Along with modern conveniences that have made life easier, today people are leading sedentary lifestyles and consuming foods that do more harm than good. Lifestyle-related diseases like stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes are on the rise, apart from diseases caused by tobacco consumption, alcohol, and drugs. One way to make a change is with diet. Even something as simple as following a high fiber diet plan, can make a huge difference.

Types of fiber
There are two types of fiber in food soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber binds to sugar and cholesterol and prevents or slows their absorption into the blood. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, is roughage. It doesn’t dissolve and isn’t absorbed. It passes out of the body as waste. Both types of fiber are necessary for good health. While soluble fiber can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, together with maintaining a healthy weight by keeping you full for longer, insoluble fiber aids bowel movement and can help prevent conditions like anal fissures and hemorrhoids. It also lowers the risk of colorectal cancer.

High fiber diet plan
Adding fiber to your diet doesn’t mean making a drastic change. You can introduce these meal plans slowly.

Breakfast
Oatmeal is rich in fiber and makes for one of the healthiest breakfast items. Add chia seeds and fruits like mango, banana, and kiwi for more nutrition.
If you are pressed for time, try a fiber-rich smoothie. Combine beets, pear, almonds, hemp seeds and water, and blend until smooth. Add crushed ice to keep cool on a hot summer morning.

Lunch
Whole-wheat bread is a great alternative to white bread. Load a slice or two with thin cuts of turkey or chicken, tomato, beets, and cucumber. You can add some grated cheese for extra flavor.
Lentils are one of the highest fiber foods and make for a perfect lunch item. Start by caramelizing onions and sauteing garlic. Add lentils and cook until they become darker. Mix in diced potatoes, bell pepper, and salt. Garnish with cilantro.

Dinner
Broccoli is both tasty and rich in fiber. Make a soup out of it with veggie broth, rinsed cannellini beans, pepper, and cheese.
Chop up kale leaves, wash, and leave to dry. Cut carrots and onions, mix with the kale, and refrigerate. Prepare a dressing of tahini, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Drizzle over the salad and toss before eating.

Snack
An easy way to tide you over until mealtime is to snack on fruits like apples, bananas, pears, berries, oranges, and mangoes.
The first step to better health is with high fiber diet plans. They are easy to prepare and you will be following them diligently before you know it. Add your own twist by mixing in other nutritious ingredients like nuts, flax seeds, soymilk, and hummus.