Would You Believe It’s All About Fiber?

Want a surprisingly simple, yet healthy tip which gets results? Great, you cannot overlook the simplicity and importance of fiber…

Fiber is a natural substance found in plants.

And fiber can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol…

Keep reading for facts about fiber you probably already know about, yet aren’t using daily.

Dear Friend,

Dietary fiber adds bulk to your stomach and because it is light, fiber makes you feel full faster.

And can help with weight control (we’ll talk about the benefits in a minute)…

Fiber aids digestion and helps avoid constipation.

Dietary fiber is the type of fiber you can eat which is found in fruits, vegetables and grains.

Dietary fiber or roughage is the indigestible portion of food derived from plants.

Fiber has two main components:

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and fermented in colon as gases and physiologically active byproducts.

Soluble fiber can be prebiotic and viscous…

The main benefits you’ll readily get from dietary fiber includes improvements in the cardiovascular and digestive system along with providing a high degree of satiety.

Unfortunately, in today’s world of fast foods and over eating of processed foods.

Fiber is often overlooked or just plain hard to come by so do any of these sound familiar:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Embarrassing gas
• Painful bloating
• Stomach cramps
• Painful bowel movements
• Hemorrhoids from pushing
• Excessively bad smelling stool
• Burning acid reflux
• Excessive visits to bathroom

Fiber may be able to safely eliminate your problems and keep them away.

And even if you’re not currently suffering from any of those issues, fiber can help keep your colon healthy and free of toxins.

Want a healthy digestive system?

Fiber’s primary role in the body is going to be to help promote a healthy digestive system.

Fiber does this by helping to keep intestines in proper working order and slows down the accumulation of cholesterol along intestinal lining.

Do you really want to lower your bad cholesterol levels?

Another benefit to high fiber foods is they help decrease the level of LDL cholesterol.

You might be surprised at the scientific evidence with healthy effects achieved on reduced heart disease, diabetes and hypertension that’s seen in blood tests.

Fiber does this by binding with dietary cholesterol you eat and while it’s in the small intestine it’s doing it’s magic by removing it from your body.

Who knew a high fiber diet can actually be a very good defense against heart disease?

Fiber and weight loss for women…what is the connection?

Women which consume high fiber on a regular basis generally maintain a much lower weight than those who don’t.

The simple reason is these women typically eat fewer total calories as a result.

Eating fiber from various sources like seeds and nuts adds bulk to you digestive process.

You already know fiber takes a long time to be digested by your body, right?

And that means you’ll stay feeling fuller longer than if you would have done without fiber.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, total calorie intake determines weight gain or weight loss, so fiber is absolutely essential for weight loss.

Are you getting enough fiber?

It’s suggested, when it comes to being sure you’re getting enough fiber, see if you can add on average 14 grams per 1000 calories you eat…

Most women can tolerate between 1500 and 2000 calories, depending on your body weight and daily activity levels, so this translates to 21-28 grams of fiber total.

Tip: Increase your intake slowly…

There can be too much of a good thing, right?

Ddon’t go overboard with fiber because the results can move food through the intestines too quickly, which means fewer minerals get absorbed from foods you eat

Too much fiber can also produce in gas, bloating and cramping, especially when fiber intake is dramatically increased overnight…

Make sure if you have not been eating much fiber in your nutrition plan at all in the past few months, increase your daily intake slowly over time (spread it over 1-3 months). Why?

Because if you go from eating very little fiber a day to getting a very high dose, you most likely will suffer from extreme digestive upset and that doesn’t feel good at all.

Try and increase consumption over the period of a few weeks to ease into this process.

Soluble fiber is the type that plays the more predominant role in the lowering of bad cholesterol levels and is fully broken down the by the body.

It’s good to eat oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley and fruits.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand is not digested by the body, still it helps to slow down gastric emptying, causing a satisfying increased feeling of fullness as mentioned above.

This is what provides the biggest health benefit when it comes to weight control for you.

Good sources of this fiber include whole-wheat breads, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and apples.

So, be sure you do not overlook the importance of fiber in your nutrition plan.

The best high-fiber foods?

Tip: The amount of fiber in these foods can vary slightly between the raw and cooked versions.

Split Peas
Fiber: 16.3 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Spinach and Yellow Split Pea Soup

Staple in Indian cooking, split peas form a terrific, protein-rich base for soups, stews and dhals.

South Asian is the best kind of comfort food: healthy, satisfying and super filling.

Lentils
Fiber: 15.6 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Lentil Quinoa Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms

Lentils are kitchen all-stars, take less time to cook, are more versatile than other legumes.

This takes advantage of their slightly meatier taste and turns them into a juicy patty that’s held together with lemon juice, cilantro and walnuts.

Black Beans
Fiber: 15 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet potato pairs perfectly with smokiness of chipotle peppers, adds even more fiber to this hearty bean dish.

Loaded with complex carbs, protein, great cold-weather stew is perfect post-workout meal

Lima Beans
Fiber: 13.2 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Leek and Lima Bean Soup with Bacon

Lima beans might sound unappetizing, yet when cooked in bacon fat, paired with leeks, puréed into a soup and topped with sour cream, they’re pretty darn delicious.

Artichokes
Fiber: 10.3 grams per medium vegetable, cooked.
Suggest: Roasted Artichokes

Packing more fiber per serving than any other vegetable, artichokes are curiously underused in most kitchens (perhaps because they look a bit prickly).

Get creative and try this simple recipe with lime, garlic and black pepper.

Peas
Fiber: 8.8 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Scallops on Minted Pea Purée with Prosciutto

Puréeing veggies is a great way to squeeze extra nutrients into any meal.

This comes together lightning-fast, is filled with protein, omega-3s and plenty of fiber.

Broccoli
Fiber: 5.1 grams per cup, boiled.
Suggest: Broccoli Fritters

This is a family-friendly dish and is pretty simple.

To make the fritters, just combine onion, garlic, broccoli, eggs and almond meal.

Once they hit the table, you’ll be surprised how much broccoli gets finished in one sitting.

Brussels Sprouts
Fiber: 4.1 grams per cup, boiled.
Suggest: Hoisin Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Try this Asian twist on the old standard as this meal carries tones of ginger, sesame and peanut which really helps keep you coming back for seconds and maybe thirds.

Raspberries
Fiber: 8 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Raspberry, Coconut and Oat Macaroons

Raspberries aren’t a hard sell, they’re basically nature’s delightful candy.

Simply add coconut, oatmeal and vanilla for a healthy dessert that pleases any palate.

Blackberries
Fiber: 7.6 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Blackberry Lemon Salad

This salad successfully mixes sweet and savory and makes use of blackberries, lemon, scallions and dill to great effect.

Avocados
Fiber: 6.7 grams per half, raw.
Suggest: Chicken, Black Bean, Avocado and Radish Salad

Very few foods deserve the title of “super food” more than the humble avocado.

Jam-packed with vitamins, fiber and healthy fats.

Pile it on top of this low-carb, Mexican-inspired salad to add some creamy goodness.

Pears
Fiber: 5.5 grams per medium fruit, raw.
Suggest: Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears

Simple and inexpensive way to experiment with an unusual flavor combination.

Pork works well with sweeter flavors and high sugar content of pears makes them easy to caramelize.

Bran Flakes
Fiber: 7 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Vanilla, Honey, and Yogurt Smoothie with Bran Flakes

Short on time? Whip up a nutritious smoothie and take breakfast to go.

This shake is a healthy and delicious way to get plenty of fiber and a hefty amount of protein, all in one glass.

Whole-Wheat Pasta
Fiber: 6.3 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Avocado Pesto Pasta with Peas and Spinach

Use the right sauce, whole-wheat pasta is indistinguishable from its high G.I., white-flour cousin. Mix in avocado to add a wonderful creaminess to your pasta without using dairy.

Pearled barley
Fiber: 6 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Pearl Barley Risotto with Roasted Squash, Red Peppers and Rocket

Barley is a chewy, nutritious grain which contains more fiber than oatmeal and brown rice.

Barley can be used in soup, salad or tea, try tasty risotto with seasonal fall vegetables.

Oatmeal
Fiber: 4 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Use one tablespoon of maple syrup per serving for a guilt-free way to indulge in breakfast and great start to the morning.

Plus this is packed with fiber-friendly oats, carrots and coconut.

If you do get your fiber consumption levels in line, you will most definitely notice a change in how you feel and more than likely a change in how you look as well.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest.

When you eat carbohydrates, most of the carbs are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules.

And instead it passes through your body undigested, (fiber acts like a digestive tract broom, sweeping and moping up at the same time).

Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check.

Fiber along with adequate fluid intake moves quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract, so knowing what you know are you going to add more fiber to your diet?

Fiber

Why is nutrition important?

Eating the right foods with good nutrition is vital for good health and wellbeing…

Food provides energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals to live, grow and function properly.

We need a wide variety of different foods with high quality nutrition in order to provide the right amounts of nutrients to support normal levels of health and fat loss if that’s your goal.

Key hormones for fat Loss:

a. Insulin (nutrient transport) – stimulated by glucose (carbohydrates)
b. Ghrelin (hunger hormone) – regulated by healthy leptin levels
c. Testosterone (energy and labido) – stimulated by fat ingestion, quality rest and short duration exercise for more fat loss
d. Growth hormone (lean muscle growth) – stimulated by quality rest, healthy ghrelin levels
e. Leptin (fat burning) – stimulated by healthy levels of testosterone and insulin sensitivity (lower insulin levels)…

Can certain types of foods actually help you feel happy?

Can depression be offset when nutrition consists of healthy foods?

1. Nutrition is the science that interprets interaction of nutrients and other substances in food (e.g. phytonutrients, anthocyanins, tannins, etc.) in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism.

In fact, certain foods are not just good for you physically; certain types of foods also helps enhance and improve mental as well as emotional states…

There are many causes of depression and of course, if you feel that depression is a problem you should consult a licensed medical professional to get proper medical advice.

One of the, if not the most important considerations when planning a healthy lifestyle is nutrition.

If you think about it, food is basic fuel for your body’s livelihood and substance, health and well being greatly depends on what you eat.

Your physical state is highly affected by food, nutrition and what you eat, so it makes sense that your brain and emotional state is influenced as well.

The More Colorful The Plate – The Better the Mood

Remember – “The More Colorful the Plate, the Lower the Weight.” That statement and nutritional adage refers to getting rid of the burden of depression too.

While an unhealthy diet consisting of processed foods or sugar puts on weight, it apparently extends to how one feels or their emotional health.

You Are What You Eat

Evidently, you are what you eat and the more healthy the diet, the lower the incidences of mood swings or depressive episodes.

Studies and research show diets are not packed with certain vitamins or minerals not only accelerate ageing process, also cause shortages in mood-enhancing chemicals, such as serotonin.

The Key to Reducing Stress and Elevating Mood…

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter as well as a mood stabilizer and plays an important role in reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

The following short list of foods can help increase the amount of serotonin which is produced in the bloodstream…enhancing overall outlook and mood.

• One of the less-known types of serotonin-producing foods, fruits like pineapple, sour cherries, plums and bananas are all good foods to eat to improve one’s mood.

In addition, cherries contain melatonin, which is a natural sleep aid.

• Protein. Eating turkey, which contains tryptophan, increases the manufacture of
serotonin in the brain. In turn, the food promotes feelings that are more positive.

Other proteins aid in serotonin production include seafood, eggs, whey protein and beef.

Choose animal products that are not raised with hormones and grass fed or pasture raised products.

Another serotonin-boosting protein food is nuts.

Nuts boost the manufacture of selenium, which is found to be lacking in patients suffering from depression. Lean meats and legumes contain selenium too.

Because sugar-rich snacks can slow production of serotonin…

It is better to replace sugary or processed snacks with more natural foods and whole foods like nuts or fruits and lean protein.

• Carbohydrates help to boost the level of serotonin and reduces depression. Cooking and recipes like pasta, whole grain bread and white potatoes to the menu.

• Dairy products make people feel happier too. Try such dairy foods as cheese
and milk, each of which contain mood-boosting chemicals or produce an increase in serotonin.

Nutrients That Help Ward Off Depression

Beta Carotene is also helpful in relieving depression.

Some of the foods in this group include cantaloupe, carrots, broccoli, and apricots.

Vitamin C – rich foods are helpful in fighting depression too. These foods are made up of citrus  fruits, such as limes, oranges, and grapefruit.

Vitamin E – not only plays a role in immune system functioning but contributes to nerve health as well, ameliorating any episodes of depression.

Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and wheat germ are all foods which contain vitamin E.

Change the Way You Eat and Increase Your Level of Activity

Reducing depression via nutrition means healthy mix of complex carbohydrates combined with fruits and vegetables which helps alleviate mood swings and depression in general.

Make sure to avoid most pre-packaged, processed snacks like chips, packaged cookies, best to remove them from your shelves and focus more on eating fresh produce and fish.

Once you start eating healthier, you will feel like you can exercise more, which can further elevate mood and stave off depression…

In fact, when you take part in an exercise activity like walking, jogging or running, your body produces more of the mood-enhancing hormones called endorphins.

In fact, after a while, your mood will improve just by eating healthier and exercising more.

Research shows this kind of healthy approach helps your body to function at normal levels with less dependency to take on mood-enhancing drugs or anti-depressants.

Supports behavioral changes to make healthy eating and regular exercise a daily practice.

Resources: 1 Felsing, NANCY E., J. A. Brasel, and D. M. Cooper. “Effect of low and high intensity exercise on circulating growth hormone in men.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 75.1 (1992): 157-162.2 Tjønna, Arnt Erik, et al. “Aerobic Interval Training Versus Continuous Moderate Exercise as a Treatment for the Metabolic Syndrome A Pilot Study.” Circulation 118.4 (2008): 346-354.13 Davis, et. al. Concurrent training enhances athletes’ strength, muscle endurance, and other measures. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. September 2008;22(5):1487-1502.4 Scott, et al. Misconceptions about aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure.. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2005;2:32-37.5Boudou, P., et al. “Absence of exercise-induced variations in adiponectin levels despite decreased abdominal adiposity and improved insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic men.” European Journal of Endocrinology 149.5 (2003): 421-424.6 Schuenke, et al. Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: Implications for body mass management European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2002;86:411-417.7 Scott, et al. Misconceptions about aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure.. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2005;2:32-37.8Bogdanis, G. C., et al. “Short-term high-intensity interval exercise training attenuates oxidative stress responses and improves antioxidant status in healthy humans.” Food and Chemical Toxicology 61 (2013): 171-177.9Ottosson, Malin, et al. “Effects of Cortisol and Growth Hormone on Lipolysis in Human Adipose Tissue 1.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 85.2 (2000): 799-803.10 Pedersen, B. K., et al. “The metabolic role of IL-6 produced during exercise: is IL-6 an exercise factor?” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 63.02 (2004): 263-267.11 Ahtiainen, Juha P., et al. “Heavy resistance exercise training and skeletal muscle androgen receptor expression in younger and older men.” Steroids 76.1 (2011): 183-192.12Trapp, E. G., et al. “The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women.” International journal of obesity 32.4 (2008): 684-691.13Edwards, Andrew M., et al. “Self-pacing in interval training: A teleoanticipatory approach.” Psychophysiology 48.1 (2011): 136-141.
14 Winter, Bernward, et al. “High impact running improves learning.” Neurobiology of learning and memory 87.4 (2007): 597-609.
15 Wisløff, Ulrik, et al. “Superior cardiovascular effect of aerobic interval training versus moderate continuous training in heart failure patients a randomized study.” Circulation 115.24 (2007): 3086-3094.16 Heyn, Patricia, Beatriz C. Abreu, and Kenneth J. Ottenbacher. “The effects of exercise training on elderly persons with cognitive impairment and dementia: a meta-analysis.” Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation 85.10 (2004): 1694-1704.17 Chwalbinska-Moneta, Jolanta, et al. “Threshold increases in plasma growth hormone in relation to plasma catecholamine and blood lactate concentrations during progressive exercise in endurance-trained athletes.” European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology 73.1-2 (1996): 117-120.18 Lee-Young, Robert S., et al. “Endothelial nitric oxide synthase is central to skeletal muscle metabolic regulation and enzymatic signaling during exercise in vivo.” American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 298.5 (2010): R1399-R1408.19 Pedersen, Bente Klarlund, et al. “Role of myokines in exercise and metabolism.” Journal of applied physiology 103.3 (2007): 1093-1098.20 Nielsen, Anders Rinnov, et al. “Expression of interleukin-15 in human skeletal muscle–effect of exercise and muscle fibre type composition.” The Journal of physiology 584.1 (2007): 305-312.

Why Is Nutrition Important

If you want to put some sizzle back into your sex life, food can help you set the mood and fuel your fire…

What female wouldn’t want to eat food or foods that are good for women’s health?

Fast food or health food?

Is there nothing better than a romantic candle lit, home-cooked dinner for your libido?

Healthy food with food recipes to indulge your R-rated senses helping you to turn-up the heat…

“There’s a growing body of evidence that some of the vitamins and components in foods can enhance sexual function and sexual experience,” says Jennifer R. Berman, MD, the director of the Berman Women’s Wellness Center, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Here are some of the aphrodisiac foods (and my own favorite food recipes) that have been major players for our “female libido“.

Arugula has been heralded as an arousal aid since the first century.

Today, research reveals the trace minerals and antioxidants packed into dark, leafy greens are essential for women libido…

As well as health because they help block absorption of some of the environmental contaminants thought to negatively impact our libido.

The Aztecs referred to avocados as, ahem, testicles, because of their physical shape.

But the scientific reason why avocados make sense as an aphrodisiac is they’re rich in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat, making them good for your heart and arteries.

Anything that keeps the heart beating strong helps keep blood flowing to all the right places.

Topping my list of feisty foods, almonds have long been linked to increased passion, act as a sexual stimulant, and aid with fertility.

Like asparagus (another one of my favorite sexy foods), almonds are nutrient-dense and rich in several trace minerals important for sexual health and reproduction.

Almonds contain zinc, selenium and vitamin E.

“Zinc helps enhance libido and sexual desire,” says Dr. Berman. “We don’t really understand the mechanisms behind it, but we know it works.”

Figs are funny-shaped fruits with a long history of being a fertility booster, and they make an excellent aphrodisiac because they’re packed with soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

Why is this important for your heart health?

High-fiber foods help fill you up, not out, so it’s easier to get abs with sexy bottom line or flat belly.

Strawberries say it all with the color red which is known to help stoke the fire!

A 2008 study found that men find women sexier if they’re wearing red, as opposed to cool colors such as blue or green.

Strawberries are also an excellent source of folic acid, a B vitamin that helps ward off birth defects in women.

According to a University of California, Berkley study, may be tied to high sperm counts in men.

Why not eat some dark-chocolate-dipped strawberries?

While we’re on the subject, there’s a reason we give chocolate on Valentine’s Day because chocolate is full of libido boosting methylxanthines.

Seafood, despite their slippery texture, oysters may be one of the most well-known aphrodisiac.

Oysters are also one of the best sources of libido-boosting zinc.

But other types of seafood can also act as aphrodisiacs. Oily fish like wild salmon and herring contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for a healthy heart.

Citrus or any member of this tropical fruit family is super-rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid—all of which are essential.

Enjoy a romantic salad that mixes-it-up with citrus, like pink grapefruit or mandarin oranges, and why not use a dressing made with lemon and lime?

Hope you enjoy my top 7 foods for better sex…indulge but don’t be shy!