Eating Disorders and Fiber...

I just got back from a RS Meeting...it was on health. Great meeting. Had several awesome speakers.
One was a guy who is in our ward who works at a rehabilitation center for ladies with eating disorders. So interesting...we talked about how to help our daughters to avoid eating disorders and stay healthy....so scary.
Three top things:
1. Keep lines of communication open. Talk about puberty with your daughters. Every girl goes through changes and it's a normal, beautiful, healthy part of life. At about 12-13 is when most eating disorders start and a lot start because girls start gaining weight and their bodies start changing...and they want their "little" body back.
2. Don't talk about your own body negativity with your kids around. "If only I could lose 5 more pounds." "Everything I eat goes straight to my hips" As a child is growing and gaining weight, when they hear this from their parents, it makes them feel like there is something wrong with them...
3. Teach them to listen to their bodies and eat when they are hungry...
He mentioned that media played a factor, but a small one when in comparison to what they hear and feel at home. Build a strong foundation.
Such a good topic.

Then we talked about exercise and nutrition.
One thing I picked up on was that I don't eat enough fiber. I eat about 10 grams a day, when it needs to be 30-40 grams. I've been paying attention to the calcium, but not the fiber...now I'm going to start watching the fiber too. Good reminder.

I found this article, thought it had some good info that I want to remember and I'm trying to eat more fiber...yay!

What is Fiber? Forensically speaking, dietary fiber is sort of the skeleton of a plant. Just like the bones in your body, fiber helps plants to keep their shape and stand up straight. But here's the weird part of the fiber foods puzzle. Even though high fiber is so good for you, you can't digest plant fiber. The fiber you eat passes directly through your small intestine into your colon and out of your body. By taking this route, high fiber foods help keep your colon healthy and promote regularity. So, since it cleans out your insides, just start thinking of fiber as nature's natural scrub brush!
It's important to add high fiber foods to your diet slowly over a couple of weeks. This gives your digestive system time to gradually adjust to the change. And be sure to drink plenty of water. While high fiber foods are cleaning out your digestive system, some types of fiber bind with fats and toxins helping to cleanse your entire body. Many physical disorders, such as irregularity, constipation and diverticulitis can be avoided by getting enough high fiber foods in your diet. But that's not all of the many health benefits of fiber. High fiber foods have also been shown to help reduce your risk of high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, obesity, hemorrhoids, some cancers, high blood sugar, diabetes and to help you lose weight and keep your digestive system working properly.
Wow! Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber All plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds and beans, have fiber. But all fiber is not the same. It can be divided into two categories with different effects on your body. Soluble fiber is found in dried beans, peas, oats and oat bran, flaxseed and psyllium husks. It's also found in fruits such as oranges and apples and vegetables like carrots. Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids in your stomach and prolongs digestion time. This helps to regulate blood sugar. Studies also show that soluble fiber can help reduce your overall cholesterol count. But what's even more important, soluble fiber lowers your LDL, which is considered to be bad cholesterol. Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat, wheat bran, vegetables such as cauliflower and green beans and the skins of fruits and root vegetables. Insoluble fiber helps remove toxins from your colon and balance intestine acidity. It also helps move waste through your intestines and bowel. The recommended total daily fiber intake for adults is 30 to 40 grams. But most Americans get only about 10 grams of fiber a day.
That's not nearly enough. You need 30 to 40 grams of fiber a day for optimum health.