My Progress/fiber Question

[josh052980]

I made the move to gluten free in April of this year, and in that time have made HUGE strides. My intestines seem to have healed to the point where my lactose intolerance is reversing itself (ate 3 cheese sticks, a yogurt cup and a pudding cup yesterday with no Lactaid pill and had no ill effects). Most days I'm feeling 100%, though this week has been off a bit since I'm dealing with a go around of Bursitis/student elbow in my left arm and a small stomach bug or cold... Anyways, I seem to be "back to normal" so to speak for the vast majority of the time.

My question to you guys though, revolves around fiber... I seem to either get WAY TOO MUCH or WAY TOO LITTLE, with a hard time to find the "Goldielock's" or just right zone with it. Do you guys have any tips? I'm eating Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal in the mornings, and at least an apple a day...

[ravenwoodglass]

That's good news that you are doing much better. Hopefully when you say you have 'at least an apple a day' that isn't the only fruit and veggies you are eating. Try to get at least 4 or 5 servings of a mix of veggies and fruits a day. Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber also if you like them. Mske sure the oatmeal you are eating is the gluten free one and maybe add some gluten-free granola in for some variety. Drink plenty of water and some folks find flax meal to help a great deal. If you recently added the oatmeal be aware that some of us don't tolerate it so if your 'tummy bug' started soon after adding that into your diet you may want to drop it for a bit if the tummy upset continues.

[Roda]

I like the Pocono cream of buckwheat cereal since I can't tolerate gluten free oats at all. You could also try adding more roughage like spinich and romaine lettuce salads. Mandarin oranges, sweet potatoes, dates, figs and prunes are great sources as well. You could also add flax meal to your foods for more more fiber.

[sreese68]

I deal with C as a symptom of my food intolerances, so I've had to up my fiber and try to keep it pretty level. My method is kind of a pain, but it's helped me figure out what to eat in a day. I write down what I eat and track how much fiber I've had. If I'm low for the day, I eat something extra before bed or take more Citrucel. After doing this awhile, you can get a better idea of what to eat and lay off the tracking. Here's the USDA website that will give you the nutrient content of food (including fiber): Open Original Shared Link Oh, you should first google what amount is recommended for your age. Then, just eat what you regularly would for a few days and see how much you're getting. If you're low, add a gram or two a day depending on how sensitive you are, until you're at the recommended amount. Do NOT add in a whole bunch at once. Your stomach will rebel!

So it's a pain, but now if I get constipated, I know it's due to a food I've tried to reintroduce into my diet and not because I didn't eat enough fiber.

Forget to add: fruit is an excellent source of fiber. Just don't add a bunch of servings in all at once, or your stomach will hurt. Do it slowly. Teff and quinoa also have lots of fiber if your stomach reacts well to them. Oh, potato with skin has lots of fiber, but you have to eat the skins. Pocono cream of buckwheat is tasty, but it's low in fiber. As are grits and pasta.