Fiber first: a gut‑health starter week

Most of us eat about half the fiber we need. In midlife that shows up as bloat, sluggish digestion and energy that falls off a cliff at 3pm. The fix is boring and it works: add plants, slowly.

The week

1. 1Monday: add a tablespoon of chia to breakfast.
2. 2Tuesday: swap white rice for lentils at one meal.
3. 3Wednesday: a handful of berries, any time.
4. 4Thursday: one fermented food, like kefir, kimchi or sauerkraut.
5. 5Friday: double the vegetables in whatever you were already cooking.
6. 6Saturday: try a bean you don't usually buy.
7. 7Sunday: cook once for the week ahead.