Fibre tips

[ayjay]

I've been having some bowel problems recently so I took myself off to see my GP.

I think I must have upset him cos he sent me off for a Colonoscopy, (if you know about Picolax, it's that procedure). The hospital also decided a Gastroscopy would be a good idea, I must have upset them too and I'd never even met them!

Gastroscopy has been and gone and is all clear.

The full Colonoscopy results (they always take sample for biopsies) take longer and are due in about another three weeks but the preliminary report does not look worrying according to the GP. The worst it showed was "a short section of moderate diverticulosis with signs of mild patchy inflammation"

On the basis of that the GP has recommended that initially at least I increase the amount of fibre in my diet.

I've checked the net for info on high fibre foods and I can't say that I like many of them, to the extent that after a week I'm sick of the sight of Raspberries, Chickpeas, Avocados and Bananas.

So I'm looking for ideas of foods that are higher in fibre or ways of disguising those I'm already eating.

I can get up to 30 grams (fibre) a day which is the target, but I do sometimes find if I have one meal that is a bit lower in fibre for any reason then I'm just shoving something else in to gain a couple more grams when I don't really want to eat anything.

That has to stop: I'm already eating a much more filling lunch than I'm used to, and I don't usually eat between meals except for a couple of biccies (0.5g fibre) with my afternoon tea, but I'm having to stuff my face with various nuts or dried fruit just to get the numbers up.

I'm not really expecting any amazing answers cos I've already searched the net fairly diligently for ideas, but anything might help.

[wine~o]

canned beans (various types) mixed together to make a salad, add a splash of olive oil and any flavourings you like to make more interesting, for instance garlic,chilli, lemon juice/zest, fresh herbs anything you like basically.

can also be blitzed up in a food processor with the addition of nuts/pine nuts and parmesan to make a pesto...

Is that any help ?

[Rorschach]

What about some soluble fibre supplements?

[ayjay]

Thanks wine~o, I'm aware of the benefits of beans and will be having a beany salad tonight with my spinach ommelette, chickpeas are actually a little higher in fibre than even beans.

I've downgraded my target to 25 grams of fibre in a day (it's probably more than I usually have) as although 30g is the recommended target it's giving me too much wind which also leads to bloating, another one of my symptoms, and much farting, (especially the chickpeas - the butterbean and bacon soup was pretty bad too, I had a very uncomfortable evening after that one). Considering that I have to take almost every fart to the toilet, (not got it wrong yet, fortunately) I'd like to reduce that, so there's no point in overdoing it while I'm still waiting a full diagnosis.

i always knew it was a difficult ask, as is evidenced by just your solitary reply in two days.

[ayjay]

What about some soluble fibre supplements?

That's something I'll look into if necessary when the full diagnosis is available and I can discuss it with the Quack, it may not be the answer anyway.

I'm looking at the extra fibre as just a basic lifestyle recommendation for now, which is why I've reduced my target to 25g instead of the (internet) recommendation of 30g.

I can do 25g daily without too much trouble, and it's probably an increase on what was going in.