A traditional approach to fibre

“Doctor has given me a fibre supplement for my stools”, my client said. He had been struggling with improper bowel clearance for months. “I have to take half a spoon daily with water. And I’ve been seeing a change in my stools since the first day I took it”, he explained.

All this time, he had been diligently following my guidelines of eating simple, traditional and home-cooked food. He had also noticed a significant difference in his weight over time. He was leaner, stronger, and feeling good about himself. However, his gut health had been suffering, and he was frustrated with his diarrhoea-like stools.

“You told me not to eat salads, brown rice, whole wheat. How will I get my fibre then? So I agreed to the supplement. It's ok na?”, he looked at me. I smiled at him affectionately, and he understood it was not ok.

Yes, fibre helps in binding of stools, but we don't need to substitute our regular food with high fibre alternatives like high fibre cookies, seeds, salads, brown rice, whole wheat, oats or take fibre supplements like isabgol. We can get sufficient fibre from our regular food. Fibre is naturally present in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and pulses in sufficient amounts. We just need to include these foods in more diverse and traditional forms.

Here are some ways through which you can optimise fibre intake -

1. Millets - Have a millet once or twice a week. Jowar bhakri, ragi ladoo, rajgira chikki, kuttu ki roti, bajra khichdi, sama ke chawal, makke ki roti are some dishes. Choose your millet based on the season.

2. Nuts - Have a handful of nuts as a mid meal or make a dry fruit ladoo.

3. Seasonal fruit - Have 1 seasonal fruit everyday. Banana, grapes, jamun, seetaphal, pear, guava, jackfruit, mango, pomegranate are some fibre rich fruits. Best times to have fruit are upon waking, post workout and as a 10-11 am mid meal.

4. Sprouted pulses - Have sprouted pulses once or twice a week, not as salad but cooked as sabzi or usal. Mung, moth, chana, lobia are some pulses that can be easily sprouted at home.

5. Gourd vegetables - like dudhi (bottle gourd), parwal (pointed gourd), galka (sponge gourd), kaddu (pumpkin), tinda (round gourd), turai (ridge gourd), karela (bitter gourd). Have them more often. They are rich in soluble fibre and B vitamins, which help in binding as well as evacuation of stools.

“But what’s wrong with taking the supplement? Isn't it easier? Just pop a spoon everyday rather than making these dishes”, my client asked. His question was genuine. Convenience can be tempting.

I tried to explain with an example, “Think of it like smoking for stress management. Quick, easy and provides instant relief. But we all know that it’s not the right approach to the problem. Rather, it is running away from the problem. And eventually, it leads to addiction.”

A similar thing happens with fibre supplements. It becomes a habit. Initially, it may help clear your bowels, but with prolonged use, it leads to further gut problems like flatulence, bloating, stomach pain and constipation. This makes you increase your fibre dose, and before you know it, you are completely dependent on it for bowel clearance. It is a vicious and noxious circle.

Our body is designed to naturally form proper stools and expel them from our bowel through a process called peristalsis. For this, we need to eat easily digestible food and absorb the micronutrients important for our gut and bowel muscles. Fibre interferes with absorption of important minerals like iron and calcium. These deficiencies then hamper gut functioning, stool formation and bowel clearance.

Convenient isn't always correct. Invest time in cooking and eating traditional foods, and your fibre needs, just like every other nutrient need, will be met. Do not resort to high fibre foods, products or supplements.

#simple #sensible #sustainable

Chhavi Goel

Conscious Nutrition

+91 8169769392

www.chhavigoel.in