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.

If you’re like just about everyone else, you look at health like an all-or-nothing, gigantic goal that’s unattainable. It’s overwhelming so you don’t even start. I know because I feel that way a lot of times. It’s a self-defeating mindset though. Long-term health is negatively affected because it seems to hard to do anything about it short-term.

Carrying Health Baggage From The Last Diet You Tried.

I don’t blame you for thinking this way. There’s lots of noisy information out there. It’s hard know what to do short-term. Plus, you may have already tried something for a few weeks and failed. We all carry a little tried-everything-already “health baggage” around.

Simple Day-to-Day Decisions Make You Healthier, Not a Grand Scheme

In reality, long-term health can only be achieved through a simple short-term approach. It’s truly more about the nuances of what you eat, or what you do. It’s not about any grand scheme or plan of perfection.

Improving your health is in the margins: it’s achieved through small steps. You can just start building each step one after the other.

2 Cunningly Simple Approaches to Flip Your Notions of Health on Their Head:

• One, learn just a little about the health benefits of the basic components of food (you can do this on the mypyramid.gov website in about 20 mins).
• Two, adopt a strategy of making decisions before you have to (when you go into a restaurant decide what foods you can eat before you look at the menu.).

What Will You Say Immediately After You Get a Few Nutrition Habits Under Your Belt?

I hear the same response, “I feel like I woke up from a sleep”, right after people start adopting simple nutrition habits. Doing basic stuff like getting enough water all-day, every-day; avoiding foods high in sugar; lowering fat content; and, getting exercise leads to a result you can feel really fast–usually in a week or so.

Suddenly you have energy all day. You have stamina to get through their day and enjoy. Seemingly out of the blue you start loosing weight. It’s like you just woke up and realized there’s this whole other life they could be living–an “awake life” (higher energy, lower weight) and the “sleeping life” (no energy, crash-craving cycle, defeat and depression).

I think there’s two things that astonish people after they start improving their health one simple step at a time:

• They didn’t even know they were sleeping health-wise
• They didn’t realize they didn’t realize the impact small, everyday decisions where having on their life (good or bad).

So, pick 1-2 things you can start doing for the next week to improve your health. Don’t worry about what you’re not doing. Just master a few things. When you’re ready you can move on to doing 2 more things. You’ll know you’re ready for the next steps because you’ll either be bored or confident. Either once you approach the next step you won’t have to spend you effort juggle all the new habits at once.

Atherosclerosis and the problems it causes get an early start in life.  Cholesterol starts depositing in the arteries of Americans at an early age.  A study in 2003 looked at the arteries of 17 and 18 year old being assessed for the Austrian army.  The signs of athereosclerosis were already present in these young men.  This study concluded that the development of atherosclerosis begins early in life.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/108/9/1064?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=austian+army&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

This means that waiting until later in life to make lifestyle changes is not the best course of action.  While it’s never too late to become healthy, living a long life of healthfulness is the best option.

Obese Children Show Signs Even Earlier

A more recent study presented to the American Heart Association showed that obese kids had arteries that looked like those of someone 30 years older.   The researchers of this study noted the importance of exploring the effects of weight loss and healthier lifesyle decisions for these children.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_71522.html

These studies point to an important fact: heart disease is progressive.  Since this is a long term issue it takes good choices every day to avoid atherosclerosis and its side effects of heart disease and stroke.  Living healthfully from a a young age is a great way to avoid atherosclerosis.  However, if you’ve waited a little longer, don’t feel like it’s too late.  Healthy habits are a good idea of any age.

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.

The term “metabolic syndrome” probably sounds like a term that is best left in the circle of the medical elite.  Well, I think it’s a concept that should be better understood by all Americans.  Metabolic Syndrome is a very American disease, for lack of a better term.  It only occurs in affluent nations.  Approximately 50 million Americans have this syndrome.  To understand this syndrome is to understand a major sickness affecting our nation today.

Increasing in Frequency

Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.  One focus of ATP III is the management of metabolic syndrome (syndrome X). Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors such as high blood sugar levels, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, obesity and high blood pressure. This syndrome is becoming more common in America and is being given more attention by the American Heart Association and other leading organizations.

There’s Still Hope

Metabolic syndrome is highly influenced by diet and life style choices.  Because it’s based on America’s bad diet, it’s necessary to include a variety of whole foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, whole fruits,  and vegetables.  The only sure way to avoid Syndrome X is to lead a healthy life.

The soluble fiber from oats, which is mostly oat beta glucan, can be beneficial for someone looking to achieve healthy weight.  It has many properties that contribute to maintaining and achieving healthy weight loss goals.

The Benefits are Numerous

Because it’s a fiber, it can increase the feeling of fullness when taken with a meal.  Fiber is the last nutrient to breakdown in the digetstive tract, which can extend the feeling of satiety.  Fiber has also been shown in studies to increase a hormone that makes us feel full called CCK (cholecystokinin).  This pretty much translates into:  fiber makes you eat less.

Keeping an Internal Balance

Because it is viscous it can slow the emptying of food from the stomach.  This slow down decreases the rate at which sugar is absorbed, thereby having a positive effect on blood sugar levels.  When sugar levels are high in the blood stream insulin is released.  Insulin causes the sugar in the blood to push into the cells.  Fats also get pushed into the cells, which increases chances of weight-gain.  When there is a large release of insulin we also can have a fast dip in blood sugar, which can cause fatigue and hunger.  A good example of this cause-and-effect is eating a candy bar.  You eat that snack and your blood sugar rises very high.  To counteract it, insulin is released.  The insulin causes the sugars and fats to stay in your body, and your blood sugar to crash.  It is also believed that slowing down the absorption of sugars can affect how much is eaten at the following meal.

The Wonder of Fiber

One of the ways oat beta glucan is able to lower cholesterol is by binding to fat in the digestive tract and carrying it out of the body.  It also carries other calories out of the body as well.   In her Fiber35 Diet Brenda Watson calls this effect of the “fiber flush effect”.  The USDA and others have confirmed this effect.

Obviously, fiber is a good thing.  Everyone should eat a little more fiber.  Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that America is going to change its eating habits as a whole.  Every person who takes up healthy eating practices, including an increase in fiber, is a success story.

Apples are rich in natural fiber, and fiber is an absolute must in any healthy diet.  These colorful fruits can actually help lower cholesterol.  On top of that, the skin is rich in antioxidants.  Your choice of apple will change what antioxidants you can get out of it, since colors are a great indicator of the benefits.  Mix it up.  The more colors in your diet, the wider the variety of vitamins, minerals, and other antioxidants.  Apples also have a natural ability to clean teeth.  Peanut butter is a wonderful source of protein.  However, some peanut butters can be pretty high in fat.  If you can find a leaner or completely natural option, that would be best.

Carrot Sticks and Humus

Carrots pack a powerful punch when it comes to boosting your immune system.  They’re potent sources of Vitamin A, which improves your eyesight, helps your skin and strengthens your natural defenses.  In addition to Vitamin A, carrots have Vitamin C. Those two vitamins together give your immune system that extra pop it needs.  Also, Vitamin K is present, which helps to promote good texture and consistency of blood.  Add in the fiber that carrots bring, and it’s a wonder people don’t eat them more often.  Pairing them with humus not only gives them plenty of taste and texture, but even more benefits.  Humus, which is made from chickpeas, is loaded with fiber.  Chickpeas also have some protein.  This snack is quite the little kicker when it comes to benefits.

Whole Wheat Pita and Bean Dip

Pitas are naturally low in fat, and making sure they’re whole wheat means that they have fewer empty calories and more fiber.  Topping your whole wheat pita with bean dip brings in some great benefits.  Beans have protein and fiber, which are both necessary in a health meal plan.  Beans also bring iron and potassium, which are both necessary for blood health.  In fact, potassium helps counteract sodium in the bloodstream and maintains proper pH and salt levels in the body.

Trail Mix

Not only is this mix delicious, but it’s customizable.  Fit your trail mix to your tastes.  Depending on any variety of nuts, dry fruit, granola, dry yogurt, and other ingredients, you can have whatever blend of benefits you desire.  A lot of people like to mix their own, adding more or less of a specific ingredient to match their needs and tastes.  It’s not hard, and trail mixes often keep for quite a while, which means you can make a large amount at one time.

Almond Butter Health Bar

Like most nuts, almonds are very, very healthy in moderation.  They’re full of manganese, which supports bone and nerve health.  The best part of manganese is that it helps the body process fat and cholesterol.  While many people think almonds are tasty on their own, including them in snack bars is a great way to bring in more flavors and benefits.  Almond butter is also good a way to mix it up.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips with Salsa (Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Beans, Corn)

Baking your own tortilla chips is a good way to get the benefits of a corn product without all the salt and oil of processed commercial chips.  Corn is a source is dietary fiber, but also natural chemicals like folate, which is good for your skin and blood.  Your salsa is where most of the benefits come in, though.  Those tomatoes have lycopene, an antioxidant that’s very helpful for cellular health.  Lycopene also prevents some of cholesterol’s chemical reactions, which helps to reduce risks of atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries.  The benefits of the peppers change depending on what type of pepper you use (based on color and species).  Onions are good sources of chromium, which helps to regulate cholesterol levels within the body.  Onions also have Vitamin C, for a healthy immune system.  Those beans are great for fiber and protein, both of which are valuable.  Tied all together, this can make one tasty snack.

Dried Fruit

Depending on your choices, the benefits of this snack vary.  Be sure to shop for fruit without sugar added, as the sweetened dried fruits are often high in fat.  Some dried fruits also have artificial flavors added, so try to avoid those.  As long as you go all-natural, this snack will be both tasty and beneficial.

Handful of Almonds

As stated above, almonds are a must-have for a healthy diet.  They’re especially necessary when the goal of a meal plan is to lower or maintain cholesterol levels.  Because they’re rich in manganese, they’re very beneficial for your heart health.  Almonds are also beneficial to bone and nerve health, as well.

Flavored, Roasted Soy Nuts

Soy nuts are a tasty way to receive the benefits of soy.  They are roasted soy beans, and their texture and taste are not too different from that of roasted peanuts.  Soy nuts come in a wide variety of flavors and go well in trail mixes and salads.  They are also a good snack on their own.  Soy is naturally rich in isoflavones.  Isoflavones have been proven to lower the risk of heart disease.  One thing to keep in mind with soy nuts, though, is that in excess they can be fattening.  In this case, too much of a good thing can be bad.

Nutrim Smoothie

Smoothies are a delicious way to bring the benefits of fruits into a busy lifestyle.  Adding Nutrim™ Oat Bran to a smoothie gives it that extra heart health boost.  Adding one scoop of Nutrim™ to natural unsweetened apple juice, a whole frozen banana, and 3 frozen strawberries is a delicious treat.  You won’t notice is the Nutrim™ taste, but you’ll receive all the advantages of heart healthy oat bran and a blend of fruit.

Flax Crackers

Flaxseed have a mild, nutty flavor that goes well with just about anything.  Creating crackers from these seeds is a great idea, since they’re so tasty and beneficial.  Flax products are potent in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are a must-have for lowering cholesterol.  They’re also rich in manganese and dietary fiber, which are both must-haves for a heart healthy meal plan.  Flax crackers can be served with just about any type of topping, and come in several different variations.  Salty, sweet, spicy, and tangy versions are all on the market.  If you want to be creative, try making your own.

Zonya’s Breakfast in a Cookie.  http://www.zonya.com/pdf/recipes/Breakfast_in_a_Cookie.pdf

These satisfying little creations are a must.  Each cookie is crammed with the hearty benefits of oats, oranges, flaxseed, whole wheat, canola oil, raisins, and nuts.  Zonya’s Breakfast in a Cookie is a delicious way to incorporate fruit, grains, nuts, seeds, and beneficial oils into one power-packed snack.  Even with the addition of eggs and sugar, this cookie can be a valuable and tasty tool for lowering your cholesterol.

Is it possible to lower cholesterol?  A research study printed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritions says a emphatic “YES”.  A low saturated fat diet was combined with either a statin medication or a specialized diet.  The result of cholesterol drop for the specialized diet (29.6%) was comparable to the drop using the statin drug (33.3%).  This can give a lot of people hope.

The Main Idea

This diet is called the Portfolio Diet.  It’s made up of cholesterol-lowering foods such as soluble fiber (like beta glucan found in oats), plant sterols, soy foods, almonds, okra, and eggplant.  The diet was considered to be highly successful at lowering cholesterol which gives everyone hope for lowering their cholesterol through diet.

Have a “Stick To It” Attitude

One criticism of the diet is that some doctors say it’s difficult to follow the diet.  Since the diet was only followed for a month I think it is well within reach.  The main point I took away from the study was that it seems to be very possible to get significant drops in cholesterol through diet change alone.  One just has to stick with it.

To help people on the road to lower cholesterol naturally the goverment has created the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet.  This diet is designed to help the typical American drop their cholesterol naturally.  The government suggests that doctors first recommend the TLC diet, for those who do not have heart disease, to help their patients lower their cholesterol before trying medication.  This is a great approach for people who would like to avoid medication.  Success rates are good, especially if the diet is started early.

Get to Know the TLC Diet

Below are some of the components of the TLC diet:

• Reduced intakes of saturated fats, 7% of total calories
• cholesterol, 200mg/d
• Theraputic options -increased viscous(soluble) fiber; plant sterols and stanol
• Weight Reduction
• Increased Physical Activity

It Really Works!

Diet has been refered to as the “cornerstone” in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.  It is important to take heart and cardiovascular disease seriously and heed the diet recommendations of our doctors and government agencies.  In this case, implementing a good diet may not only help us avoid medications that can carry side effects, but you are likely to experience positive side effects by eating better and getting more exercise.  It’s a win-win situation.

One pill that does it all.  Isn’t that what most Americans are looking for?  How about a powder that does a lot?  One research study showed that Nutrim powder might be as good as it gets without any crazy side effects. 

The Plan

The study was carried out in 38 middle aged, overweight males with high cholesterol and normal blood pressure.  The men were split into two groups which ate two diffent diets for 8 weeks.  The first group followed the American Heart Association (AHA) step II diet with low amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol and exercise.  The second group was given this diet with the addition of Nutrim oat bran. 

Nutrim and Cholesterol

The Nutrim group increased their HDL on average 10 points(27.8%), lowered their LDL 47(27.3%), and lowered their total cholesterol about 48 points.  The other group also saw improvements in LDL and total cholesterol, but the decrease was not as great as with Nutrim.  The other group did not see an increase in their HDL like the Nutrim group did.

Nutrim and Glucose

Fasting glucose also dropped 6 points in the Nutrim group where there was a slight increase in fasting glucose in the other group.   Both groups had significant weight loss, but the Nutrim lost more weight (13lbs compared to 8lbs in the other group.)

Tolerance of Nutrim

Even though the Nutrim was in a higher dose than normal it was well tolerated.  This study utilized Nutrim in bread, which had significantly better flavor and texture compared to the wheat bread in the other group as rated by the participants.