Filling Up On Fiber!
Hey everyone!
I hope you are staying safe, happy and healthy as we’ve entered into this new year that, to be honest, still feels a lot like 2020! ;)
With a new year usually comes new resolutions to increase our health and well being. Unfortunately, so much of the messaging we’ve been on the receiving end of is primarily focused on losing weight. Most of us weren’t educated about the intricate workings of our miraculous bodies, and instead we’ve often equated health with a number on the scale or have determined our worth based on how we perceive we measure up to a particular physical aesthetic. Often we don’t have a roadmap for how to actually support ourselves, rather we easily find ourselves in a hamster wheel of trying to “fix” or “change” our outward appearance without attending to our bodies inner workings and true health.
Compound these New Year pressures with the stress of these current times, and it’s more important than ever to reclaim our health and vitality, and to feel empowered to nourish and nurture ourselves. An essential ingredient in this quest is to begin to consume more fiber. Most Americans are only eating 8-10 grams of fiber per day. When you consider that in ancient times, our ancestors were consuming up to 100g per day, this is astounding. As our society has moved away from a whole foods diet to one that is highly processed, we can see the toll this is taking on our health. With obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive distress on the rise we are desperately in need of incorporating more fiber into our diets.
Some of the incredible benefits of fiber are:
Relieving constipation and transporting waste out of our systems, including toxins, metabolic waste and old hormones
Lowering cholesterol
Balancing blood sugar by slowing the rate that sugar is absorbed into the blood stream
Maintaining a healthy weight
Feeding beneficial bacteria in the gut and supporting a healthy microbiome
The best ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet is to eat a whole foods diet that incorporates lots of:
Whole unprocessed grains
Beans and legumes
Nuts and Seeds
Leafy Greens
Veggies of every variety
Fruits
Chia Seeds
Flax Seeds
Psyllium Husk
Here’s a delicious fiber rich recipe for you to try in the new year! Spaghetti Squash with Lamb, Garbanzo Beans, and Pumpkin Seed Pesto - it is simple to prepare and so delicious!
Spaghetti Squash:
Cut the Squash in half and scoop out the seeds
Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil or coconut oil
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place squash face down on the parchment paper.
Roast at 450* for 35-40 minutes until you can easily pierce through with a fork
Lamb & Garbanzo Beans:
Meanwhile heat the stove top and cook the lamb at medium high heat, when it is cooke through add in a cup of garbanzo beans and then remove from heat when they are incorporated with the meat and heated through
Add salt and pepper to taste
Pesto:
In a food processor combine 2 cups basil, 1tbsp walnut oil or evoo, the juice from 1/2 a lemon, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (add more to taste)
Pulse until desired consistency is reached
Put it all Together
When the Squash is cooked through, scoop the lamb & garbanzo bean mixture into the center of each half of the squash
Add a spoonful of the pesto on top and a handful of arugula on the side
Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!!
Give me a shout if you try the recipe or if you are in need of more ideas to incorporate fiber into your everyday - I’d love to hear from you!
Sending you all my love and blessings for 2021!
-Kaitlyn