There is a good chance that you are not getting enough fiber in your diet! It is very important to get enough fiber, especially if you are prone to constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis or irritable bowel syndrome. It is recommended that we ingest 25-30 grams of fiber per day, but the average American eats only 8 grams daily.
Not only is fiber a natural way to prevent constipation, but studies have indicated that it may have other benefits as well. For instance, fiber may help lower your cholesterol, lower your risk of heart disease and help prevent certain types of cancer.
There is an easy and very effective way to get enough fiber in your diet… Breakfast cereal! As you walk down the cereal aisle in the grocery store, you will notice that many cereals tout their bran or fiber content. Most of these actually have very little fiber. We recommend the following 4 which have a substantial amount of INSOLUBLE fiber, the kind of fiber that will be more helpful in treating constipation.
As with starting any form of fiber, we recommend that you start slowly. Start with ¼ cup daily for one week then increase to ½ cup daily. You may increase further as tolerated. If you eat a large bowl of high fiber cereal on day #1, then you may suffer from bloating and gas! Also, maintain adequate hydration. Reach for water throughout the day.
High insoluble fiber cereal works, but you must be persistent. Try it for at least 3 weeks (DAILY) before you give up. It is a healthy habit that one may continue for a lifetime.
These cereals are especially good with yogurt, milk and/or fruit on top. One of our favorite breakfasts is All Bran topped with vanilla soy milk, a spoonful of vanilla yogurt and fresh blueberries. You may also mix it with other cereals.
If you don’t enjoy your morning fiber cereal (after giving it an honest try!), then there are alternatives such as Citrucel, Benefiber, Metamucil and Konsyl. We personally prefer Citrucel and Benefiber due to better taste and less associated gas. Benefiber dissolves completely in liquid (no grit) but is a little more expensive. In our experience, the high fiber cereals may be more effective in the treatment of severe constipation. Once again, if you chose a fiber supplement such as Citrucel, then you will need to start slowly:
1 teaspoon daily for 7 days, then 2 teaspoons daily for 7 days, then increase (as tolerated) to 1 tablespoon twicedaily.
Additional “natural” remedies for constipation:
- Vitamin C 2000-4000 mg per day
- Magnesium 200-800 mg per day. (“Old fashioned” Milk of Magnesia is inexpensive, works well and is safe to take on a regular basis for constipation!)
- Flaxseed supplements
