Friday, November 14, 2008

The Snack That Keeps You Regular! Oh Yes.


If you hate waiting in the bathroom for a movement that’s oh-so-reluctant to happen, try changing your snacking habits.

Next time you get the munchies, smear a few celery sticks with a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter. Eating lots of water-rich foods (aka celery) and getting adequate magnesium (a la peanut butter) may help keep you regular.

Keep It Moving
A lack of fiber in the diet is a common culprit in constipation. But not getting enough magnesium or not eating enough water-packed foods may have an impact, too.

How much fiber do I need in my diet?
You should have at least 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories that you eat every day. Read the label on food packages to find out how much fiber a serving of a food will provide. Foods containing more than 20% of the daily value of fiber per serving are considered high in fiber.

A high-fiber diet can:
reduce cholesterol levels
promote regular bowel movements
improve blood sugar levels in diabetics
treat diverticular disease (inflammation of part of the intestine) and irritable bowel syndrome (abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation that come and go).
A high-fiber diet may help prevent some cancers, such as cancer of the colon or breast.
And of course, If you do not have enough fiber in your diet, you may have constipation.

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