Health supplements

10 Best Fiber Supplements For Everyone

Constipation is a digestive problem and taking less fiber in the diet is the most common cause of this problem. If the problem is related to fiber deficiency, it can be improved with fiber supplements. But if the problem is due to other reasons like a side effect of medicines or diabetes, you need to seek medical intervention to cure the problem.

Let’s discuss the benefits of fiber & it’s supplements for your gut health

Benefits Of Fiber

If you pass less than three stools a week or your stool is lumpy or hard, you are constipated. If you have difficulty emptying the stool from your rectum, you are constipated. Increasing your fiber intake can help improve your bowel movement and the quality of stool.

What is dietary fiber?

Non-digestible carbohydrates are called dietary fibers and they are available in all plant foods including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Fibers can be classified into soluble and insoluble and both types of fibers are good for your gut health. Also, most fiber-rich foods contain both types of fibers in varying quantities.

Is fiber digestible?

Your body can’t digest fiber but it is beneficial for your gut health. In other words, fiber works well in undigested conditions and you will be surprised to know that both types of fibers work in a different ways. If you take fiber in the right amount, you are likely to have fast and lasting relief from constipation.

Soluble fiber

Soluble Fiber

Found in wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains, soluble fiber soaks water and increases the size, weight, and quality of stool. It mixes with food and increases its size and weight by soaking in water. The stool surrounding the soluble fiber becomes softer and bulky and starts moving in the rectum.

Soluble fiber also works as a prebiotic. When fiber gets fermented in the large intestine, it becomes prebiotic that helps increase the number of good bacteria.

Insoluble fiber

Insoluble Fiber

Found in oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and peas, as well as some fruits and vegetables, insoluble fiber scrapes the gut and removes all undigested food stuck to the gut walls. It keeps things moving in your gut so you easily empty the stool from your rectum.

When you consume fiber-rich food, you get the necessary fiber but taking fiber supplements is also a great way to add fiber content to your body. While it is better to take fiber through food but there is no harm in taking a fiber supplement that can help increase your fiber intake without any fuss or food allergy.

Taking fiber in the proper amount is good for your overall health. First, it will improve your gut health and prevent the development of constipation in the long run. Another advantage of a fiber-rich diet is it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart ailments, and obesity in the long run.

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10 Best Calcium Supplements For Women

Many people take calcium supplements for different reasons but do you know that this mineral is undeniably important for women? It is because women have smaller bones that make them more vulnerable to osteoporosis.

These are the reasons for women requiring more calcium

Women Require More Calcium Supplements

Help Prevent Bone Loss In Postmenopausal Women

During menopause, women experience a sharp decline in estrogen levels resulting in loss of bone mass. And this effect is greater in women that already calcium deficient. A healthy woman needs 1000 mg of calcium per day but the demand grows to 1200 mg per day post-menopause. Taking calcium supplements can help strengthen the calcium level and prevent postmenopausal symptoms like loss of bone mass.

Help With Fat Loss

Studies have proved that a low level of calcium results in a sharp increase in body mass index (BMI) and high body fat percentage. A 2016 study on overweight and obese college students with low calcium levels showed that the students given 600 mg of calcium supplement per day lost more body fat than those who were kept on their regular diet.

Help Lower The Risk Of Colon Cancer

Studies have associated the calcium level risk of colon cancer. If you are calcium deficient, you are more prone to develop colon cancer.

Help Improve Metabolic Markers

A 2016 study on a group of pregnant women showed that calcium supplements can improve important metabolic markers including blood pressure and inflammation. A further study on calcium supplements showed improvements in markers of inflammation, insulin, and triglyceride levels in obese women.

Other people with the following conditions should take calcium supplements

Vegan Diet

Healthy Vegan Diet

Those who follow a strict vegan diet are likely to develop a deficiency of calcium due because they don’t consume dairy which is a rich source of calcium. If you are vegan or miss dairy products, you are likely to be calcium deficient.

High-Protein Or High-Sodium Diet

If your diet contains high protein or the sodium level of your diet is high, your diet will make your body excrete more calcium leaving you deficient in this mineral. In this situation, you are likely to develop symptoms of calcium deficiency.

Medical Conditions

Calcium Of Medical Conditions

Those suffering from Crohn’s disease or inflammatory bowel disease are likely to be calcium deficient because these medical conditions limit the body’s ability to absorb calcium from food like dairy products.

Corticosteroids

People treated with corticosteroids for a long period need calcium supplements. Corticosteroids are prescribed to treat chronic conditions like rheumatologic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or vasculitis. While these drugs treat medical conditions well, they also reduce bone mass leaving the patient’s calcium deficient in the long run.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis In Women

Osteoporosis is a medical condition developed from severe calcium deficiency. It causes bones to become weak and brittle leading to fractures even while bending over or coughing. But the development of osteoporosis can be controlled by treating the underline condition and increasing calcium levels.… See More