Nichole Dandrea-Russert - The Fiber Effect: Stop Counting Calories and Start Counting Fiber for Better Health

L ets play a game!

When I say fiber, you say...

Okay, stop blushing. We all do it (some more than others) and no onesno matter what they tell yousmells like roses.

We all know that fiber helps us poop. In my clinical dietitian days, talking about poo was regular lunch-time conversation. Why? Because its characteristics can tell us so much about our health and what we eat. When you tell someone youre constipated, most likely they respond with one of two questions: Are you eating enough fiber? Are you drinking enough water?

Together, fiber and water can indeed help with regularity, however, fiber can do so much more! It can help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and create a healthy gut.

That said, lets face itfiber is NOT sexy. A high fiber diet is not a celebrity-endorsed, keto, paleo, or Whole 30 diet.

What is sexy is the way that high fiber foods make you feel. Of course, you naturally feel better when things are flowing freely. But heres the thing. You can only get fiber through plants. And by the way, have you ever noticed the colorful vibrancy of plants? (Think blueberries, cherries, beets, kale, arugula, pomegranates, red peppers, carrots, broccoli.) The compounds that give plants their vibrant colors are the same compounds that make us feel alive, energized, healthy, and whole. These compounds are called phytonutrients (phyto means plant, so basically plant nutrients, or nutrients only found in plants).

During the writing process for the book you now hold, Id spend each day researching a different food grouplooking into the amount, type and beneficial effects of the fiber content in that food. What followed was a series of rabbit holesbig, deep rabbit holes that led me to some really cool sh*t (pun intended).

For example, carotenoids (phytonutrients giving plants like carrots and orange peppers their pretty orange hue) can be a natural skin protectant from the sun. And anthocyanins (phytonutrients giving plants like blueberries, red onion and beets their beautiful red, blue and purple hues) may play a big part in cardiovascular and cognitive health, not to mention gut health. At the end of each day, after learning about the powerful healing properties in these high-fiber plants, I found myself with a plate piled high with everything I had researched. My hope is that this book does the same for youthat you learn about foods you already know and love, and youre inspired to try some new foods.

The Fiber Effect is meant to guide and inspire you. Less than five percent of Americans get the recommended 25-38 grams of fiber a day (average consumption is 15 grams of fiber a day). Odds are that youre not getting enough fiber. The information and charts in this book are to help ensure that you are meeting your daily fiber needs. An added bonus is that you get so many more nutrients with these foods.

Fiber Fun Fact

Research on the paleo diet shows that our ancestors fiber intake was 100 grams a day!

When we are talking about nutrition, knowledge is power. In this case, nutrition knowledge gives you the power and inspiration to take control of your health. While preventing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline are studied most in relation to this subject (since they are the most common diseases in the United States), there are additional benefits from eating plants that you may immediately notice. Eating more plants can instantly impact your day-to-day quality of life, improving focus, providing sustainable energy, expediting post workout recovery, decreasing inflammation and pain, improving sleep, creating a better mood and fighting depression, improving relationships and connections, creating radiating skin, and so much more.

We are not all motivated by a healthy poop. However, as you will see in this book, high fiber foods offer so much more.

For the love of plants,

Nichole

W ant to lose weight? Eat more fiber. Looking to lower cholesterol? Eat more fiber. Need to reduce your risk of colon cancer? Eat more fiber. Want to prevent diabetes? Eat more fiber. Want to stop overeating? Eat more fiber. Struggling to poo? Eat more fiber. Want to outlive all of your family members...well, you get it.

Fiber is the answer.

What foods are high in fiber? Plants. Think whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Meat? No fiber. Dairy? No fiber. Poultry? No fiber. Eggs? Nope, no fiber. Fish? Sorry friends, the answer is no.