Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables, lentils, beans and wholegrains, and by eating this way you have less risk of bowel cancer, diabetes or diverticular disease.
There are different kinds of fibre.
Insoluble fibre, found in bran and wholegrains, is harsh on the bowel and doesn’t suit a sensitive or inflamed digestive system.
Soluble fibres, on the other hand, found in oats, lentils, beans, fruits, vegetables and flax seeds or linseeds are a whole other story. Soluble fibres are very water absorbent, and by bulking up foods and slowing the release of sugars, can help control and weight maintenance. They make faecal matter bulkier, less dense and easier to pass along the digestive tract, decreasing the amount of time food waste spends inside the body and reducting the risk of toxins being reabsorbed by the colon.
Soluble fibre-rich foods contain many other nutrients as well, so are an important part of any healthy diet.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition accompanied by many symptoms, including widespread pain and fatigue. Research indicates that the painful muscles characteristic of fibromyalgia are due to reductions in energy production and in the ability of muscles to relax. Supplementing magnesium malate has been shown to reduce pain after as little as forty-eight hours. Also supplement other key vitamins and minerals in a good multivitamin, plus 600mg of magnesium malate. Finally, reduce your stress levels, learn how to relax and increase exercise slowly.
Diet advice
Eat a healthy diet with plenty of magnesium-rich foods such as green vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Supplements
• 2 x Multivitamin and mineral
• 2 x Vitamin C 1,000mg
• 2 x Essential Omega 3 and 6 oil capsules
• Magnesium malate 600mg
Flatulence is a sign that your digestion isn’t working as well as it should and the “bad” bacteria in your gut are feasting on your undigested food, producing gas. There are some key steps to getting rid of the gas.
Diet advice
Firstly, chew more thoroughly: this is the number one way to improve your digestion.
Secondly, check for food intolerances –wheat is the big culprit if you suffer from bloating and flatulence-. Try cutting it out completely for 10 days, and replacing it with others grains like rye, oats and rice. Then reintroduce it (have a lot) and see what happens. If this shows you that wheat is a cause, reduce it as much as possible, and in time (a few months, say), if you have it on occasion, it shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.
Supplements
Consider taking digestive enzymes. If you often feel bloated, get indigestion after meals or suffer from excessive flatulence, you may not be making enough enzymes to digest your food properly. It’s a vicious circle, because with fewer enzymes you absorb fewer nutrients and with fewer nutrients you make fewer enzymes. If this is your problem, there’s a simple solution. Supplement a digestive enzyme tablet with each meal. The good ones contain lipase (for digesting fat), amylase (for digesting carbohydrate) and protease (for digesting protein). Some also contain papain (from papaya) or bromelain (from pineapple). Eating this fruits fresh can also aid digestion.
Also supplement a multivitamin and mineral containing 10mg of zinc because zinc is needed to make stomach acid. If you improve your eating habits you may well find that within a month, you can stop taking the digestive enzymes and still stay well.
If these steps don’t work, you should see a nutritional therapist, who can assess other potential problems in your digestive system (such as dysbiosis or an imbalance in intestinal flora, or parasites).
What it does: Critical during pregnancy for development of a baby’s brain and nerves. Also essential for brain and nerve function. Needed for utilising protein and red blood cell formation.
Deficiency Signs: Anaemia, eczema, cracked lips, prematurely greying hair, anxiety or tension, poor memory, lack of energy, poor appetite, stomach pains, depression.
Best food sources: Wheatgerm, spinach, peanuts, sprouts, asparagus, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, broccoli, cashew nuts, cauliflower, walnuts, avocados.
Optimum daily amount: 800mcg a day (400mcg from a good diet; 400mcg from a supplement).
