What’s Up with Your Poop? I mean, Fibre Intake!

If you’ve worked with me you know we have to talk about what’s going out as much as we talk about what’s going in. The topic of a good poop is often in store, because having a healthy bowel movement can do so many things: improve your mood, ensure your digestive tract is functioning well, or work towards lowering your cholesterol levels. I often work with clients who express other goals to work on, and in the meantime their bowels improve tremendously which may have been all they needed to really grab a hold of all along, helping them feel better immediately.

A normal bowel movement may come every 2 days for some people, once a day, or sometimes up to three times a day. This is something that varies amongst individuals. Though many associate an increased fibre intake with a boost to your bowel movements, helping to temporarily increase feelings of fullness, and helping to lower blood sugar levels, if we have too much fibre without enough water, everything will work in the opposite way – in other words, clogging you up. So what’s the dosage? Where do I find it? And is one form of fibre better over another?

Most Canadians don’t get enough fibre. With a recommended daily intake ranging between 21 and 38 grams, most Canadian surveys (often self-reported), indicate an intake of only half of this.

Fibre is most often associated with fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains or for some, you may have heard or psyllium fibre, something I add to my smoothie or oatmeal every day. In fruits, the fibre is mainly found in those that have an edible skin, or berries, which sit on their own pedestal of nutrition packed into a tiny little ball! The amount of fibre in vegetables ranges, but if you stick with including one to two cups of veggies at lunch and dinner you will add to your daily intake.

We also have to take a look into the different types of fibres: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre has the characteristic of being “sticky” or forming a “gel-like substance”, collecting little bits of free-floating cholesterol (in bile acids) and fatty acids from our insides, kind of like a Swiffer floating around our bloodstream. As a result, this action has been shown to help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and help maintain blood glucose levels.  Insoluble fibre promotes more of the “bulking” aspect of food, and passes through our digestive tract with little change as to how it is ingested.  This type of fibre helps to promote bowel regularity, however, I must stress again, it is very important that you drink adequate amounts of water (and other healthy fluid choices such as milk or herbal teas) to keep the digestion moving along! The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a leading organization supporting those with high cholesterol with evidence-based research, tools, and tips to manage their condition.

The question reverts back to how we can aim to get enough soluble and insoluble fibre if we may have a difficult time adding any of these foods to our diet.  With health concerns such as heart disease on the rise (40% of Canadians between the ages of 40 and 59 years of age have unhealthy LDL [bad] cholesterol levels), adding a good source of fibre, primarily soluble fibre, can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels. One such fibre which has gained more drive over the years is psyllium fibre. Made from the Plantago ovata plant, psyllium can be found in most grocery stores or in natural health products such as Metamucil^® (available in powder and capsule form).

My recommendation, add it in small amounts first, starting with a half teaspoon, into a whole variety of meals and snacks:

• Sprinkle on your morning oatmeal or in your smoothie
• Add to your afternoon yogurt snack
• Add into pasta sauces
• Include on your toast with peanut butter
• Mix into a tuna, egg, or chicken salad sandwich
• Add into baked muffins, breads or granola

Don’t forget to drink a full glass of water!

Need something quick, simple, and delicious? Make a batch of these Breakfast Cookies and start your day off with a healthy dose of psyllium fibre!

This article is sponsored by Metamucil, however all opinions expressed here are my own.