Plan Ahead

You may worry that occasions will arise where you can’t always follow your usual routine.  Planning ahead can help you adjust to stick as close to your regular routine.  Sometimes when you’re traveling or with different people than usual, findings means to keep your health habits intact seem daunting.  A little forethought is all it takes to maintain your routine, and good health.

Adjust Accordingly

What if there is absolutely no way you can stick to it as well as you’d like to?  Try your best, and make compromises.  Find little ways to make up for it.  Can’t make it to the gym or fit in your normal exercise?  Tack on some extra walking.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Worried that your evening out may make it hard to eat right?  Find ways to cut extra calories and fat from your meal and go light on the things that you’re more worried about.

You can’t always be perfect, but you can still moderate yourself.  You may not always have the best options 100% of the time, but you can provide BETTER options for yourself than what might be easy.

Get Back on Track

Sometimes we all slip up.  Sometimes we just don’t have all the options we’d like to have.  Did you splurge on that last meal?  Did you skip a few days of working out?  So, you goofed.  We’ve all done it, we’ve all been there.  Just work hard to get back on track.  Messing up doesn’t have to be a permanent situation.  You may have actually learned something from your break.  Maybe you figured out the best way to avoid losing your routine.  Maybe you accidentally found something new to incorporate into your usual regimen (hopefully a healthful, beneficial addition).

No one’s perfect, and your routine can’t always be.  While it’s good to be consistent with things such as diet, exercise, sleep, and relaxation, you can still have wiggle room.  It’s most valuable to keep in mind, though, to realize that consistency matters.  Also, be sure to talk to your healthcare professionals about big lifestyle changes such as exercise programs and major diet changes.  Routines are only good to keep if they’re the right routines.

Then there’s me.  My job?  Sitting at a desk, sharing my thoughts with you lovely people (among other responsibilities).  I spend most of my days sitting at my desk.  There are plenty of stressful moments attached to my job.  There’s also those 3 o’clock slumps where it feels danged-near impossible to survive the rest of the work day.  Sometimes, eating feels like the only way to get away from my desk and shake myself out of a comatose state.

On the flip-side, I also help out on a farm.  I carry feed bags, drive tractors, and build fences.  (The guys get quite a kick out of little ol’ me getting down and dirty…I’m only 4’10″, I’m blonde, and I usually have well-manicured nails.)  So, compared to my weekends and evening tasks on the farm, my office job can seem fairly…sedentary.  So, I’ve forced myself to find some good ways to fight the “sit-on-your-butt-all-day-at-a-computer” bulge.

1. If you must bring snacks, make them healthy.  Carrots, celery, and fruit all make great options.  My favorite (which gets weird looks) is plain Cheerios.  Just regular, oaty Cheerios.
2. Instead of coffee, reach for tea.  Our break room always has a great selection of tea’s.  Some still have caffeine, and even if that’s not the best option health-wise, it can help wake up.  Lay off the sugar and heavy creams.  Most teas are naturally flavored, and don’t need additives.  In addition, tea’s are rich in antioxidants, which can be really helpful for heart health.
3. Get up and move.  Instead of turning to food when you’re bored, go for a walk and clear your head.  Go down the hallway, around the office, or down the street.  Granted, this depends on the amount of break time and freedom you have, but a quick walk somewhere can really help jog your senses and fight monitor-hypnosis.
4. Keep water with you.  It’s easier to ignore snacking urges if you take a sip of water every time you want to munch.  I keep mine in a stainless steel bottle; it keeps it cold, but doesn’t encourage contamination like some plastics will.  It’s also more environmentally friendly that one-time use bottles.  Besides, tons of water means a healthier body overall…and more bathroom breaks, which could be considered part of #3.
5. Plan your snacks for the day.  Knowing what you can allow yourself as far as snacking goes creates more structure.  Promise yourself that you’ll only eat one of such-and-such at blank-o’clock.  Keep a schedule, follow it.

Gaining weight doesn’t need to be a side-effect of a desk job.  We can all be healthy, whether we work in an office or on a hot rooftop.

Taking Steps

California has been in the news quite a bit lately for their legislation on food menu labeling.  This new law, enacted on July 1st, states that fast food restaurants must post calorie counts on their menu boards.  In addition, chain restaurants must post calorie counts, as well as some addition information, in their menus.  The next phase of California’s health movements is to try and phase out the use of man-made trans fats.  These steps, as well as others, are also being pursued in other places like New York City and several counties across the nation.  Some other states are also in the early process of drafting similar bills.

Benefits, Obvious and No-So-Obvious

There’s some obvious reasons why this is great.  Now, people who use calorie-counting as a part of their healthy lifestyle can more easily plan for eating out.  However, there’s a shock value involved, as well.  Many people assume that eating that chicken and fish options are so much healthier.  However, manditory nutrition info postings on menus can help clear up the myths about “healthy” fast food, as well as the “light” options at chain restaurants.

Some Shocking Facts

For instance, did you know that the tuna salad subs at Subway generally have the more calories than a roast beef sub from the same place?  It’s the mayonnaise.  Even light mayo will jack up the calorie and fat count to be equal to or greater than that of beef.  And those fish sandwiches at Burger King that seem like such a healthy option?  They’re fried, which means they’re riddled with trans fats.  A better option would be the grilled chicken sandwiches (without sauces and cheese).

Some People Won’t Change

There will always be people who don’t care.  The farmer I do side jobs for during busy seasons shocked me by stating that he thinks it’s a bad idea.  His take is that “people who eat fast food generally don’t care anyways.”  I can’t help but think he has a warped view of the issue (and I promptly told him so).  There’s a degree of manipulation by the restaurant industry.  Even nice sit-down restaurants may cut some corners on their “light” menus.

The Facts Speak for Themselves

I can’t see a single way that this would be a bad idea.  If someone doesn’t care about the nutritional content of their food, then they can ignore the numbers.  Maybe some people who are in denial of their eating habits will see the light.  Health-conscious people will also get the benefits of having more knowledge of the options, and we all know that knowledge is power.  Knowing these facts about our food is a big step towards acting to create better habits as a culture.

As summer tries to decide what season it wants to act like, people are making vacation, cookout, and party plans of all sorts.  What a lot of people don’t realize is that there’s plenty of heart-healthy must-haves for the summer.  Sure, we tell you that a lot of the old classics are bad for your heart and you should find healthier alternatives…but that’s not to say some of them aren’t good for you.

Iced Tea

Iced tea, for example.  Natural tea is a great way to bring antioxidants (many of which have been tied to heart health and weight-loss) into any occassion.  You can ice just about any type of tea, so there’s an iced tea to fit anyone’s tastes.  This time of year, the best way to make tea is to sun-brew it.  Toss a few bags in a large glass container full of water.  The heat of the sun will cause the tea to brew naturally, and it takes very little work.  One thing to keep in mind, though, is that a lot of people dump loads of sugar into their tea.  Natural fruit juices can serve just as well!  Squeeze some unsweetened lemon juice into your tea.  Or, crush up some berries and stir them in when you add ice.  By the time the tea is completely chilled, it’ll have plenty of flavor.

Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is also a popular cookout dish.  With the 4th of July coming up this weekend, pasta salad production is probably at its yearly high right now.  Well, there’s plenty of pasta salad recipes out there that have some heart health benefits!  Any salads that use mayonnaise or Miracle Whip should be excluded from this list.  Sorry.  However, those delicious pasta salads that are seasoned with olive oil, vegetables, and species are still allowed!  In fact, they’re good for you.  Olive oil is recommended for a heart healthy diet (in moderation), and the vegetables most commonly used in pasta salad have plenty of chemicals and antioxidants that are good for your heart, and the rest of you, too.

Veggie Platters

Summer is also the time for gardening.  This means that the veggie gardeners out there are probably up to their elbows in seasonal fare.  This also means that summer produce is more affordable.  Peppers, snow peas, tomatoes, beans, and carrots with some low-fat dressing is a must at most summer shindigs.  It’s even better if your healthy dressing is homemade (unflavored, fat-free yogurt makes a great base for veggie dips).

I know, this is just three instances of summer hosting cuisine.  However, I know when I go to a cookout or graduation party or whatnot, these are three things I always, always grab when I go through the buffet.  Even if it’s only 65-degrees out in July.

Most health experts believe we should be getting 25-35 grams of fiber every day.  As Americans, we consume on average 10-15 grams of fiber a day.  This is a problem.

The consumption of fiber in the human population has continued to decrease over the course of human history.  In the last couple centuries it has taken a dive.  This most recent drop seems to have started with the genesis of food processing.  All that processing removes valuable fiber, as well as other nutrients.  Add that loss of fiber to America’s preference for poor food choices, and it’s easy to see how our fiber intake is decreased.

A Hole in Our Diets

Progressively, we have been exchanging high fiber, whole food products such as whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables for processed grains, potatoes with no skins, sugar, and processed oils.  This has left a huge hole in our diets, especially considering the health benefits of fiber. 

Beyond the Basics

Most people are familiar with using fiber for constipation, but research in the last century has shown fiber to be benenficial for much more.  Fiber is broken down by good bacteria in our intestines.  It is a source of food for them, but when they have digested the fiber it serves as fuel for our intestinal cells.  Fiber is also beneficial for removing toxins from the body.  It has been shown in studies to help with maintainence of healthy weight and weight loss.

Fiber Helps More Than Just Digestion

Soluble fiber, such as those found in oats and beans, help lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.   Beta glucans, the soluble fiber from oats, have been allowed to carry a heart health claim by the FDA.  Soluble fiber is also beneficial for promoting maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels, which makes it especially important for diabetics.  Heart disease and diabetes are two of the most critical issues facing Americans today.  Finding one natural substance that helps fight both conditions is good news for the health world.

Time for Change

In an era of elimination issues, cardiovascular disease, and sugar imbalance, fiber is an important element to to return to our diets.   Since it is abundant in many whole vegetable-based foods, it is not difficult to add back into the diet.  It just takes a little conscious effort, and maybe a slightly longer preparation time for dinner.

Because of the complex nature of food sometimes we have to use technical names to talk about its contents.  ”Beta glucan” is just a term that describes a type of fiber that is found in oats and other sources such as mushrooms, nutritional yeast, fruits, and other whole grains.  Beta glucans are soluble, which means they can mix with water.  So, in other words, beta glucans are a soluble fiber present in foods.   Oat beta glucan is a unique form of soluble fiber which has special properties that are beneficial for helping lower cholesterol levels.

How do Beta Glucans Affect Cholesterol Levels?

There are three main properties of oat beta glucan that are thought give it the ability to lower cholersterol: its viscosity, ability to bind to bile, and ability to be fermented by good bacteria in the gut.

    Viscosity is a property of beta glucans that causes food in the digestive tract to bind to fat and cholesterol and keep some of it from being absorbed.  When less fat is absorbed less cholesterol is made.  Not only is this good for your heart, but your waistline, too!
    Bile is the main way for the body to get rid of excess cholsterol.   Beta glucan binds to bile and carries it out of the body.  If bile is not carried out of the body it is reabsorbed.  This means that instead of being removed, it’s redeposited.  By removing bile, beta glucan removes cholesterol that’s already in the body.
    Another possible mechanism for beta glucans cholesterol lowering ability is that beta glucan feeds helpful bacteria in the body.  There are many types of bacteria that are supposed to be in the body.  These bacteria are very important to your health.  When these helpful bacteria digest the beta glucan, they release natural chemicals.  Some of these chemicals block the body’s ability to make cholesterol.

Beta-Glucans Have Health Benefits Today and Tomorrow

Besides its benefits for lowering cholesterol, beta glucans have other beneficial properties.  They have been shown in studies to increase immune function.  Beta glucans can also slow the absorption of food and thereby decrease the amount of insulin needed to deal with each meal.  This can have benefits for blood sugar balance and weight loss.  Some of the chemicals created by the beneficial bacteria that eat beta glucan are food for the cells of the intestines.  Because beta glucan is a viscous fiber it can also help regulate bowel movement.  If these are the side effects we can get from a natural product like Nutrim, then I’ll take it!