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Fiber contains no calories and is not digestible, therefore it serves primarily as a medium to provide bulk to stool. The distinction that can be made between soluble and insoluble fiber is their ability to absorb and retain water. Soluble and insoluble fiber both attract water, but soluble fiber softens and gels in water while insoluble fiber does not. Think apple and apple peel, the apple’s juicy center is soluble fiber and the apple’s peel is insoluble fiber. For example, if you were to take an apple, peel it, cut it into wedges and dehydrate the peel and the wedges seperately, to rehydrate the wedges would be simple by adding water, but the peel would likely never regain any mass or absorb any of the water. Soluble and insoluble fiber are both important in digestion and overall health. 

Soluble fiber contains many health benefits, and in particular benefits to the heart because it has that ability to bind to cholesterol rich bile in the GI tract forcing this “floating” cholesterol to pass through the stool rather than reabsorbing in the body. Soluble fiber will slow glucose absorption in the intestines by creating bulk and allowing foods to be absorbed more slowly, this in particular is a huge benefit for diabetics and those with hypoglycemia. Insoluble fiber primarily acts as a stool softener decreasing this likelihood of constipation and hemorrhoids. 

The intestines are a muscle! Fiber provides bulk and softness to the stool forcing your intestines to work and move more as it passes through, giving the GI tract muscles exercise and tone throughout the day. Fiber, both soluble and insoluble, decreases transit time allowing a lesser exposure of possible carcinogens in the intestines reducing the risk of colon cancer greatly.  

How much fiber is needed each day and where can it be found? 

The recommended daily intake of fiber is 1.4 grams for every 100 calories consumed in a day.

Fiber is any part of plant-based foods that cannot be digested or absorbed in the body. Foods that contain primarily soluble fiber are fruits, vegetables, legumes and oats. Foods that contain primarily insoluble fiber are whole grains, fruit/vegetable peels or celery “strings”, and root vegetables.  

What foods are considered “high fiber”?

You may notice as you move through the aisles of the grocery store that some foods are labeled “high fiber” or “excellent source of fiber”. These distinctions are made by considering the food to have (at a minimum) 2 grams of fiber for every 100 calories. It is easy to determine for yourself what the fiber return on a food is by looking at the nutrition label and comparing the fiber content to the amount of calories. For example, if a food is 170 calories and contains 34 grams of fiber that would be a “high fiber” food.  

All things in moderation- like anything too much soluble or insoluble fiber can cause negative effects like bloating, gas and too large or too frequent bowel movements.

Many of you, like me, probably experience those after dinner/evening cravings for “something sweet.” This experience is one of the most common things that people that I work with complain about. Many will be doing great on their diets until the evening rolls around and then they start to get that little voice in their head and stomach telling them that they must head over to the candy jar and grab something out and more often than not, it doesn’t end with just one. So, what to do? Are we doomed to spend the rest of our lives feeling guilty for these cravings as we continuously try to curb them? 

Fortunately, there are quite a few solutions to this problem most people experience. The best way to succeed in curbing these cravings is to start with the day, this means breakfast. Ensure you eat a well rounded breakfast consisting of primarily whole grains each morning. Options include oats, whole grain toast or a whole grain cereal like cheerios. Have healthy, “sweet” snacks in between meals, like fruit. Ensure that you are drinking plenty of water all throughout the day, at least 2 liters. When dinner rolls around, ensure that you are eating a meal that is well-rounded with grains, vegetables, fats and protein so that your body is receiving all of the “satisfying” signals that it desires. In the evening and during dinner try to limit screen time as much as possible. Screens make us feel hungrier and experience more cravings than we truly have and they send our body a variety of confusing signals that may make us crave things that we don’t actually need. When you find yourself feeling that evening hankering for something sweet, reach for a piece of fruit or dark chocolate (with no sugar added) and eat small portions of these things, slowly with no distractions. Lastly, ensure that you are getting enough quality sleep each night, exhaustion can lead to cravings later in the day. So, what is quality sleep? Quality sleep is defined as falling asleep soon after getting into bed, within 30 minutes or less, sleeping straight through the night, waking up no more than once per night, and being able to sleep the recommended amount of hours for your age group. 
You may still find yourself experiencing these cravings even though you have done everything listed above. This is when the idea that your cravings may be emotional must be considered. Are you bored and reaching for sweets as a way to entertain yourself? Try finding a “healthy” distraction like reading a book or working on a craft. If you find yourself still reaching for something sweet, this may be a way of satisfying some emotions, take a moment and consider how you are feeling and why. Maybe start a journal to write about how you are feeling when you start to crave something sweet. You may even try a supplement like Gymnema that works to make sweet foods taste bitter not long after you take it. This associates the emotional need for sweets with something bitter and may retrain the brain to no longer crave sweet foods as a means for emotional support. Hopefully you can take some of these tips to move through your evening each day with success in avoiding those tempting sweets!

When people start thinking about why they may be overweight, why they can’t seem to lose weight no matter what they do or try, or why they gain weight even though they eat very little they very infrequently think about their hormones. However, hormones may be one of the first things they should consider. One hormone specifically may be the primary culprit in this situation that so many people are faced with. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands and regulates stress in the body. The adrenal glands (also where adrenaline is produced and how it gets its name) rest on top of the kidneys and produce a variety of hormones, one of them being cortisol. Cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone”  is the body’s response to “fight or flight” signals. When we are stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious our body does it’s best to respond the only way it knows how. This is by trying to regulate that response in our brain by releasing cortisol. Cortisol receptors exist in most cells in your body and are readily absorbed and used for various functions. Some of those uses being, regulation of blood pressure, increasing blood sugar, managing how your body uses carbohydrates, fat and protein, and controlling your sleep cycle.  

How does this cause weight gain? 

When we are experiencing stress, anxiety or fear our brain sends signals to our body that tell it to use the cortisol being produced to shut down various functions like digestion, reproductive or immune function so that it can focus on reducing the stress that is being presented. When the stress ends, cortisol levels should return to normal, but what if the stress never ends? This can mess with your body’s most vital systems. Elevated cortisol levels are associated with overeating, weight gain and insulin resistance, all of which can be problems for those of us who struggle with our weight. It is very difficult to maintain healthy eating habits when chronically stressed and overproduction of cortisol in the body can only make these problems worse. 

What do I do now?

Manage your stress anyway that works for you. Try a yoga class or meditation, take a long bath, pick up a hobby, stay active and exercise regularly. Most of all, make sure you are getting enough sleep each night. The reason for this in particular is that studies have shown that people with insomnia produce a much greater amount of cortisol throughout the day. This potentially causes a lot of these adverse effects we have discussed and could promote stress in your life. When you are eating, use intuitive eating methods to understand why you are eating and if it is coming from an emotional place or because you truly need to eat in that moment. If you have questions or want to understand what to do to lose weight beyond these small steps you might consider meeting with a nutrition counselor or dietitian. 

References: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3602916/

Intuitive eating is defined by professionals as mind-body eating. What intuitive eating is NOT is a “diet” designed to help you lose weight. “Essentially, Intuitive Eating is a personal process of honoring health by listening and responding to the direct messages of the body in order to meet your physical and psychological needs.” (www.intuitiveeating.org, 2018) Intuitive eating encourages you to listen to the signals your body sends you and eat based on those signals. 

Intuition is defined as the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for reasoning. Many things we do in everyday life are like this, breathing, digestion, listening, and many more. We don’t have to think much about the things we do each day to keep us alive, but so much thought and pressure has been placed around food and eating as time has gone on. In reality, eating is not that much different from these other things. Eating is something that we must do each day to stay alive and shouldn’t be something that we put a ton of pressure on ourselves for. We frequently find ourselves thinking about what we are eating, how much we are eating, and why we are eating, when we could just be listening to our bodies and responding to the signals it is sending up. 

When you sit down to eat a meal, turn the TV off and pay attention as you enjoy your food, your body has time to receive the signals the food is sending it. Your body is continuously sending you signals about what it needs and the same applies to nutrients. If you find you are craving a certain food there may be a biological reason for it. The food you are craving may contain nutrients your body feels deprived of or is deficient in for some reason. Also, your body is sending you signals of hunger and thirst and this awareness can promote healthier water drinking habits and assist in boosting your metabolism as you eat more healthy foods throughout the day. 

So, provide your body with the nutrients it needs and craves. Tune in and listen to your body and how it communicates with you throughout each day. Notice what you crave and why you crave it. Crave sugar all day? Maybe you need more fruit. Crave salt all day? Maybe you need more vegetables and water. Crave meat? Maybe you are low on iron or protein. Respond to your body’s signals with the healthiest habits you can and if you crave junk food, give in a little bit here and there. Completely depriving yourself of something you love will only lead to binging later. 

What is the keto diet? The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet designed to put your body in a state of ketosis. The theory is that by depriving yourself of carbohydrates (and therefore glucose) this will force your body to use a “different” type of fuel, burning stored fat for energy. This seems like a brilliant idea because what better way to lose weight than by burning up stored fat? However, it is not that simple, entering into a state of ketosis can be difficult because you must eat less than 20-50 grams of carbs and eating too much protein can interfere with ketosis. If you were to achieve a state of ketosis, however, there are many health risks involved with what it takes to get there and what happens in your body when you do.

The pitfalls of keto:

Saturated Fat:

The keto diet is famous for being able to eat as much as you want of the foods that are permitted and that are high in fat. This consists of foods like cheese, butter, heavy cream, and coconut oil all of which are high in saturated fat. We have known for years of the negative health effects of saturated fat, including heart disease and high cholesterol, and it is recommended that we limit our intake to less than 7% of total calories for optimum health.

Liver Disease:

When you start adding all of this extra fat in your diet, it is not just magically processed, an organ must do the work to metabolize it. Enter the liver. If you have a perfectly functioning liver and you plan on doing the keto diet for only a short period of time this may not be a problem for you. However, prolonged strain on the liver may eventually cause problems such as fatty liver disease, so this is not a diet you would want to follow for an extended period of time. If you already have underlying liver conditions you may make them significantly worse by adding on all of this extra work.

Ketoacidosis:

Typically seen in people with diabetes, ketoacidosis is a condition when your body is not producing enough insulin to utilize blood glucose (or not receiving enough glucose) and your blood becomes overloaded with ketones (energy your body creates from stored fat) as they are being used as the primary source of energy. When ketones build up in the bloodstream they make the blood more acidic, causing extreme sickness, fainting, and can result in a diabetic coma. This condition is rare and is mostly seen in those with type 1 diabetes.

Fluctuating Weight:

This diet is not something that can be followed for a long period of time because of its many health risks and unnatural eating patterns. This leads to the inevitable of following the diet, losing weight, getting off of the diet, returning back to your regular eating patterns, and gaining all of the weight you lost back. Rather than following this fad diet that has detrimental health effects and is simply unsustainable, consider modifying your diet to contain healthier foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This will create lifelong health and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Any major shifts in diet should always be discussed with your healthcare provider. If you have any questions please reach out to our nutrition counselor.

mended that we limit our intake to less than 7% of total calories for optimum health. 

Liver Disease: 

When you start adding all of this extra fat in your diet, it is not just magically processed, an organ has to do the work to metabolize it. Enter the liver. If you have a perfectly functioning liver and you plan on doing the keto diet for only a short period of time this may not be a problem for you. However, prolonged strain on the liver may eventually cause problems such as fatty liver disease, so this is not a diet you would want to follow for an extended period of time. If you already have underlying liver conditions you may make them significantly worse by adding on all of this extra work.

Ketoacidosis: 

Typically seen in people with diabetes, ketoacidosis is a condition when your body is not producing enough insulin to utilize blood glucose (or not receiving enough glucose) and your blood becomes overloaded with ketones as they are being used as the primary source of energy. When ketones build up in the bloodstream they make the blood more acidic, causing extreme sickness, fainting, and can result in a diabetic coma. This condition is rare and is mostly seen in those with type 1 diabetes. 

Fluctuating Weight: 

This diet is not something that can be followed for a long period of time because of its many health risks and unnatural eating patterns. This leads to the inevitable following it, losing weight, getting off of it and returning back to your regular eating patterns, and gaining all of the weight you lost back. Rather than following this fad diet that has detrimental health effects and is simply unsustainable, consider modifying your diet to contain healthier foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. 

Any major shifts in diet should always be discussed with your healthcare provider. If you have any questions please reach out to our nutrition counselor. 

Over the past few years a lot of information has surfaced regarding “plant based diets.” Many are claiming that it is the ideal diet, it can reverse disease, and that it may even reduce your risk of cancer greatly. You may be left wondering what exactly is a plant based diet, why is it good for me, and how do I change decades/years worth of eating to resemble a diet that seems so foreign? 

A plant based diet is defined as a diet that largely focuses on food that does not come from animal sources and foods that are not highly processed. This means mostly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A plant based diet does not mean excluding dairy, eggs, and meat based products, but limiting them greatly.  The reason for this is that dairy, eggs, and meats contain large amounts of cholesterol, saturated fat, and tend to be highly processed leading to numerous health problems.  

The China Study came out in 2005 and was the most comprehensive study done about nutrition, weight loss, and overall health. This study found that a diet that is largely composed of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will escape, reduce, or reverse the development of numerous common diseases. This was a huge kick starter for many documentaries, articles, and studies that have since educated people on why a plant based diet may be the ideal diet for human health. The China Study recommended limiting intake of external dietary cholesterol and adding in supplements to provide adequate nutrition, specifically vitamin D. The study points out the growing number of people in the United States dying of heart disease (the #1 killer for the past 80 years) and the factors that contribute to it. Heart disease risk factors include: elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, physical activity, and smoking. 3 out of these 5 can be largely prevented by eating a whole food, plant based diet. Another ailment this study points out is diabetes, something that is plaguing more and more individuals in our society every day. The China Study showed that plant based diets high in fiber can be protective against diabetes. 

Shifting your diet away from the standard American diet and towards a plant based diet can be a challenge, but is something that is recommended because of the many health benefits that you will receive. The important thing to remember is that small wins are wins indeed. Introduce a plant based diet slowly, begin by swapping out your white rice for brown or switching your white bread for whole grain bread. You may also make one day a week “meatless” where you try making all meals or your dinner center around a plant based protein like beans, tofu, or a meatless substitute. A good rule of thumb is to fill all of your “plates” halfway with fruits and vegetables. Slowly try to shift your focus away from the foods that are high in sugar or sodium and you will notice a huge difference in the foods you enjoy or crave.

I really feel passionately about breaking the stigma behind healthy eating. I feel right now we all have an opportunity to be home, cook, bake, and connect with our food on another level. This blog will break down different ways to stock up on nutritious and easily preserved food, without breaking the bank!

Frozen Fruits and Veggies

These have been my best friend during this extended stay at home. I can’t say enough good things about these and the opportunities are truly endless. I bought a few big bags of mixed frozen vegetables and mixed frozen fruit at Costco, and if you have a membership this is the most bang-for-you-buck way to do it (but all stores have these!) Smoothies and stir fry are my go-to easy meal in and out of quarantine. Smoothies are always great way to get in extra veggies and can be made with entirely frozen items, with the exclusion of milk or coconut water. I buy a case of shelf stable almond milk and use these in my smoothies along with a big handful of frozen spinach!

Frozen Meat/Fish 

I am not a big meat eater, but I love my fish and can’t say enough good things about getting some fresh fish, seasoning it and freezing it for later. You may have noticed, and if you know me you know my love for Costco. I buy a huge piece of salmon at Costco, slice it into individual servings, place those servings into individual Ziploc baggie, pre-marinate them, and stick them in the freezer. My favorite right now is lemon, garlic, olive oil, and cholula sauce. I cook this in my air fryer straight from frozen, but this could work well in an oven too! I am certain you could do the same thing with any kind of meat as well.

Grains

I love bread (who doesn’t?) and I always keep an extra loaf in the freezer for emergencies such as these. I will put the frozen loaf in the fridge to let it thaw overnight and then I tend to leave it in the fridge because I’m the only one who eats it in the house and I don’t go through it too fast, but after it thaws you can always place it on the counter for the soft bread feel. Rice is, in my opinion, THE grain. This is the one grain that you can buy in bulk for cheap that can you can do ANYTHING with. Breakfast rice is something my roommate taught me years ago. Cook your rice in a milk/water mixture and add in cinnamon and sweetener as needed. Throw rice in your stir fry, serve under fish, add in some coconut and chopped mango. There is no limit to what you can do.

Treat this like you would anything, listen to your body and respond. You know what’s best for you, and no two bodies are the same!