Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be taken with fiber intake recommendation as follows:
- Limit chewing of gum around mealtime, especially if the meal has fiber menu. Chewing gum can also result in excess swallowing of air, which can contribute to the bloating sensation.
- Try avoiding any carbonated beverages, as they contain lot of gas and carry the risk for increased bloating sensation. Having lemon flavored water or peppermint tea instead of carbonated beverages can help reduce risk for bloating and abdominal discomfort.
- Incorporate probiotic rich yogurt into your diet, which can help reduce risk for bloating and abdominal discomfort.
- Instead of having three big meals a day, try having five or six smaller meals with your daily calorie requirements distributed fairly between all the meals. This can also help reduce risk for bloating and abdominal discomfort, which often accompany large meals. Multiple smaller meals can also help individuals with poorly controlled diabetes with better management of blood sugar numbers.
- Multiple smaller meals can also keep individuals partially full all the time and so, prevent overeating. This can help weight loss and reduce calorie intake in individuals with history of overeating and obesity.
