Mr. Douglas Akuba, Chief Executive Officer of Green Economy Alternative Africa, has said that fibre is essential for digestive health of a person.
Akuba, who is also a Nutritionist, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, in commemoration of the World Digestive Health Day 2023: with the theme “Understanding The Role Of A Healthy Gut Beyond Digestion”.
The expert advised that most Nigerians were not used to eating fibre often, and suggested “it is best they increase their fibre intake slowly, starting with soluble fibre such as from oatmeal, apples, and bananas.”
He said that they can add a little fibre to their diet every 4–5 days.
“Increasing fibre intake too quickly can be bad for digestion too.
“Drinking plenty of water is also important, as it combines with fibre and adds bulk to stool,” he said.
He said that the country is blessed with a lot of vegetables that Nigerians were not taking advantage of.
“Vegetables are rich in fibre which is an important nutrient for digestion. Fibre stimulates the bowels to move stool out of the body,” he said.
He said that the vegetable leaf is often rich in fibre, and it was best to consume them whole. These include potatoes, beans, and legumes.
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“Some people who have digestive issues may benefit from eating smaller meals, as well as consuming a healthful amount of fibre,” he said.
He said if digestive problems persist after making these changes, it was important for people to see a doctor for advice and treatment.
World Digestive Health Day is celebrated every year on May 29. Each year World Digestive Health Day marks the start of a 12-month-long campaign focusing on raising public and professional awareness of a particular digestive disease or disorder, the campaign for 2018 was entitled Viral Hepatitis B & C:
World Digestive Health Day was launched in 2004 to mark the 45th anniversary of the creation of the World Gastroenterology Organisation. The organisation has over 100 member societies and 50,000 individual members all over the world.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has estimated that there are 325 million people across the world who are living with Hepatitis B and C.
These conditions can lead to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
During World Digestive Health Day and the year that follows, the World Gastroenterology Organisation aims to provide both medical professionals and the lay public, with an understanding of the latest research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Hepatitis B and C. (NAN)
