(from foods such as whole grains and
most vegetables) does not dissolve as it
moves through your gastrointestinal
tract. is can help with regularity issues
and reduce the risk of developing
hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. But
not everyone can tolerate this type of
ber easily, points out Dr. Burako . “It
makes some people gassy and bloated.
So I recommend soluble ber, which
will reduce gas and bloating for most
people,” he explains.
Soluble ber (from foods such as legumes,
oats, and apples) changes into
a gel-like substance when you eat it.
“It makes the stool so er and bulkier,
which allows easier passage,” says Dr.
Burako .
e Recommended Dietary Allowance
of ber is 30 grams per day for
men 51 or older, and 21 grams per day
for women 51 or older. But Dr. Burako
says 15 to 20 grams of ber per
day should be enough for digestive
health, and suggests that you add it
into your diet gradually each day, until
your symptoms are resolved. If you’re
unable to get enough ber from food,
Dr. Burako recommends commercial
soluble bers that can be mixed into
drinks. And if you’re unable to tolerate
soluble ber, he suggests that you
increase insoluble ber intake slowly.
Exercise
Many experts recommend regular exercise
as one way of increasing regularity.
e minimum recommendation
for general health is 150 minutes per
week of moderate-intensity exercise,
such as brisk walking.
Dr. Burako is dubious,
thinking that the extra
uids people drink when
they exercise may be more
important for regularity
than the exercise itself.
“You might see a change,
but it’s probably because
you’re having lots of uids
if you exercise regularly,”
says Dr. Burako .