Just wanted to reflect for a moment here a note of thanks for our health and our bodies being able to get the goodness from the veg!
Veg is good for the diet because of fibre. Fibre keeps our digestive system healthy and moving along. Really, are we just a hollow tube! With more gut bacteria cells than human cells in our being, it could make you wonder, who is really in charge of our bodies!
There are all sorts of health benefits that go along with fibre in the diet. Normally doctors would tell us to eat more fibre! There is an ‘eatwell guide‘ from the NHS, but we are probably all aware of the 5-a-day advice. And perhaps on a good day we manage 4 portions!
Imagine how strange it must be for a health professional to prescribe low fibre foods. Anyone, or any friends or family members, who may have had to prepare their body for an investigation involving “camera-down” or “camera-up” will know. The insides have to be clean so that the camera can have a good look!
Hard to think of it as a diet, but for 5 days before you have to switch to a low fibre regime, easier for the gut to digest. At this point veg has to be all peeled – and preferably white veg. Avoiding veg with seeds or skins. Only ripe, peeled fruit or tinned fruit. Bland, white cereal such as rice crispies, and avoiding anything like whole grain or bran or muesli. Processed white bread, pasta, rice and noodles are OK but wholemeal bread or seeded bread or lentils no no. Definitely no seeds or nuts or peanut butter, pulses, baked beans. But rich tea biscuits, thin crust pizza, jelly and custard are OK.
Quite a sad state of affairs!
So, just wanted to spend a moment here being grateful for the delicious veg and the healthy way it makes us feel. And that hopefully it will keep us healthy for years to come. A lower risk of heart disease, stroke, bowel cancer, diabetes… perhaps, as we collect our weekly veg, we are also collecting a big bag of health without knowing it!
www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
