In addition to being encouraged to eat our fruits and veggies, drink lots of water, and stay away from sugar, as a kid, having a healthy amount of fiber in our diet is probably one of the first things you were taught to do for your health. Not only is it vital for healthy digestion and colon health, but is also protects against heart disease and diabetes. Now, studies are being conducted to look at the effect a high-fiber diet has on our longevity, and the results show our mothers were right about eating our broccoli.
Which Other Health Aspects Benefit From A High-Fiber Diet?
In the latest study, researchers in New Zealand found the risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and/or colon cancer plummeted by 16 -24 percent among those who consumed lots of grains, vegetables and fruit compared to those with low-fiber diets. In addition, a separate US study found that a high-fibre diet promoted the growth of good bacteria in the gut and radically reduced intestinal inflammation in mice. It also found that dietary fiber countered inflammation in the brain’s immune cells which cause impaired cognitive function.
An earlier study by Newcastle University’s Institute for Ageing and Keio University in Tokyo, found that suppressing inflammation is the most important driver of successful longevity.
According to the World Health Organisation, chronic inflammatory diseases are currently regarded as the greatest threat to human health, while researchers in the US noted that “chronic inflammation… is the cause of most chronic diseases and presents a major threat to the health and longevity of individuals.”
Health expert, Vanessa Ascencao notes that research show that curcumin, a natural ingredient in the common spice, turmeric — used for centuries in Asian dishes – helps counter inflammation and its damaging effects.
A report shows that curcumin helps the body manage inflammation and anti-ageing (known as inflammaging) and Ascencao says the powerful turmeric extract, Bio-Curcumin, has shown to help deliver significant amounts of bio-active curcumin into the body, assisting this process.
