question for Heather -- amounts of Acacia fiber
#31654 - 12/12/03 08:30 PM
|
|
|
|
|
barb n
Reged: 10/14/03
Posts: 65
|
|
|
Hi Heather --
The 3 of us in my family are all taking your Acacia powder. My daughter is the one in college who was having big problems -- as soon as she started fiber supplements and your diet, which she is fantastic about following, she has been much much better -- i can't thank you enough.
I think i figured out your fiber amounts wrong. Would you help me with this? I had us each taking 4 tablespoons a day (2 am and 2 pm) -- but i looked at the label again today while putting it in a container -- and i'm thinking this is too much -- should we only be taking 3 tablespoons a day max?? Also, does this amount vary according to a persons weight at all? My daughter and i weigh around 125 and my husband weighs about 205? Wouldn't that make a difference in the amount you take? Thank you so much for all your help.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Barb - I'm so glad your daughter is doing better! That's wonderful.
There are actually no hard and fast guidelines for fiber intake. The average recommended total daily amount (from various nutritional authorities) is 25-35 grams, and anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 that amount should be from soluble fiber. But, many medical and nutritional folks think that this amount is a bare minimum, and there are entire countries where people's average fiber intake is 50, 60, even up to 80 grams a day. So, there's a lot of leeway here.
If you're up to 4 T Acacia a day, and doing just fine with that, I honestly don't think that's too much. It's just 18 grams, which is not a tremendously huge amount. I'd be mostly concerned that you're dividing your dosage (which you are), and not taking a single whomping dose all at once.
I haven't seen varying fiber recommendations for men vs. women, though I have seen some different amounts for children vs. adults. Honestly, I think there's so much variation in the amounts that are recommended, and in the amounts that healthy people around the world eat, that whatever works for you and is at least up around the 35 grams per day total as a minimum should be just fine. It's darn difficult to have too much fiber - your gut would definitely tell you - and you'd have to deliberately abuse a fiber supplement as well as eat tremendous amounts of high fiber foods.
I think you're just fine. 
- H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks so much for your answer, Heather, it was very helpful, like everything else. I can't tell you how grateful we are for you and your astute discoveries, your generosity in sharing them through your books and website, and your active involvement in this message board, which adds so much to it !! Now if we could just find someone like you to help with acne (my daughter's ongoing 6 year problem -- she is so stoic about it and never complains, but my husband and i feel badly that we have not been able to help her with it) Anyway -- just blabbing here -- thanks so much -- the tummy problems were much much more traumatic for her in every way -- so we are grateful !!!!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Aw, thanks! I wish I could help on the acne front. I've read that Accutane is the only thing known to help really stubborn acne, and I've had friends who have used it with great success. But it can have serious side effects, and needs to be prescribed by a doc who's watching for that, etc. It did just finally come out in a generic version (the brand name is something like $500 a month!). If you can find a doc who's used the drug for many years (it's been out for something like 20 years at this point) they'd probably have really good first-hand info on how likely side effects are, ways to watch for that, whether your daughter is a candidate, etc.
Oh, also, some birth control pills can help acne (though they may worsen - or help!) IBS. Another question for a good doc.
Best of luck with this,
H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Barb
#31798 - 12/14/03 12:52 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Debby
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 460
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
|
|
|
Hello, I was just reading your post and wanted to comment on the acne problem you mentioned your daughter was having. I have had some sort of acne problems for about 15 years (I am 30 now) and I have recently found something that has been working great for me. I have been on Retin A and all kinds of OTC acne meds and those things only burned my face and caused irritation - especially any of the ance wipes and anything with salycic (sp?) acid in it. Anyway, for 2 years I have been using Differin cream 1x a day and Klaron lotion 10% 1x a day and these are both by prescription only. The Differen can be drying and you don't want to use it like a moisturizer but just using a small amount and this may even take a few weeks to get adjusted to. The Klaron is more of an a water based lotion with a bit of a "kick" to it and I think it works like an antibiotic on your face and does not cause me any drying or irritation. Also my derm. recommended using Dove soap with no scent. I also do not ever use a moisturizer b/c it makes me break out. These medications work best if used consistently not for just an occasional break out (kind of like taking IBS supplements, they work better to prevent attacks in the first place!). Okay I have rambled on enough but since I have been though it all I thought I would share my experience. Good luck!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
