Dan Dailey asked:


Despite the hype that too often accompanies the praise, fiber is a very healthy addition to a good diet. It’s no miracle cure, but a substantial amount of insoluble fiber does help move material through the colon faster. It has a cleansing effect on the digestive system. By improving the solidity and bulk of solid waste it also helps to keep those who are aging more regular, less constipated. The result, supported by many studies, is (among other benefits) a reduction in the odds of colon cancer.

Insoluble fiber, so-called because it doesn’t dissolve readily in water, can be found in nuts, wheat bran, whole grains and many vegetables. But there’s another kind called, not surprisingly, soluble fiber. As the name suggests it does dissolve readily in water. It, too, has benefits.

Soluble fiber is found in citrus fruit like oranges and lemons, apples, beans, oats and barley grain. Among its other virtues, studies strongly suggest that some soluble fibers (beta glucan) can help reduce cholesterol.

But, as with every other aspect of diet, it’s best to have everything in the proper proportion. What is that, in the case of fiber? The recommended consumption for the average adult over 50 years of age is 21g for women and 30g for men. For those under 50 the amounts are 25g for women, 38g for men.

Of course, that’s only an average (for men about 170lbs, women around 120lbs). You’ll want to consult tables to find out the needed amounts for your weight. There are those rare individuals who are sensitive to certain foods and they will need to seek out sources of fiber that suit their particular circumstances.

But, as a rough starting point, there are several common foods that will be right for most.

A cup of raisin bran cereal has 7g of fiber, and is usually manufactured with helpful vitamins as well. A cup of oatmeal is a good source, even though it only contains 4g. A half-cup of cooked black beans contains about 7.5g. A half-cup of tomato paste has nearly 6g, while a half-cup of cooked Lima beans has nearly 7g.

Bran muffins have been touted as a good source of fiber, and that’s true, they are. But many also are high in fat and sugar, so exercise moderation and seek out a low-fat type. A couple dozen peanuts can also be a good source of fiber, but here again they are high in fat. Control the urge to get large amounts of fiber from them. You don’t want to pile on the calories when getting needed nutrients.

Many fruits are a good source of fiber, including raspberries (1/2 cup contains 5.5g), blackberries (1/2 cup has 3.8g) and apples (3.3g per apple). Even pumpkin is a good source (3.5g in 1/2 cup), but this too can be a source high in fat and sugar, if it’s in the form of pumpkin pie.

A slice of bread has 2g, so the average sandwich will supply 4g. But be sure to get whole grain bread, not the ultra-processed white.

Put both soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet and be good to yourself.



John

theknuts6 asked:

Health Journey Update 9-23-08 - raw food, green smoothie, health, vegan, fitness, healing, God, skin, weightloss, diet

Ellen

Dan Dailey asked:


odern medicine has given us a number of miracles in a bottle. We have pills for arthritis, pills for heartburn, pills for heart trouble. We have pills that will help us wake up in the morning, pills that will help us digest our afternoon meal, and pills that will enable us to sleep at night. We live in a pill-popping society.

Because of the number of medications available, we often turn to pills to cure what ails us-no matter what our trouble might be.

Whether it’s physical or emotional, we may believe that medication will take care of the problem. As a result, it’s not surprising that a number of us also turn to diet pills in an effort to control our weight.

There are a number of advantages to using diet pills when trying to fight fat. To begin with, diet pills are quick-acting-we may see results after only a little bit of time has elapsed.

As a result, we may gain confidence and lose even more weight as a result of our success with diet pills. Other people-friends, relatives, co-workers-may notice our weight loss and may compliment us as a result.

Consequently, we may be motivated to work even harder at our weight loss.

Diet pills are also convenient. We can keep them in our medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard.

We can take a pill in the morning and not have to worry about our weight for the rest of the day.

We don’t have to do a great deal of research, as is required when we are trying to determine which diet to try. In addition, taking a diet pill is hardly as strenuous as running five miles or swimming ten laps.

Moreover, diet pills can help us to shift some of the responsibility for losing weight to another entity. No longer is it simply up to us to control our weight.

We look to the pill to resolve our weight problem, once and for all. This can help to lower our anxiety, reducing our stress level.

But there are also serious disadvantages to using diet pills. For instance, there is the possibility that we will become addicted to the medication.

This can take a toll on not only our physical health, but our emotional health as well. We may become too dependent on the pills, expecting them to solve our weight problems.

Diet pills also teach us nothing about good nutrition. You do not have to learn about proper diet if you are depending on a pill to take your excess weight away.

As a result, an individual may never discover the importance of healthy eating, and his or her overall health could suffer as a result.

In addition, there is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to weight loss. While you might lose weight for a time after taking diet pills, you could quickly regain the weight, once you go off the pills.

As a result, diet pills fail to provide a life-long approach to healthy weight maintenance.

Given the pros and cons of diet pills, you might be wondering whether they would be right for you. Check with your family physician.

He or she is in the best position to assess your overall health and determine whether diet pills would be appropriate in your particular case.

Secondly, consider consulting with a nutritionist. He or she can help advise you about whether to take diet pills.

Diet pills are a huge industry within the U.S. So, there is a great deal of marketing, urging you to purchase these so-called wonder drugs.

But, before you buy, you have to seriously consider whether these pills could jeopardize your health. While it may be important for you to lose weight, it is even more important for you to shield your body from harm.

Weight loss is not miraculous. It takes a great deal of dedication and perseverance. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will find the secret to weight loss in a bottle. By changing your diet and exercising, you might notice only incremental changes in your weight.

However, over the long term, you might be better able to maintain healthy weight loss by sticking with the tried-and-true formula of diet and exercise.



Rodney

GabrielMethod asked:

Jon Gabriel shares his amazing success with The Gabriel Method.

Alice