Doctor Explains EASY Way to Get More Fiber

So when we think about fiber, usually we think of it as bulking up your stool, keeping your bowels flowing regularly.

Mm-hmm.

But it does so much more for your gut. So fiber is actually food for the good bacteria in your gut. So when you're eating fiber, it's like putting fertilizer into your gut garden. Mm. So you're gonna have more flowers popping up, and the good bacteria use the fiber to then produce critical postbiotics that are critical for your health. I mean, these postbiotics influence your immune system, your metabolism, your skin, and so much more.

How much fiber do you recommend to your patients that they try to get every day? And do you have your favorite forms of it?

So that's a great question. Fiber, for a lot of my gut patients, can be like a double-edged sword. A lot of my gut patients are what I call fiber sensitive. So even though fiber, in theory, is so good for your gut, I can't just tell patients to take the recommended 25 grams for a woman or 38 grams for a man. That'll probably cause them a lot of problems. Okay. Usually what I recommend is start with the leafy greens. That's like the arugula, The spinach, the chard, and start with the cooked form if you prefer. Cooked vegetables are always easier to tolerate than the raw. But the nice thing about these leafy greens is they don't have any fermentable carbohydrate, so they usually don't cause bloating.

Hmm.

So if you're someone who's fiber sensitive, try sautéing a bunch of spinach first, make sure it's well cooked. The same thing with some other vegetables. So let me give you an example. So usually it's about taking baby steps, starting with really well-cooked, figuring out what agrees with you, and then trying new things in your diet. And then whatever does work for you, keep that in your diet and try to diversify.