Ask Dr Miriam

QI suffer with chronic constipation and my doctor says I don’t have enough fibre in my diet. I try to eat more fruit and veg but why is fibre so important?

AWell, lack of fibre means you’re more likely to have constipation, but more importantly you also have an increased risk of bowel cancer.

Fibre is vital for the gut to work normally and lowers the risk of several diseases, from bowel cancer and Type 2 diabetes to heart disease.

The average adult in the UK eats less than the daily target of 30g of fibre, managing just 18g. It’s a good thing to increase fibre slowly so your gut bacteria can adjust. It’s also important to drink 8-10 cups of fluids in the day to allow the fibre to create soft stools in your colon. You can increase the fibre in your diet with wholegrain cereals, bread, pasta, rice, fruit and veg, plus nuts and seeds. Porridge with berries is a great start to the day.