Fiber Is Not Just For Seniors

I recently read an article about the advantages of fiber.  I almost didn't read it because my preconceived notion about fiber is that only seniors need to eat foods with fiber to help keep them "regular".

I was wrong.

The article in Ask the Doctor* on June 8 explains how fiber impacts health throughout your body at any age.  Foods that are high in fiber help regulate blood sugar levels,  reduce inflammation, lower rates of heart disease and cancer, and promote a full feeling after a meal.

The article indicates that the fiber we consume feeds billions of microorganisms that are in our bodies.  This environment is known a gut microbiome.  Ask the Doctors

In recent years there has been extensive research to obtain knowledge of the microbiome species and functions.  Scientific studies suggest that our gut which has over 100 trillion microbial cells can influence physiology, metabolism, nutrition and immune function. Disruption to the gut has been linked with gastrointestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and obesity. NCBI, Medical News Today

I already knew that gut microbiome health is important due to the emphasis on including probiotics in your diet.  Probiotics are in yogurt, sauerkraut and supplements.  But I was not aware that fiber also impacted gut health.

They are both important.  Probiotics provide live bacteria for your gut.  Fiber or prebiotics provide food for the bacteria.  Probiotics vs Prebiotics

Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 - 30 grams per day.  Most people consume less than half of that recommendation.   USCF Health

If you eat oats, fruit, nuts and beans it is easy to meet the daily target.  For example to consume 26.5 grams of fiber in one day your diet could include the following:

Breakfast:  1 cup of oatmeal - 4 grams fiber and 1/2 cup raspberries - 4 grams
Lunch:  Salad with 2 oz almonds - 7 grams
Snack:  1 Apple - 4 grams
Dinner:  1/2 cup black beans (with tacos) - 7.5 grams

See this link for other high fiber foods:  U.S. Dietary Guidelines (page 114)

Chia seeds are an easy way to add fiber to your diet if you cannot meet the daily fiber requirements with your typical diet.

Chia seeds are from a small green plant.  (Remember the chia pet in the terra-cotta vase?)

Chia seeds can be sprinkled on cereal, yogurt, oatmeal or smoothies.  The can added to baked goods like bread and muffins.

A 1-ounce serving of chia seeds contains 11.2 grams of fiber.  Chia seeds also have other health benefits.  They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and they provide iron and calcium.  Benefits of Chia Seeds

I baked Lemon Chia Seed Muffins and they were excellent!  In addition to chia seeds the recipe includes yogurt which resulted in soft and moist muffins.  Highly recommended.  Lemon Chia Seed Muffin Recipe

I also made Overnight Blueberry Chia Seed Pudding for breakfast.  I thought that the chia seeds would thicken the milk and yogurt mixture but they they did not.  The "pudding" was watery and the chia seeds were still hard.  Not recommended.

Another way to use chia seeds is to make Lemon Energy Bites (recipe in June 27, 2018 post).

*Ask the Doctor* by Dr. Eve Glazier,  Dr. Elizabeth Ko and Dr. Robert Ashley M.D.  (6/8/2018)

It Is a Good Day For a Bike Ride

August is hot!  It is sunny and humid.   It is too hot for running or hiking.  I don't even want to go to the beach when the sun is so strong.

Biking is the perfect activity for August.

There is always a breeze when I am cruising along on my bike.  (And I don't even go very fast.)

I have been biking a lot the last couple of weeks and I was surprised to notice physical benefits:

• strong thighs 
• toned glutes 
• strengthened stomach muscles

Cycling is also a good way to control weight because it raises your metabolic rate and burns body fat.  Regular cycling simulates and improve your heart, lungs and circulation which reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases.  Also research has shown that cycling can reduce chance of the bowel and breast cancer.   Better Health, CalorieBee

I did notice that when I first started biking this summer my glutes and back would hurt and my legs would tire quickly.  I solved that problem by only going on short bike rides.  As the summer progressed and my body got used to my bike I could go farther.

The more I have used my bike the more gadgets I have added.  Usually I use a small backpack to carry my cell phone and water bottle.  But I was concerned about water spilling on my cell phone so I bought a water bottle holder.  Now I can bring water without worrying about spilling.

I also wanted something to carry bigger things like a beach chair.  So I installed a bike rack.

Recently a friend gave me a mirror so that I can see behind if a car is coming.  It works great, now I don't have to turn my entire body to the left to see if I can cross the street.

You should get out your bike and go for ride when it is too hot to go for a walk.  It is fun and good for you!

The Best Diet for You

Everyone I know has been on some type of diet.

Diets are important to evaluate what you are eating and to make improvements.  Before starting a diet emotional reasons for eating must be identified and stopped or a diet will not work.

Food should not be used to reward, comfort or punish yourself.  

I usually spend a week breaking myself of emotional eating habits before starting a diet.  It is hard for me to restrict / control what I eat when I am eating for emotional reasons.  For example, after I run a little farther than normal I tell myself I "earned" two cookies instead of one.  Also, when I am sad or upset I find myself eating without control to make myself feel better.

Over the years there has been a lot of interest in specific diets.  Recently it seems like Keto Diet and Whole30 are very popular.  I investigated these two diets to find out why they are so popular.

Keto Diet 
The Keto Diet is based on weight loss through fat-burning.  By reducing carbohydrates and filling up on fats the body enters the state of ketosis.  That's when the body breaks down both dietary and stored body fat.

Whole30  
Whole30 is a 30-day diet that emphasizes whole foods.  Sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy and dairy are eliminated from the diet.

U.S. News, with input from a panel of health experts evaluated and ranked 40 diets.  The diets included Atkins, Weight Watchers, Keto Diet, HMR, Whole30 and many others.  Best Diets US News






The ratings were developed based on the diet being:

• easy to follow
• nutritious
• safe
• effective for weight loss
• protective against diabetes and heart disease 

I was really surprised that neither Keto Diet nor Whole30 were one of the top 10.

The Keto Diet was ranked 39 out 40 because experts were concerned with a diet that combines unusually high fat plus really low carbohydrates.  There is even more concern for people with liver or kidney conditions.

Even though this diet was not ranked very high I noticed that Amazon sells many Keto Diet products: Keto ketone supplements, Keto Diet plans and Keto Diet cookbooks.  Green Chef will even deliver food based on a Keto Diet.  Green Chef Keto Diet food delivery

Whole30 was ranked 37 out of 40 because there have not been any studies that specifically look into the health impacts.  Dietitians agree with the emphasis on proteins, vegetable and unprocessed foods and the avoidance of sugars and alcohol, but they view the diet as too extreme.

Amazon also offers cookbooks and diet plans for Whole30.  Whole30 marinades and salad dressings are available for purchase.

Are these diets prevalent in social media because of advertising?

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) tied with the Mediterranean diet for the highest ranked diets in the U.S. News Report.

Both diets are based on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.  Both diets also promote a long term change in eating style, rather than a fad or short term regime.

The DASH diet provides the number of servings of each type of food per day based on the number of calories that are desired.  I tried it for a while and it was easy to follow.  I ate a lot of fruits and vegetables but it was hard for me to restrict sweets...   

Each person has a different body, lifestyle and food preferences.  The best diet for you is whatever works.  Keto diet and Whole30 are extreme diets that could be a good way to monitor and control your diet to kick start a weight loss program.  The DASH and Mediterranean diets are an effective way to make long term diet changes.

NOTE:  

Be aware of Willpower during a diet.
The brain runs on glucose which is the blood sugar our bodies create from food.  When you are short on food, you're low on glucose - so you literally have less willpower when you are hungry the you do when you're full.  Small snacks the are part of your diet are very effective and will help with this.*

*Zinczenko, David, Goulding, Matt, Eat This Not That. Rodale Inc., 2012, pp. 218.

Off the Wagon

Well I fell off the wagon.

I am not proud to admit it but I started drinking Diet Coke again.  Just 1/2 of a can when I get up in the morning.

Before last week I did not drink diet coke or have any caffeinated drinks for more than three years. I felt great.  And best of all, I was still able to get up and function in the morning.  See May, 2018 blog "Caffeine Free Life".

I have the willpower to resist drinking Diet Coke but I consciously made the decision to drink it again.  I missed the benefits of caffeine.  For me it makes me happy.  I feel more energetic, my run seems easier and my allergy headaches are reduced.

I was curious to see if these benefits are all in my mind or if there is some scientific basis to the impact caffeine has on me.  I did some research and this is what I found:

Does caffeine effect my mind?
According to several sources there are many effects of caffeine on the brain, including psychological effects.  Caffeine works by blocking the neurotransmitter adenosine's receptors, increasing excitability in the brain.  Caffeine can affect mood and the feeling of well-being.   It is a stimulant drug often used to improve mental processing. 
Medical News Today
Caffeine and Your Mood
Fox News

Does caffeine effect my body?
Caffeine is one of the most common performance enhancing drugs used in sports.  A runner who is able to complete a 10K race in 40 minutes without caffeine could shave off 72 seconds with caffeine.  And a cyclist competing in a one-hour tie trial could drop a minute and a half.
A recent review of studies found that caffeine may improve heart function.  And it can help some medicines work faster.
The Atlantic
Business Insider

Does caffeine help my headache?
Sinus headaches are caused by inflammation in the sinus cavity from the common cold, environmental factors or allergies. The irritated sinus cavity swells due to increased blood flow to the sinus cavity.  Caffeine can aid in relief because it restricts blood flow and causes blood vessels to narrow.  Using 130 mg of caffeine combined with an over-the-counter pain reliever increases the pain reliever's effectiveness around 40 percent, according to the National Headache Foundation.
LiveStrong
National Headache Foundation  
WebMD

I have noticed that if I drink a whole can of diet coke sometimes I get irritable, stressed and can't sleep at night.  I am Hypersensitive to caffeine and my limit is 1/2 of a can.

Normal sensitivity is when someone drinks 2 - 3 cups of coffee per day to improve wakefulness, alertness and productivity and is able to sleep at night.

Some people are Hyposensitive which means consuming a lot of caffeine (more than 3 cups of coffee) has no effect on the person.   Caffeine Sensitivity

If you drink caffeinated beverages make sure you understand your sensitivity and decide whether or not it is beneficial for you.

It's a Beautiful Day For A Walk

We've all heard that walking is good for you.  It lowers blood pressure, is often included in weight loss programs, and tones glutes and legs.

Although I enjoy activities such as running, swimming and biking I have noticed that walking provides additional benefits.  Walking strengthens my core and stretches out my muscles.

I am surprised that there are so many other benefits from walking that I wasn't aware of:

1.  Prevents cancer
2.  Controls diabetes
3.  Improves memory
4.  Improves mood
5.  Encourages creativity
6.  Helps with low back pain
7. Eases joint pain
8. Tames a sweet tooth
9.Boosts the immune system
10.  Fast walking burns more calories than running. A person walking at 6 mph (10 minutes per mile)  burns more calories than runners moving at 7 mph (8.5 minutes per mile)*.

During the summer months the weather is awesome in the midwest!  Now is the time to go for a walk.

There are benefits to walking at different times of the day.  It depends on your personal preference and daily schedule:

• Walking at dawn is a great way to start the day.  The streets are empty, the birds are just starting to sing, and the sunrise is beautiful.

• It is fun to walk during the day to enjoy the bustle and activity of other pedestrians.  There are typically lots of people to watch and greet.  

• An evening walk is relaxing.  The sunset is peaceful and it feels good to stretch out stiff muscles from the day's activities.  

August is a great time to walk!  Take advantage of the nice weather and long days.

*Editors from Runner's World magazine, Everyday Health Tips for Runners, Rodale Press Inc., 1990, pp. 46.