Beyond Bread - The Essential High Fiber Diet
by Stephanie Shank, aka "Fiberlady"
A high fiber diet contains foods that have a lot of fiber. Can it get any
more basic than that? How about this one? Fiber has no calories.
Are you
getting the picture?
Fiberlady knows that changes can be hard at first, especially changes in
your diet. She also knows that when you follow a high fiber diet as part
of your daily routine, you may feel a wondrous change for the better.
There are no secrets...
Until there is more awareness, obesity will remain an unfortunate and
major health issue in today's society. If people would change their food
choices to include more high fiber foods and strictly limit the amount of
processed foods they consume, the statistics might be reversed. Of course,
sedentary lifestyles add to the problem and to the waistline.
It is a studied fact that most of your American neighbors only eat about
10-12 grams of fiber daily. It is believed by nutritional experts that
20-35 grams of dietary fiber is the effective minimum allowance. Eating
lots of fruits and vegetables, brown rice, oats, flaxseed, wholegrain
breads and cereals will up your fiber ante very nicely.
There are no surprises...
People who eat high fiber foods weigh less than those that are not on a
high fiber diet. High fiber foods keep you feeling fuller for a longer
period of time because they take longer to digest. You are much less
likely to overeat. When you eat
high fiber foods, they generally take more
time to actually chew. Have you ever tried to eat a crunchy, chunky apple
in a hurry?
Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the
number of calories you use each day. Foods high in fiber, especially fresh
fruits and veggies, are low in calories. Eating a variety of fibers, both
soluble and insoluble, will provide a healthy diet. Soluble fiber comes
from oats, fruits and legumes. Insoluble fiber comes from whole grains,
nuts and veggies.
Obviously, fiber cannot be the end-all for your dietary needs. Other
nutritional foods must be included in your weight loss plan. You should
always begin by adding fiber slowly to your diet or you will feel some
unwanted effects like gas and bloating. Drinking at least 8-8 ounce
glasses of water a day is important. Fiber acts like a sponge and without
enough water... well, you can imagine the discomfort.
The wise ones with high-fiber diets not only lose weight, but are more
likely to eat less red meat, drink less alcohol, smoke less and stick with
some exercise routine. All of these healthy behaviors can reduce the risk
of developing heart disease, some forms of
cancer, stroke and
diabetes.
Eating fiber-rich foods is great way to lose weight and live a healthy
lifestyle. Fiberlady suggests making little changes everyday. If you can
change your eating habits, you can change your life.
Feel free
to use this article if you use the following tag:
Stephanie Shank aka "Fiberlady" has studied nutrition for many healthy years
which prompted her commitment to a high fiber lifestyle and the
development of her informative website
High Fiber Health.
© 2006: High Fiber Health, Inc. | High Fiber Foods | Foods High in Fiber
