Your Gut’s Best Friend

Erin Vanderkooy

50plus Magazine

Are you ready to boost your gut health and feel more energized than ever? Let’s dive into why fiber is your best friend on your wellness journey.

Why Fiber Matters
Fiber isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a powerhouse nutrient with incredible health benefits. It plays a crucial role in digestion, helping to keep things moving smoothly, and supporting a thriving gut microbiome. But that’s not all — fiber also aids blood sugar control, keeps you feeling full longer, and can even contribute to heart health.

The Power of Plant Diversity
One of the most effective ways to increase fiber intake is by focusing on plant diversity. Incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds into your diet ensures you’re getting diverse types of fiber and a range of nutrients.

Why plant diversity is key:

• Different Fibers, Different Benefits:Soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar and lowers cholesterol, while insoluble fiber aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements.
• Nutrient-Rich Choices:Each plant-based food offers unique vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to overall health.
• Gut Health:A diverse plant intake supports a more diverse gut microbiome, which is crucial for a healthy digestive system and overall wellbeing.

Easy Ways to Increase Plant Diversity:

1. Mix Up Your Meals:Try adding a variety of vegetables to salads, soups, and stir-fries
2. Snack Smart:Choose fruits, nuts, and seeds as snacks instead of processed options
3. Explore New Recipes:Experiment cooking with different beans, legumes, and whole grains
4. Plan Your Plate:Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits at every meal

It’s so important to look forward to meals, so if you don’t like something, don’t eat it! Also, there is no such thing as perfect, so get curious and experiment with what works for you.

Erin welcomes your questions and suggestions for future articles. Contact her at erin@erinvanderkooy.com.

Book recommendation: Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

If you feel triggered by the phrase “losing weight” in the title, remember that health exists at every size. Weight loss can be a byproduct of balancing the body through a functional lens, but it is not always the focus or goal.