Increasing Fiber to Lose Weight – Here's what you need to do!
I’ve been working with a retired gentleman the past few months and he’s been making fantastic progress to lose weight; however, this past week we focused on his fiber intake and learned his intake was much too low. He averaged around 15-20 grams of fiber daily. You should consume 25-35 grams of fiber everyday.
Eating a high fiber diet plan promotes weight loss by stabilizing blood sugars and increasing satiety (i.e. your sense of fullness). Fiber can actually act as a natural appetite suppressant. In addition to promoting weight loss, a diet high in fiber supports a lower LDL cholesterol/cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, promotes digestive health, and has the potential to decrease risk of colorectal cancer (studies are showing mixed results so far).
So, for your weight loss success and overall heart health, let’s take a moment and evaluate the fiber content of your food choices.
To determine your typical daily fiber intake grab a piece of paper and write down what you typically have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any snacks in between. If you’ve been keeping a food journal, simply grab your journal and look at yesterday.
Let’s use the following day as an example:
Breakfast:
2 cups of Cheerios with skim milk
6 oz. OJ
Morning Snack:
6 oz. Yogurt
Lunch:
Grilled cheese sandwich on white bread
1 cup tomato soup
Afternoon Snack:
¼ cup Walnuts and Dried Fruit
Evening Meal:
3 oz. Baked Turkey Breast
½ cup baked potato
½ cup broccoli and cauliflower
Now, you’ll have to be in your kitchen, so you can look at the food label of different foods to add up your fiber intake. For example, Cheerios provides 3 grams of fiber per cup, so fiber intake at breakfast was 6 grams (2 cups x 3 grams) since OJ and skim milk provide 0 grams of fiber. Do this for all your foods and add up the total.
In this example, total fiber intake is around 16 grams, which is low. If your fiber intake is also below 25-35 grams, look for ways to boost your fiber intake. Using the above example, you could swap out the OJ for a piece of whole fruit to add ~4 grams of fiber, sprinkle 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseed on the yogurt to add 2 grams of fiber, select whole grain bread that provides 5 grams of more fiber per slice, swap the baked potato for a baked sweet potato, and increase your broccoli and cauliflower serving to 1 cup with your evening meal. These changes would increase total fiber intake to around 34 grams.
Now, something important worth mentioning! If you currently consume a low fiber diet, making a sudden drastic increase can result in unpleasant side effects (i.e. gas and diarrhea). Increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid side effects.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com
Heart Disease – Reduce Heart Disease by Eating More Whole Grains
Your risk of heart failure is increased by a variety of factors, such as coronary artery disease, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and hypertension. What you eat has a major impact on these risk factors.
A new study was recently released in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that supports eating whole grains to reduce heart disease risk.
The 13 year study evaluated the association between seven different food categories (fruits/vegetables, whole grains, eggs, high-fat dairy, nuts, fish, and red meat) and heart failure risk in over 14,000 adults. During the study, 1,140 adults were hospitalized for heart failure. The study found that heart failure risk was significantly reduced in individuals with a high whole grain intake. Heart failure risk was significantly higher in individuals with increased intake of eggs and high-fat dairy.
A much smaller scale survey of 800 American adults shows promising changes. The first diet and exercise survey conducted by the American Dietetic Association was in 1991 and the most recent in 2002. The goal of the survey is to measure current attitudes and behaviors toward diet and health and identify behavior changes over time.
Findings of the 2008 survey show that consumption of whole grains, vegetables, and fruit has increased, while trans fat, beef, pork, and dairy consumption has decreased.
Increased in the past 5 years:
Whole grains – 56%
Vegetables – 50%
Fruits – 48%
Low-fat foods – 48%
Omega 3 fatty acids – 38%
Decreased in the past 5 years:
Trans fat – reduced 56%
Beef – reduced 41%
Port – reduced 33%
Dairy – reduced 23%
Low-sugar foods – reduced 20%
The survey divided participants into three groups based on diet and exercise habits. Here are the divisions:
I’m already doing it – 43% (5% increase from 2002)
I know I should – 38% (8% increase from 2002)
Don’t bother me – 19% (13% decrease from 2002)
So, overall it looks like American’s are wising up. However, what’s important is you. Where do you fall? Are you increasing your whole grain intake, eating more fruits/veggies, and cutting back on trans fats? Are you doing what you need to, in order to reduce heart failure risk?
If you would like one-on-one help, please sign up for The Heart of Health ezine to stay up-to-date on the latest programs from dietitian Lisa Nelson. You’ll also receive the free report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health”.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Barley Nutrition – How to use barley nutrition to lower cholesterol
Barley contains the same soluble fiber and beta-glucan as oats. Individuals who regularly consume barley have lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol.
A review of studies found the beta glucan in barley linked to decreased total cholesterol of 13 mg/dl, decreased LDL cholesterol of 10 mg/dl, and a reduced triglyceride level of 12 mg/dl. The review found no relationship between barley intake and HDL cholesterol. Beta-glucan is a type soluble fiber.
There are two types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble. You want to include between 25-35 grams of dietary fiber in your diet everyday. Of this, soluble fiber should make up 15 grams. Soluble fiber promotes lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
Barley nutrition is unique in that it contains fiber throughout the entire grain kernel. For most grains, when the outer bran layer is removed you’ve also removed the fiber. This isn’t the case with barley. Pearled barley is the easiest form of barley to find. Even though the grain is processed to remove the hull, bran, and some of the inner layer, it still provides 3 grams of dietary fiber in a half cup serving. Other varieties of barley include scotch or pot barley, barley flakes, quick-cooking barley, and hulled or hull-less barley.
Including barley as a regular part of your diet is a nutritious and simple way to promote heart health, lower LDL cholesterol, and lower total cholesterol levels.
Be sure to sign up for the free e-course How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 2
As we covered in Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 1, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels should be less than 130 mg/dl and ideally less than 100 mg/dl.
Here is the second of four options for lower LDL cholesterol diet:
Soluble Fiber
Increase dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber. Eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily and of this at least 15 grams should be soluble fiber. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
Sources of soluble fiber include:
Oat and oat bran
Legumes (dried beans and peas)
Nuts
Barley, rye
Flaxseed
Fruits (i.e. oranges, apples, prunes, plums, berries)
Vegetables (i.e. carrots, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions)
Psyllium husk
Learn more here about a high fiber diet plan to lower cholesterol here.
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
High Fiber Diet Plan to Lower Cholesterol and Lose Weight
Do you have high cholesterol? Increase your fiber!
Do you have high blood pressure? Increase your fiber!
Are you overweight? Increase your fiber!
What is it with fiber (also known as roughage)? It seems to play a role in just about all our health problems. Well, as far as blood pressure and cholesterol go, dietary fiber binds to cholesterol in circulation and helps remove it from the body. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
On the weight control side of things, a high fiber diet plan increases satiety (how full you feel), aiding efforts to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.
4 Things You Need to Know to Use Dietary Fiber to Lower Cholesterol:
1. There are two types of fiber.
Fiber Insoluble
Insoluble fiber remains relatively intact as it passes through the digestive system. The primary function of insoluble fiber is to move waste through the intestines and maintain intestinal acid balance.
Fiber Soluble
Soluble fiber is the type of fiber responsible for lowering total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
2. Sources of insoluble fiber
Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
Vegetables (green beans, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, beets, turnips, potato skins, and dark green leafy vegetables)
Wheat and whole-wheat products
Wheat oats
Corn bran
Seeds and nuts
3. Sources of soluble fiber
Oat and oat bran
Legumes (dried beans and peas)
Nuts
Barley, rye
Flaxseed
Fruits (i.e. oranges, apples, prunes, plums, berries)
Vegetables (i.e. carrots, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions)
Psyllium husk
Shoot for 25-35 grams of dietary fiber everyday. Of this fiber, soluble fiber should make up 15 grams. The average US dietary fiber intake is 12-18 grams/day.
If your current diet is very low in dietary fiber, don’t increase to 35 grams overnight. A sudden increase will result in gastrointestinal (stomach) distress and unpleasant side effects (flatulence and diarrhea). You want to increase your fiber intake gradually.
Bottom Line:
Select high fiber foods, especially foods that contain soluble fiber. I once heard a gastroenterologist say he would be out of a job if everyone just ate more beans!
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
9 Steps to Lower High Blood Pressure – Is your hypertension uncontrolled?
Today is World Heart Day, so I want to give nine steps that will lead to high blood pressure control and ultimately heart health!If you live with high blood pressure, you’re familiar with the side effects of anti-hypertensive medications. Fortunately, medications are not the only way to rein in high blood pressure.
Lifestyle plays a key role. By altering some choices you make, you can avoid or reduce the need for medications.
Here are 9 steps that will start you towards blood pressure control.
1. Put out the cigarette.
There is a significant blood pressure rise with every cigarette you smoke.
2. Pour out the liquor.
More than two drinks daily for men and one for women can elevate blood pressure. One drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ½ ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
3. Get off the couch.
Inactivity equals an increased heart rate. Increased heart rate means the heart must pump harder and exert more force on artery walls. Shoot for 30 minutes of activity 5 or more days each week. Get moving!
4. Chill out.
Do you turn to cigarettes, alcohol, or food to cope with stress? If so, find a new method ASAP. Possibilities include meditating, taking a bubble bath, going for a long walk – whatever works for you.
5. Do NOT chew the fat.
Reduce saturated fat intake (i.e. trim visible fat off meat, switch to low fat milk). Replace saturated fats (such as shortening, butter, and ice cream) with unsaturated fats (such as canola oil, margarine, and low fat yogurt).
6. Use fatty acids.
Become omega 3 savvy and consume omega 3 fatty acids everyday (i.e. salmon, walnuts, canola oil, herring, and avocados).
7. Stop shaking the salt.
Taste your food before salting it! Read food labels to limit sodium intake to 2300 milligrams per day. Most Americans consume 6-18 grams daily. Pull out herbs and spices in place of the salt shaker.
8. Rake in the roughage.
Make whole grain products, fruits, and vegetables your friends. The more the merrier. A high fiber diet is necessary for heart health. You need 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily. A fruit serving generally provides 2-4 grams of fiber, whole grain pasta 5 grams, and you can find 100% whole wheat bread with 5 grams.
9. Know your minerals.
Three minerals play critical roles in blood pressure management – potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Potassium
If you are treating high blood pressure with a diuretic, you are excreting potassium. Two of the best potassium sources are potatoes and bananas.
Magnesium
As you switch from refined grains to whole grains your magnesium intake will increase. Magnesium is lost when grains are refined (bran and germ removed). Also, diuretics have the same effect on magnesium as they do potassium.
Calcium
Get your 3 a day. You need 3 servings of low fat dairy everyday. High fat dairy does not have the same protective effect when combating high blood pressure. One dairy serving is equal to 8 oz. of milk, 8 oz. yogurt, 1-1/2 oz cheese, and 1/2 cup cottage cheese.
For further guidance, access the free ecourse “7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure” at http://lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.
