Fiber is the new 40 (your key to anti-aging)
I remember standing at the playground with my kids when I was 34, as a mom-friend who was a decade older, rattled off a list of things that had become exponentially harder since turning 40. I also remember thinking to myself “honey, this may be your story, but it ain’t gonna be mine. When I’m 40+, I’m still going to sleep great, metabolize like a 25 year old, have a libido, be able to eat all the foods, maintain my eyesight (and of course my hair color and flawless skin) and have endless energy to exercise. I’ll be doing this while also managing my career, hosting dinner parties, and remembering the birthdays of each of my acquaintances.”
Fast forward 10 years - voila, I’m 44. Turns out, she was right and I was an idiot.
That’s right, our bodies and priorities change as our reproductive years fade. And it’s not all bad. Every woman I know is wiser, more humble, more generous, more compassionate and more accepting of herself. But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get harder to feel great and prevent health risks and symptoms associated with aging. Dialing in our health-focused routines gets more important as every year passes.
Sleep, exercise (particularly strength training), stress management, community and relationships, and good nutrition are essentials for feeling amazing in the second half of life, but fiber is a tool that deserves more than a passing glance.
Soluble fiber is an anti-aging tool and this is why:
- Reduces blood sugar spikes which drops inflammation and staves off weight gain around the middle.
- Makes you fuller faster and boosts satiety, making it harder to overeat.
- Helps you absorb nutrients from your food.
- Binds toxins that your liver is trying to get rid of acting as a natural detoxifier leading to healthier skin, hair and nails.
- Reduces circulating estrogen metabolites which is linked to lower risk of breast, ovarian, uterine and endometrial cancer.
- Reduces circulating cholesterol and support healthy blood pressure, dropping risk of heart diseases (that’s our #1 killer, ladies).
- Feeds your microbiome supporting healthy immunity, improved brain function and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal and colon cancer.
Based on large bodies of research, we suggest eating at least 40 grams of fiber per day composed of 20 grams soluble and 20 grams insoluble fiber. This means, focus on plants and eat a diversity. Want to know how much fiber is in your food? Check out these helpful resources:
About Megan Barnett, MS, CNS
Megan Barnett, MS, CNS is a clinical nutritionist, research writer, public speaker and educator with over ten years in the field of nutrition science and functional medicine. She co-owns BioLounge, a functional medicine clinic in Portland, Oregon, and she is the co-founder and product developer of Florasophy organic soluble fiber blends. She sits on the board of directors for the American Nutrition Association where she supports the credentialing and professional development of her colleagues while providing leadership in the treatment and prevention of disease using evidence-based nutrition science.