What Happens to Your Body When You Don't Eat Enough Fiber

  

 

Fiber may not be the sexiest nutrient to talk about, but it's one of the best things you can eat for your health. Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is resistant to digestion and absorption by humans. Fiber is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds (try these healthy fiber foods to get your fill). There are two main types of fiber—soluble and insoluble and each type has its own benefits for human health. Epidemiological research has consistently shown that people who eat high-fiber diets have a lower risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. We all know that fiber is good for us, but only about 5% of Americans meet the recommendations for daily fiber intake.

But what exactly happens in your body when you consistently don't get enough fiber? We dug into the science to find out about six things that can happen when you don't eat enough fiber.

1. You have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the United States, leading to over 659,000 Americans deaths every year. Scientists have identified key nutrition and lifestyle factors that help prevent heart disease, and eating a high-fiber diet is at the top of the list.

Results from a large meta analysis found that every 7 additional grams of daily fiber led to a 9% reduced risk of CVD. More evidence from another meta-analysis with over 650,000 participants showed that people with the highest intake of both soluble and insoluble fiber had the lowest risk of coronary heart disease. Keep your heart healthy by adding high-fiber foods like oatmeal, berries and nuts to your diet.

2. You might not live as long

Another big benefit of eating more fiber: It can help you live longer even if you don't have cardiovascular disease. According to a large body of observational research, people who eat more fiber have a lower risk of all- cause mortality compared to people who don't eat enough fiber.

While these stats are a little scary, there's some good news: eating 10 additional grams of fiber per day can help decrease your risk of early death by 10 percent! That's the equivalent of adding one sweet potato and a 1/2 cup of chickpeas to your day. Our cherry smoothie has 6 grams of fiber to get you over halfway there, too.

3. You may have increased inflammation in your body

Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for several diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Diet and lifestyle factors like stress, smoking and—you guessed it—not eating enough fiber can increase inflammation and make us more susceptible to chronic disease. 

We still need more research to understand the benefits of fiber for inflammation, but recent research has found that consumption of high-fiber foods like whole grains was associated with decreased markers of inflammation. Add that to the list of whole grain's health benefits.

4. Your immune system won't be as strong

Studies have also shown that dietary fiber may help fight inflammation by fueling the beneficial bacteria in your gut that support your gastrointestinal immune system, known as gut-associated lymphoid tissues or GALT. Strengthening the immune system in your gut is also important for supporting your overall immune health and fighting infections. We often hear about eating probiotics, beneficial bacteria found in yogurt, kimchi and kefir, for a healthy gut. But eating more fiber is important too. Eating prebiotics, a healthy fiber found in wheat, walnuts, bananas, legumes and more, helps feed the good bacteria in your gut and help keep you healthy. Getting a mix of both is the best bet to support your gut and immune health.

5. It's harder to manage your weight

Losing weight and keeping it off is hard—not eating enough fiber makes it even harder.

Eating more fiber is a helpful tool for weight loss because it helps you feel full and satisfied after eating. Dietary fiber helps slow down the digestion and absorption of food, giving your gut enough time to communicate with your brain that you are full and it's time to stop eating.

Fiber also helps balance our blood sugar and insulin response, which can help stabilize our appetite and promote fat burning instead of fat storage.

Another win for weight management: fiber has zero calories. Since fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate, we can't metabolize it for fuel. Fiber also binds to fats and other sources of calories from food, decreasing your overall calorie intake from other macronutrients.

Still not convinced that fiber is a weight-loss superfood? Research shows that high-fiber diets are associated with a lower body weight and less body fat, even when calories are not restricted. So if you want to lose weight and keep it off, eat more fiber. If you find it difficult to consistently incorporate fiber into your diet, you might want to consider fiber supplements.

6. You're going to the bathroom too much, or not enough

If you want a healthy digestive system, adding more fiber to your diet can definitely help your cause.

Millions of people around the world suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that causes uncomfortable symptoms like constipation, diarrhea and bloating. While the causes of IBS are not entirely known, eating more dietary fiber has been identified as an effective treatment for the disease. Fiber has a unique ability to both slow gastrointestinal transit time (which helps treat diarrhea) and stimulate gastrointestinal motility (which helps treat constipation).

Eating more fiber can also help strengthen the lining of your colon, which researchers think might be why high-fiber diets are associated with lower colon cancer risk. High-fiber diets may also lower your risk of hemorrhoids, diverticular disease and inflammatory bowel disease. 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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These 4 wonder foods can help prevent long COVID

Foods that can help prevent long COVID

The third wave of corona virus induced COVID-19 has set in. Even though symptoms of Omicron are much milder than the delta variant, it can nevertheless lead to severe complications. Long COVID is one such complication. ‘Long haulers’ are people who continue to experience symptoms of the virus long after it leaves their body. Despite testing negative for coronavirus, a lot of people have been complaining of symptoms that have stayed with them.

This is known as long COVID and has affected a large number of people who were infected with the delta variant. A loss of smell and taste, whooping cough, weakness and pain in the joints are some symptoms that continue to linger in people who have tested negative for the disease. Long COVID is exhausting and is a result of weak immunity and now that the third wave has set in, it is important to take all precautionary measures for avoiding such infections. Here are four foods that you should eat to prevent long COVID and maintain a healthy immunity.

Kombucha or fermented tea

Kombucha is lightly effervescent and is a sweetened form of green or black tea that improves digestion and also help regulate blood sugar levels. Other benefits of Kombucha include detoxification and reduction of blood pressure. Since it is fermented, it also helps gut health and is great for people who wish to improve it.

​Kefir or fermented milk

Immunity depends largely on gut health. In order to build a strong immune system, it is important for us to maintain good gut health. Feeding the body right things and avoiding any food items that might harm the gut is key to a good immunity. Fermented foods and drinks contain bacteria that are good for the gut and can help strengthen immunity.

​Sauerkraut or fermented cabbage

Finely cut raw cabbage is fermented by various lactic acid bacteria and has a sour flavor. Due to the presence of lactic acid, it also has a long shelf life that is an added advantage for those who wish to prepare large amounts of it and store for future consumption. Regular consumption of sauerkraut can also aid weight loss and help the gut immensely.

​​Kimchi or spicy Korean cabbage

Those who are new to Korean cuisine, should know Kimchi with a Korean dish of which the cabbage is an integral part. It is a dish that is made of fermented vegetables that include napa cabbage or kimchi. In order to maintain good gut health, a serving of kimchi can be consumed every day.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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12 Subtle Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms That Most People Ignore

Vitamin D deficiency is more common than you may think. In fact, it is so common that The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition called it a worldwide problem which is recognized as a pandemic. A survey in the UK showed that more than half of adults in the UK did not have enough vitamin D, and in the winter and spring about 1 in 6 people have a severe deficiency.

Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is lined to diseases such as osteoporosis, dementia, diabetes, depression and even cancer.

What is vitamin D and Why it’s So Important

Vitamin D is important for a good overall health and it plays an important role in making sure our muscles, heart, lungs and brain function well.

Vitamin D is required for strong immune system. Scientific review of 25 randomized controlled studies published in the BMJ concluded that vitamin D supplementation boosts immunity and cuts rates of cold and flu.

Our body can make its own vitamin D from sunlight but many people have low levels during winter.

You can also get vitamin D from supplements, and a very small amount comes from a few foods you eat, such as some fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and in fortified dairy, cereals and grain products.

What makes vitamin D unique compared to other vitamins is that your body can make its own vitamin D when you expose your skin to sunlight, whereas you need to get other vitamins from the foods you eat.

How Long should you Spend in the Sun to get Enough Vitamin D?

Finding out how long to stay in the sun in order to produce enough amounts of vitamin D can be very tricky and is different for every person, hence there isn’t one recommendation for everyone.

The reason for that is that the amount of time you need to spend in the sun for your skin to make enough vitamin D depends on a number of factors, such as how dark your skin is or how easily you get sunburnt, the thickness of the ozone layer, the time of the year and what time of day it is.

It is believed that short daily period of sun exposure without sunscreen (about 10-15 minutes for lighter-skinned people) during the summer months is enough for most people to make enough vitamin D.

Evidence suggests that the most effective time of day for vitamin D production is between 11am and 3pm. The larger the area of skin that is exposed to sunlight, the more chance there is of making enough vitamin D before you start to burn.

Common Causes of Lack of Vitamin D

• Limited exposure to sunlight – Some of us live in northern latitudes, wear long clothes, or have a job that is taken place mostly indoors. Also sunscreen inhibits vitamin D production.

• Dark skin – People with dark skin have higher levels of melanin, and this pigment reduces the skin’s ability to make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

• Kidney and liver function – These organs play an important role in converting vitamin D to its active form, so kidney or liver diseases can reduce the ability of these organs to create biologically active form of vitamin D in the body.

• Strict vegetarian diet – Food sources that contain vitamin D are mostly animal-based, such as fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, fortified milk and beef liver.

• Digestive problems – Certain medical conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease can reduce the ability of the intestines to absorb vitamin D from food.

• Obesity – Obesity may cause low vitamin D levels. Research suggests that vitamin D may become ‘trapped’ inside fat tissue so less of it is available in our blood circulation.

Vitamin D Deficiency Related Diseases & Conditions

Researchers are still working to fully understand how vitamin D works within our body and how it affects our overall health, but it is believed to be a link between vitamin D deficiency to quite a number of ailments

1. Osteoporosis – An adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D are important for maintaining bone density and strength. A lack of vitamin D causes calcium-depleted bone, which further weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures.

2. Asthma – Vitamin D deficiency is linked to lower lung functions and worse asthma control, especially in children. Vitamin D may improve asthma control by blocking inflammation-causing proteins in the lung, as well as increasing production of another protein which has anti-inflammatory effects. Read the article about natural treatments for asthma, which vitamin D is one of them.

3. Heart health – Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) as well as increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

4. Inflammation – It has been found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and type 1 diabetes.

5. Cholesterol – Vitamin D regulates cholesterol levels in the blood: it has been shown that without adequate sun exposure, vitamin D precursors turn to cholesterol instead of vitamin D.

6. Allergies – Studies show that children who had lower levels of vitamin D are more likely to have multiple food allergies.

7. Influenza – Some studies showed a link between lack of vitamin D and common respiratory infections, and indicate that people with the lowest vitamin D levels report having significantly more cases of cold and flu than those with higher levels.

8. Depression – Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression: receptors for vitamin D are present on many areas of the brain and are involved in numerous brain processes, making it likely that this vitamin might be associated with depression and that vitamin D supplements might play an important role in treating depression.

9. Type-2 Diabetes – Studies have demonstrated correlations between low vitamin D levels and the development of type 2 diabetes. Different studies provide evidence that vitamin D may contribute to glucose tolerance through its effects on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity.

10. Oral health – Several recent reports demonstrate a significant association between periodontal health and the intake of vitamin D. Also elderly patients with low vitamin D levels have a higher rate of tooth loss than those with high vitamin D levels.

11. Rheumatoid arthritis – Low vitamin D may play a role in developing rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have found that women who get more vitamin D seem less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis. Also among people who already have rheumatoid arthritis, those with low vitamin D levels tend to have more active symptoms.

12. Cancer – Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to cancer: a certain study indicated that more than 75% of people with a variety of cancers have low levels of vitamin D, and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancers. However additional research is required to determine whether higher vitamin D levels are related to lower cancer incidence or death rates.

Vitamin D Deficiency Increases the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia is a chronic and progressive syndrome. It’s an umbrella term, under which several diseases and conditions are classified. The most prevalent type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.

Other common types include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies and fronto-temporal dementia. There are over 35.6 million people living with dementia worldwide, and a new case emerges every 7 seconds.

Now, scientists linked vitamin D deficiency with a substantially increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people. The research findings are very valuable and open up fresh possibilities in this area of health care and prevention.

Vitamin D deficiency and dementia

The dementia study published in Neurology was conducted by an international team of researchers. 1,658 adults aged 65 and over were included in the study and followed over a period of six years.

The participants had to be able to walk unaided and were free from dementia, cardiovascular disease and stroke at the start of the study. It was discovered that adults who were moderately deficient in vitamin D (their vitamin D levels were between 25 and 50 nanomoles per liter) had a 53% increased risk of developing dementia of any kind.

The risk increased to 125% in those who were severely deficient (their vitamin D levels were below 25). For Alzheimer’s disease, the risk was 69% higher for those who were moderately deficient, and 122% higher for the severely deficient group.

Previous studies have established that there is a connection between low vitamin D levels and development of cognitive problems, but this is the first and most robust study that showed the significant risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in people with vitamin D deficiency.

One of the researchers, Dr. David Llewellyn from the University of Exeter Medical School, points out that further clinical studies are needed to establish if eating vitamin D rich foods or taking supplements could indeed delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Vitamin D and Influenza

Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency may actually be a major cause of influenza. A review of medical studies published in the British Medical Journal suggests that food should be fortified with vitamin D because it protects against acute respiratory tract infection such as cold and flu.

Researchers claim that vitamin D supplements could prevent more than 3.25 million cases of cold and flu each year in the U.K alone.

The most interesting finding of the study was that vitamin D is a more effective than flu vaccine.

Overall, the study said one person would be spared from influenza for every 33 people taking a vitamin D. However 40 people have to receive the flu vaccine in order to prevent one case of the flu.

That is more effective than flu vaccination, which needs to treat 40 to prevent one case.

Those with severe vitamin D deficiency benefited the most from vitamin D supplementation. For these people, vitamin D supplementation was 10 times more effective than the flu vaccine.

The medical review suggests that taking vitamin D pills daily or weekly is better than taking one monthly super-dose of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is one of the many foods and supplements that can boost your immune system. You should also include in your diet nature’s most powerful antibiotics.

Another placebo-controlled, double-blind study showed that 93.3% of flu patients given certain food were completely symptom-free within two days.

What to do if you have a vitamin D deficiency?

Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about the level of vitamin D you get from the sun and your diet. A simple blood test can determine whether or not you have vitamin D deficiency. Your doctor can advise if you need to take a vitamin D supplement. There is no consensus on vitamin D levels required for optimal health, and it differs depending on age and health conditions.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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