arts&life
eat right now
Keep
Your Colon
Healthy
S
ummer is here — we
want to fling open the
windows and let in the
light and
air. It’s also
the perfect
time to slow
down, renew
your health
and detoxify
your body,
specifically
Stacy Goldberg
your
colon.
Columnist
While you
are reading
a book on the beach, you have
the opportune time to also
learn strategies to decrease
your risk of colorectal can-
cer and provide the internal
“closet cleaning” our bodies
need daily.
So, put down your frothy
beer and hot dogs and take
a minute to check out these
colon health tips for sweeping
away the unnecessary toxins
and junk this summer:
· Aim for 25-35 grams of
dietary fiber per day in your
diet.
· If you are new to adding
fiber into your diet, increase
the amount slowly and be
sure to drink at least half
your body weight in ounces
of water (if you weigh 150
pounds, for example, drink
75 ounces of water) each day
to flush out your system and
keep your GI tract moving.
· For every 10 grams of fiber
34
July 19 • 2018
jn
you consume in your diet,
you decrease the risk of
colon cancer by approxi-
mately 10 percent. For refer-
ence, 10 grams of fiber is
about the equivalent of 1 cup
of beans.
· Incorporate fiber-filled
foods daily including fruits
(especially those with the
skin or the peel such as
apples, peaches and high-
fiber berries), vegetables,
beans, 100-percent whole
grains, nuts and seeds.
· Be on the lookout for fiber-
infused foods such as ener-
gy bars, breads, waters, cere-
als and more. Many foods
today are adding fiber but
may have aliases that you
are not aware of — look for
words such as “chicory root
extract,” “inulin” and “prebi-
otic fiber” on food labels, as
these words typically indi-
cate added fiber to a food.
· Limit the amount of pro-
cessed meats in your diet.
Cut back on foods such
as lunch meats, hot dogs,
bacon, sausage and other
high-sodium meats. •
Here is a list of foods to incorporate into your diet for optimal digestive and colon health:
PROBIOTICS AND FERMENTED FOODS
Pickles
Kombucha
Sauerkraut
Sourdough
Kimchi
Miso
Tempeh
Yogurt (probiotic-enriched)
•
•
•
•
•
•
FIBER
Whole grains (amaranth, buckwheat, barley,
oats, rye, bulgur)
Legumes (beans, chickpeas, peanuts, lentils)
Dark green leafy vegetables (turnip greens,
spinach, Swiss chard)
Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cauliflower)
Nuts and seeds (almond, walnuts, cashews,
pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds)
•
•
•
Stacy Goldberg is a nationally rec-
ognized nutritional consultant,
registered nurse and the CEO of
Savorfull (savorfull.com), a Detroit-
based company that sources
healthy, allergen-friendly foods
and provides nutrition-consulting.
Savorfull is part of the Quicken
Loans Family of Companies.
Instead of the typical chips and salsa, dip some cut-up veggies or pickle spears into a
nonfat probiotic yogurt dip.
Spread cottage cheese or add marinated tempeh on your sourdough bread instead of
white bread.
Add probiotic-enriched yogurt to your granola or oatmeal.
Add kimchi to your scrambled eggs or morning omelet.
Replace meat on your sandwich for BBQ tempeh when available.
If eating a hot dog at a summer BBQ, top with sauerkraut in place of ketchup.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Avoid the juicing trend and consume the whole fruit or veggie instead of the juice.
Swap out breakfast cereals for a bowl of granola topped with fresh berries.
Thicken soups and stews with whole chia seeds.
Toss cooked or roasted lentils into a tasty green salad for extra protein and fiber.
Spread your sandwiches with hummus instead of mayonnaise or cream cheese.
Ditch the greasy potato crisps for crunchy baked kale or spinach chips.
Elevate your pizza by opting for a fiber-rich cauliflower crust.
Choose to order roasted Brussels sprouts as a side dish when dining out.
Use nuts and seeds like flax, almonds and pecans as a crunchy topping over soups,
salads or desserts.
Mix and match dried fruits like cranberries or blueberries with almonds, walnuts and
pumpkin seeds for a nutritious trail mix. •
NO INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH STACY GOLDBERG/SAVORFULL IS INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN
OR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATION OR NUTRITIONAL, HERBAL OR HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLEMENT, OR ADOPTING ANY TREATMENT OR IMPLEMENTING
NUTRITIONAL ADVICE FOR A HEALTH PROBLEM.
Stacy’s Swaps