Digestion Problems

Many Americans are suffering from digestive problems today. Gastroenterologists report that about 30% of Americans have at least one significant gastrointestinal illness or problem a year. The number of people who now have "irritable bowel" has grown by leaps and bounds. Why is this?

First and foremost, you have to look at what Americans are eating. Or rather I should say what we are not eating. We all know that fiber is an important part of the diet, but what foods have fiber in them? Many times people resort to taking a fiber supplement instead of eating good fiber. Eating good fiber means eating lots of fruits and vegetables. The question to ask yourself is: "Am I eating 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?" My guess is that your answer to this question will be very telling. Yes whole grains also provide great sources of fiber, but if you're going to do grains, you need to look at whole grains. You can also get good fiber from beans, nuts and seeds. Adding some ground flax seed into your diet will definitely help, but start slowly.

More tomorrow.