Why and How to Increase Your Fiber Intake for Weight Loss and Good Health

ByDr. PJ Prakash

Fiber is composed of a variety of dietary materials that are either soluble or insoluble in boiling water. Fiber is neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine, but is fermented by bacteria in the colon. It is essential for normal bowel function. Adequate fiber prevents constipation, diverticular disease of the colon, and hemorrhoids. Consumption of diets adequate in fiber may prevent a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, gallstones, coronary artery disease, or colon cancer.

There are two main types of dietary fibers:

1. Soluble - readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts. Soluble fiber absorbs water to become a gelatinous, viscous substance and is fermented by bacteria in the digestive tract.

2. Insoluble - metabolically inert, absorbing water as it moves through the digestive system, easing defecation. Insoluble fiber has bulking action and is not fermented.

How much Fiber do I need?

Current recommendations from the United States National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, suggest that adults should consume 20-35 grams per day, but the average American's daily intake is only 12-18 grams.

High Fiber Foods

Foods that are rich in dietary fiber include whole grains (particularly the bran portions), legumes, and some fruits and vegetables. Most foods contain mixtures of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Examples of foods rich in insoluble fiber are wheat bran, nuts and barley. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, melons, and dried fruits. Beans are good sources of both types.

Low Fiber Foods

Processed meats, burgers, fries, donuts, hot dogs, sausage, and cold cuts are low in fiber content and high in fat. A diet high in fat and low in fiber tends to increase body weight, internal fat, and hamper body's ability to eliminate fats and toxins. Such diet also results in gastric problems, such as constipation.

Fiber and Weight Loss

Dietary fiber has a tendency of binding fat coming from the food, more like a fat sponge. Since most of the fiber from the foods is not absorbed, the fiber along with its bound fat is eliminated from the body. This process helps to lower blood fat and cholesterol levels. A good amount of fiber intake also control hunger by giving a feeling of fullness, and thereby reducing extra food intake. Dietary fiber as such is important for good health, it is particularly important for people trying to lose weight naturally. However, it is important to drink adequate amount of water when increasing your dietary fiber intake to avoid constipation. An appropriate amount of these two normalizes bowel movements.

Dr. PJ Prakash holds a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Rhode Island (U.S.A.). He previously worked as a Nutrition Researcher at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston where he published several research papers in prestigious nutrition journals. Currently, he is a nutrition consultant and personal weight loss coach and also a freelance writer in the field of human nutrition. You may obtain a "FREE 10-Step Weight Loss eCourse" on his website http://www.MyNutritionRegimen.com

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Email Address:SubscribeWeight Loss Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesFiber in Weight LossWeight Loss - 8 Ways to Lose Your WeightWeight Loss - How Do I Achieve It?The High Fiber Food Path to Lower WeightEat Fiber For Weight Loss and ManagementWeight Loss Fiber Foods May Save a Life - YoursFiber and Its Importance to Weight Loss3 Tips on How to Lose Weight For Your Best Friend's WeddingMore Fiber in Your Diet Can Help Weight LossChoosing The Right Weight Loss Program For YouRecent Articles3 RIDICULOUSLY Easy Weight Loss Tips That Can Have You Losing Weight Every Single Day!How To Stay Motivated For Weight Loss: Don't Stop, Look or ListenHow To Reach Your Weight Goals: 7 Tips That Helped Me Write A Novel7 Days to Weight-Loss and a Healthier LifestyleRevealed - Four Secrets That You Didn't Know About The Truth About AbsRevealed - How To Use The Truth About Abs Program to Lose Post Christmas Belly Fat FastTop 7 Diet Mistakes that Healthy Eaters Make that Increase Belly FatHow to Tackle Your Baby Weight - Exercise Advice for New MumsI Need Help Losing Weight - There's No Magic PillWhat Diet Is Best for Me?Submitted On January 31, 2012. Viewed 11 times. Word count: 425.

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Your Stomach and Your Health

ByGregg Ghelfi

Beer belly and pot belly are names given to abdominal fat or central obesity. It is more common in men but women are not immune to accumulating fat in their stomachs. Aside from making clothes shopping more difficult, a distended stomach may be a sign of looming health issues such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease. It is also one of the factors in Metabolic Syndrome which are a grouping of health issues that also include high blood pressure, elevated levels of fat in the blood and insulin resistance.

Most people think of fat as fat. A quick look at one's Body Mass Index or body fat percentage is all that is needed to know about someone's fat accumulation and potential health issues. For a fortunate few, this is simply not true. As many as thirty to forty percent of obese people may not have obesity related health issues.(1) These individuals appear to have less visceral fat and more subcutaneous.

Subcutaneous is the fat you see. It is under the skin and it often accumulates in the hips and upper legs and arms. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the organs such as the stomach, intestines, liver and heart. It is normally associated with a protruding stomach but your gut is a combination of subcutaneous and visceral fat.

Why is visceral fat bad?

Both subcutaneous and visceral fat are linked to health issues but visceral fat appears to be more harmful. Visceral fat surrounds the organs protecting them from harm. It is a necessary and beneficial tissue. Problems develop when we get too much of it. Excess visceral fat leads a number of health issues.

Excess visceral fat goes to the liver for the production of glucose, triglycerides and harmful cholesterol in the form of very low density lipoprotein. (2)
Adipose cells, cells that house the fat, will expand until they explode causing inflammation and allowing fat cells to seep into the veins where they contribute to cardiovascular issues.
Visceral fat tissue may secrete pro-inflammatory cells that, along with free fatty acids, affects insulin resistance which may lead to type II diabetes.
Finally, visceral fat tissue may secrete hormones that increase hunger and stimulate excess fat to leave adipose tissue and roam the blood vessels where they contribute to atherosclerosis. (3)

Measuring up: should I be concerned?

If you are overweight, you should be concerned. The healthcare costs of obese people are estimated to be forty percent higher than those who are normal weight. (4) However, if you carry your weight around your stomach, the risks health issues are even greater.

So how do you know if you are in the higher risk category? You have three simple tests that you can do at home.

Look in the mirror. Are you pear shaped or apple shaped? Pear shaped is where excess fat is carried around the hips and buttocks. Apple shaped is where excess fat is carried in the stomach. If you would describe yourself as apple shaped, you may be at risk.
Measure your waist circumference just above your belly button.
A waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women is considered excessive.
Measure your hip circumference at the widest part of your buttocks and calculate your waist to hip ratio. A waist to hip ratio is the waist circumference divided by the hip circumference.
For women, a ratio greater than.85 is considered a high health risk. For men, a ratio greater than 1.0 is considered a high health risk.

What can I do about it?

So you carry your weight in your stomach. Now what? While you should not panic, you should be concerned. You could be among the fortunate who are overweight but not pre-disposed to weight related health issues. But you shouldn't count on it. Below are four simple things you can do.

See your doctor. If you have excess stomach fat you may already have health related issues. A check up and blood test may reveal them.
Get moving. Exercise will reduce weight and fat. You don't need to run a marathon or hike Everest. Adding just thirty minutes of exercise a day will produce benefits.
Lose weight. A 10% reduction in weight can significantly decrease fat and lead to health benefits.
Eat whole grains instead of refined grains. In a recent study, visceral fat was about ten percent lower in individuals who ate approximately 3 or more servings of whole grains. The benefits diminished if the person ate more than 4 servings of refined grains. (4)

References

Marie-Soleil Gauthier and Neil B. Ruderman, Adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance: all are not created equal, Biochem J. (2010)430, e1-e4
Yishai Levy MD, It's not only the Overweight: It's the Visceral Fat, IMAJ Vol 12, April 2010
WF Ferris and NJ Crowther, Once Fat was fat and that was that: our changing perspectives on adipose tissue, Cardiovascular Journal of Africa, Vol 22, No 3, May/June 2011
Nicola M. McKeown, Lisa M Troy, et al., Whole and refined grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: The Framingham Heart Study, AM J Clin Nutr 2010;92:1165-1171

Gregg Ghelfi is founder and contributor to http://fitinthemiddle.com. Fit in the Middle is dedicated to providing information and resources on nutrition, fitness and weight loss. We invite you to read our blog at http://fitinthemiddle.com/blog/ and comment on the various articles. We also welcome you to submit guest blogs to info@fitinthemiddle.com.

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Email Address:SubscribeWeight Loss Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchRecent ArticlesShould I Weigh Myself? Three Tips For SuccessHow To Lose Weight Fast - Why Should You Exercise Less But With More IntensityDon't Diet, Change Your LifestyleHow to Get Rid of Muffin Top FatThe GERD Diet: Food and LifestyleWhat If You Can't Lose Weight? Try The FollowingSimple Steps to Get Rid of Your Excessive-Weight ProblemsSimple Ways to Transform the Belly Bulge Into Fine AbsCost Of Vegan Diet - May Be Worth It No Matter What The CostWhy You Can't Lose Weight: Is It "A Perfect Storm" or "The Diet Matrix"?Submitted On January 27, 2012. Viewed 10 times. Word count: 869.

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Foods High in Vitamin D – What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin D?

By Rob Poulos...

There are so many reasons to make sure your diet is providing you with enough vitamins and nutrients, including strong bones and a healthy immune system. Different vitamins and minerals provide different health benefits, which is why it’s so important to have a well balanced diet that provides you with all essential nutrients.

If you have weak bones or irregular blood sugar then your diet is probably not providing you with enough vitamin D. Rather than vitamins you should add more foods high in vitamin D to your diet.

Keep reading to find out the health benefits of vitamin D.

Why Do You Need Vitamin D?

There are 2 main types of vitamin D; one is synthesized by humans and the other by plants. Ergocalciferol is the D vitamin that is synthesized by plants and is frequently referred to as vitamin D2, while cholecalciferol is synthesized by hums through the skin; this is often called vitamin D3. Foods high in vitamin D can contain either vitamin D2 or D3.

You need vitamin D because of the health benefits of vitamin B include maintaining and forming strong bones. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium into the bones to keep them strong and avoid bone diseases like osteoporosis and cancer.

Recent research also suggests that the health benefits of vitamin D include immune regulation that significantly reduces risk of autoimmune diseases in addition to other health conditions like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. If you struggle with blood pressure or risks of heart disease, foods high in vitamin D can help greatly reduce your risk.

[Vitamin D gives you strong bones & muscles.]

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

If you don’t get enough exposure to the sun or you don’t eat foods high in vitamin D there’s a good chance you could be vitamin D deficient. If you think you might have a vitamin D deficiency, consult your doctor so you can get tested.

If you experience pain in your bones, or if you have frequent bone fractures and breaks you might be vitamin D deficient. Softening of the bones can also be a symptom that your diet does not contain enough foods high in vitamin D since bone strength is a major health benefit of vitamin D.

Prolonged or frequent bouts of sickness may be a sign that your immune system is compromised, which can also be a symptom of vitamin d deficiency. If you experience any of these, consult your doctor to see if you need more foods high in vitamin D.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Require?

In order to avoid a vitamin D deficiency and to experience the health benefits of vitamin D you will need to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D in your diet. To determine this you will have to look at food labels to determine how much vitamin D certain foods contain.

According to the Institutes of Medicine, males age 14 to 70 years of age should consume 15 micrograms of vitamin D each day. Men over the age of 70 require a slightly higher vitamin D intake—20mcg—to combat age related bone softening. Females age 14 to 70 should also receive at least 15mcg of vitamin D each day, even pregnant and lactating females. Elderly females over 70 years old should get at least 20mcg each day.

Foods High In Vitamin D

There are very few foods found in nature, that is fruits and vegetables, that have significant amounts of vitamin D in them. Many foods high in vitamin D have been fortified during processing or added because of increased light exposure during industrial farming.

Fish

Different types of fish are the foods highest in vitamin D, providing you with a significant doze of vitamin D. Salmon is your best source of vitamin D with more than 100% of you recommended daily allowance per serving. Mackerel and canned tuna are also foods high in vitamin D that can help you reap the benefits of vitamin D on a regular basis. Sardines aren’t a mega provider of vitamin D, but when combined with other foods high in vitamin D they can help you get all the health benefits.

Dairy

Dairy foods high in vitamin D have often been fortified to enhance the amount of vitamin D in these foods. Milk and yogurt fortified with vitamin D are your best dairy foods high in vitamin D, providing you with more than a quarter of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin D. Eggs, cheese and margarine have less vitamin D than milk and yogurt, but they are still significant sources of vitamin D.

Fruit & Vegetable Sources

Mushrooms grown under lights provide a significant source of vitamin D, more than 30% of your recommended daily value, because they have been synthesized by sunlight. Shitake mushrooms in particular, but wild grown mushrooms also provide enough vitamin D so that you feel the benefits of vitamin D.

Orange juice, particularly orange juice fortified with vitamin D can provide your diet with more than 30% of your recommended daily value of vitamin D per serving. Some types of orange juice may contain more or less vitamin D per serving, so be sure to check the labels if you need more foods high in vitamin D in your diet.

Keep your bones healthy and your immune system regulated by adding more foods high in vitamin D to your diet. A diet lacking vitamin D can lead to a vitamin D deficiency, along with all the health problems that can accompany a vitamin deficiency.

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