I’m sure you have all heard of or seen what varicose veins look like. They are those unsightly blue veins that pop up usually on the leg. Some people are more prone to them because they run in their families, or get them when they are pregnant, but another main cause of these painful, enlarged veins are- you guessed it, not enough fibre! What happens is when you have a low fibre diet, it is harder to release bowel movements. This extra effort and strain increases the pressure in the abdomen, with slows down the blood flow into the lower part of your body. This increased pressure can over time weaken the walls of the veins, leading to varicose veins and even hemorrhoids! The take away message here is make sure you eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains to promote a healthy gut!
From the Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, pg: 914
Here is a high fibre meal idea that will keep you going! I make it all the time, try it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!
Lentil salad
-one can lentils ( be sure to rinse thoroughly before use)
-one can of corn
-one tomato diced
- one half of a cucumber diced
- one diced pepper ( any colour of your choice)
-1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
-1 tsp cumin
-2 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinager
-2 tbsp unsalted, dry roasted sunflower seeds
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt… lots of pepper
Preparation:
Make certain that all of your vegetables are cut up to around the same size.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill before serving. Try substituting a bowl of this for lunch one day! To complete the protein, add cheese cubes or serve with a glass of low-fat milk.
Sick of lentils? Substitute chickpeas or a chickpea-fava bean mixture!
A nice addition to this salad, especially in the summer is halved grapes and a little goat milk feta cheese . Refreshing! Or maybe you want a little kick, if so try a pinch of red pepper flakes or tabasco.
