that this journey is a process!). But what is fiber anyway?  And what does it mean when the package distinguishes between soluble fiber and insoluble fiber?

Keep Things Moving: Part 1

With my previous interest in medicine, I'm not shy to talk about our shared bodily functions.  Perhaps my intrepidation about the subject comes from early years of fearing and dreading my painful "#2 moments" and the accompanying embarassing (yet amusing!) stories that come up in family discussions.  Since we all do it, I hope you won’t be shy about reading about it either.

Daily bowel movements (what I refer to as BMs) and keeping things moving out of our system are key to great health.   The few nutrition recommendations that I have proposed thus far--eat real, mostly plants, and not too much--in fact all relate back to a common component of real food that keeps things moving--FIBER.