Key Warning Signs Your Body Needs More Fiber
Irregular Bathroom Schedule
A lack of fiber, as discussed, can cause chronic constipation. It can also result in an irregular bathroom schedule. When an individual is constipated, they do not produce regular bowel movements and they may have difficulty completely emptying their bowel. Of course, individuals dealing with insufficient fiber can also encounter diarrhea, yet another way in which their bathroom schedule can become irregular. We know fiber provides an important way to bulk up the food in the digestive tract, producing healthy bowel movements.
Bulk in the digestive tract helps speed up the process of digestion, providing a quick and efficient way for the body to get rid of waste. Fiber also helps soften the stool, making it easier to pass. Fortunately, adding fiber to the diet is an easy way to combat issues that result in an irregular bathroom schedule. Whole food sources are better than supplements like psyllium fiber. Prunes, apples, pears, kiwifruit, and sweet potato are great sources of fiber to help regulate one's bathroom schedule.
Fatigue And Weakness
Many individuals might not expect a diet low in fiber can lead to fatigue and weakness. When the body is not properly nourished, individuals often experience a lack of energy. Feeling tired and weak may mean the body is receiving too much protein and fat and not enough carbohydrates. A high-protein, low-fiber diet can also induce these feeling of weakness and fatigue.
It is important for individuals, then, to increase their intake of fiber and healthy carbohydrates to properly fuel their body and take care of waste. Foods able to reduce fatigue include whole grains, fruits like citrus, and fibrous vegetables like celery and carrots. It is also important to balance the protein and fat in one's diet. Ideally, everyone's diet should contain no more than twenty percent protein and thirty percent fat. The remaining fifty percent should be carbohydrates, including healthy sources of soluble and insoluble fiber.
