What Happens If You Don't Eat Enough Fibre?
Our bodies need fibre, it's what fuels us and gives us energy. You may have known that, but did you know almost every aspect of our bodies need it? Just to name a few, our immune, cardiovascular and digestive systems are all greatly influenced by what we eat, and how much fibre we intake. Good sources of fibre include plant foods, grains, vegetables and fruits, which are all instrumental ingredients in ensuring a healthy and stable diet.
You may have realised by now that fibre has a range of health benefits, but do you know what happens if you don't eat enough fibre? Well, we're going to explore that now.
1. Raises risk of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease is a serious health issue in Australia and the leading cause of death. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 118 people a day pass away due to Cardiovascular related diseases.
Fibre works to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, helping your body to regulate its system. It has been shown that it's common for people not to include enough fibre in their diets, which can potentially contribute to cardiovascular diseases and a high death toll.
2. Weakens your immune system
Do you know about all the little microorganisms inside you? The ones that help to keep your immune system in check, and fight off bad toxins and diseases? Well, they need fibre too. Much like us, the bacteria living in our gut need to feed to survive, and if you don't look after your gut health, your immune system will deteriorate.
3. Irregular bowel movements
How we go to the bathroom is a good indicator of our health. Without a correct amount of fibre in our daily diet, we may either go too much or too little. They're both indicators of a low-fibre diet. Irritable bowel syndrome is a common side effect of incorrect eating, with symptoms of diarrhoea, bloating and constipation. The lining of your colon can weaken without a decent fibre diet, raising the risk of colon cancer, haemorrhoids, and bowel diseases.
Fibre works to stimulate and regulate our digestive tract, ensuring we can maintain regular bowel movements, and keeping our digestive health in check.
4. Makes it difficult to manage weight
Managing weight can be a constant struggle, but that's normal. Sometimes we find working out regularly may not give the results we wanted. It's all in what we eat. Fibre can help to relieve that struggle. Our bodies need fuel to survive and we regulate this through our diet.
Sometimes if we aren't eating correctly, we may end up overeating. When we overeat, our body works to regulate this by storing fat and promoting weight gain, rather than burning it off. This means that even if we regularly work out, we may not be able to lose the desired amount of weight. Foods such as chickpeas, beans, grains, and broccoli are good sources of fibre that make us feel full and provide energy for the day.
5. Causes inflammation
Feeling tired and just generally fatigued both physically and mentally, but sleep doesn't help? That may be down to inflammation. Inflammation is when your body goes into overdrive, producing cells to protect itself from diseases, injuries or infection. Unfortunately with autoimmune diseases like bowel disease or arthritis, your body's immune system can attack the healthy cells leading to acute or in some cases chronic inflammation.
Many factors can play into inflammation, such as stress, smoking, and of course a bad diet. High-fibre foods are great to help reduce inflammation symptoms, in turn making you feel better.
6. Unstable blood sugar levels
Those with blood sugar issues or diabetes can help themselves by raising their fibre intake. Fibre works to soak up and absorb excess amounts of sugars in food, as well as help any sugar spikes, common in those with type 2 diabetes.
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level isn't only good for those with diabetes and similar health issues. Heart disease and blood pressure can be severely impacted by how much sugar we have in our system. The fibre is there to help keep it all in check.
7. General health quality deteriorates
We could explore every single health issue related to what happens if you don't eat enough fibre, but we won't. We will say this, without reasonable fibre intake, from foods such as vegetables, fruits and grains, your body's general health will deteriorate. What we mean by this, is that essentially your quality of life goes down along with your life expectancy. We know it sounds dramatic, but it's true. There are a thousand and one different health issues related to a low-fibre diet, and if this article is anything to go by, get some fibre in your diet.
Promote better health with fibre
It may be obvious by now, but a good fibre intake in your daily diet goes a long way in promoting a better life. The benefits are astronomical, lowering the risk of a multitude of diseases, and health issues, as well as just making you generally healthy.
Along with eating good fruits, vegetables, and grains, there's a lot you can do. For instance, reduce your processed foods intake, as they contain a lot of added sugars, and fats, along with having next to no fibre in them. Another great thing to do is add some food and gut health supplements to your diet.
At NourishMe Organics we have a superstore’s worth of gut health foods, and organic foods. Our range of prebiotic supplements that contain fibre are great for your general gut health. To use the prebiotic powder, simply add a teaspoon or two to a smoothie or your favourite beverage. Order online or visit us in store at 11/136 Keys Rd, Cheltenham VIC 3192.
