OK, prepare yourself for this ? this week we are going to talk about poo! Don't be embarrassed about it, bowel movements tell you a lot about your health. Normal digestive function is absolutely fundamental to optimum health. But what is normal? And what on earth do bananas have to do with it?

A normal bowel movement should be easy to pass with no straining involved. Those with little libraries of books next to the toilet need to pay special attention. It should be soft, brown, smooth ? and come out roughly in the form of a banana! A small point at the end means that you have done a complete bowel movement. You should be doing one of these at least once a day ? anything less amounts to constipation! Loose, hard, sticky, pebbly or yellow poo is a sign of digestive imbalance.

A huge number of factors influence the balance of your digestive tract, but one of the most important steps you can take is to ensure adequate fibre intake. There are two kinds of fibre ? soluble and insoluble. These are naturally indigestible carbohydrates that can't be broken down in the digestive tract and both are vital for normalising digestive function. Insoluble fibre makes food bulkier and easier to pass through the body, which prevents constipation.

It is important to prevent constipation as otherwise old toxins and hormones can be reabsorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream. This can contribute to headaches, skin problems, hormone imbalances, sluggishness, cellulite and liver toxicity. Constipation can also cause haemorrhoids and itching.

But fibre is not only useful for normalising digestive function, it also has other far-reaching health benefits. For example:

Soluble fibre reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol. It binds with, and then excretes, bile salts from the digestive tract. Bile salts are vital for digestion and are made using LDL cholesterol. Making bile salts uses up circulating LDL cholesterol and prevents it damaging the arteries. More fibre = more bile salt excretion = more diversion of damaging LDL cholesterol. How clever!

Fibre slows down the rate at which glucose is released from the carbohydrates that you eat. This helps you to have a good, steady release of glucose into your bloodstream, providing you with constant energy rather than the fluctuating highs and lows of energy caused by processed, sugary foods.

Fibre helps prevent disease. Rural Africans eat about 55 grams of fibre a day and they have the lowest incidence of bowel diseases worldwide. In contrast, a huge number of Americans suffer from bowel diseases, such as diverticulitis, colitis and bowel cancer ? and the average American eats less than 15 grams of fibre daily.

So if you're not doing your daily banana, increase the amount of fibrous foods in your diet. You can also follow these tips to help you increase your fibre intake:

1. Have your five daily servings of fruit and vegetables. Much of the fibre found in fruit and veg is in the skin. If you wash them well, there is no need to peel some of them i.e. do not peel apples, carrots and cucumber, but do peel oranges and pineapple!

2. Eat plenty of complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain bread, ryvita, wholegrain cereals, oats)

3. Reduce processed foods (white bread & bagels, cookies, chips, white rice, instant meals)

4. Drink plenty of water. You need lots of water to utilise the fibre in your digestive tract. Aim for at least 1.5 litres daily.

5. Increase your fibre intake gradually, over two or three weeks. A sudden increase in fibrous foods can result in gas and bloating.

6. Please be aware that wheat bran, although rich in fibre, can aggravate the digestive tract of sensitive individuals. Some people find oat bran much more gentle ? Nature's Path Millet Rice cereal is a good source.

7. It is best to get your fibre via food. However, if you feel you need extra help from a fibre supplement, do consult a clinical nutritionist for a recommendation or ask the staff at a good health food store.

Raising your fibre intake really can improve your digestive health, and also help prevent other health concerns such as high LDL cholesterol. Hopefully by the end of the day, you'll all be discussing your bowels in great detail. Go on ? talk about it! It's interesting and pretty funny too ? one of my weight-loss ladies came rushing into our group session and exclaimed "I did a banana!", we were so pleased for her, I think we even clapped?.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.