Q. I suffer from frequent constipation, although I often have bran cereals. Is there something else I can do?

A. While bran cereals offer relief for many people with chronic or occasional constipation, I find that the more effective choice is a bran cereal containing psyllium (pronounced “silly-um”).  Psyllium can be found in a few bran cereals currently on the market. The packages often recommend consuming only one-third of a cup, and this means you can mix them with your other favourite cereal or cereals.

When you start one of these cereals, try to have it daily for one or two weeks to see results. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

An added benefit of psyllium is that it is very effective at reducing bad cholesterol, an excellent added bonus. For anyone who doesn’t suffer from constipation necessarily but is trying to reduce or control cholesterol, this is beneficial too.

Still, you should remember that any time you are consuming foods high in fibre, like bran or psyllium, it is essential to have a lot of water with them to help them move freely through your system. Picture what a bowl of bran cereal in milk looks like after it is left to sit awhile. It’s a sponge – it soaks up the liquid and becomes quite solid. To avoid this, always drink a glass of water along with bran for best results.

Another thing to remember is that fruits and vegetables are also a great source of fibre.

Q. My kids both just had strep throat and were on a course of antibiotics. Are there any healthy foods they should eat to boost their health?

 A. At this time of year I urge everyone to take advantage of the rainbow of colours coming into season – local fruits and vegetables that we have been missing over the winter. Getting many different colours will give you broad benefit.

The other really important element for anyone after a course of antibiotics is to include probiotics in your diet, preferably daily, for a least two weeks.

When we take antibiotics, they do a great job of killing the bad bacteria that make us sick, but they are not very selective and can also kill some of the good bacteria that naturally live in our gut. Probiotics are found in yogurt, yogurt drinks etc., and are an ideal way to re-balance this system.

Lisa Weinberg is a registered dietitian/nutritionist in Toronto, in private practice and at the Genesis Professional Group. If you have any nutrition questions, please send them to The CJN.