Fiber is a substance found only in plants, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.  The part of the plant that you eat is called dietary fiber.  Fiber passes relatively intact through the intestines and out of your body, which promotes intestinal health.

In addition, it lowers the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.  Fiber can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and help us feel fuller longer, which in turn can help with weight loss!

Fiber is classified into two categories: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber comes from the storage material of plants and is used to store water.  They are found in foods that are thought of as “starches” and are also known as pectins, gums, and mucilages.  Soluble fiber has been proven to help lower cholesterol, manage blood glucose levels, assist in weight control, and prevent as well as relieve constipation and diarrhea.  It’s found in grains, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, squash, lima and kidney beans, peas, bananas, mangoes, avocados, oranges, melons, and apples and pears.

Insoluble fiber, also known as roughage, helps digestion and promotes regularity by acting as a stimulant.  This can be beneficial for those with constipation.  Insoluble fiber is often found in plant foods that seem rough, stringy, with a tough skin, peel, or seeds.  They are also known as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignins.  These include whole wheat flour, seeds, nuts, popcorn, beans and lentils, unpeeled tree fruits, and cabbage.

On average Americans only consume between 10-15 grams of fiber, but the goal is 25-35 grams per day.  Here is a recipe  from Epicurious I’ve tried that can help you increase the fiber in your diet.

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2011 – First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.

The new healthful eating graphic for consumers.

“This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”

“With so many food options available to consumers, it is often difficult to determine the best foods to put on our plates when building a healthy meal,” said Secretary Vilsack. “MyPlate is an uncomplicated symbol to help remind people to think about their food choices in order to lead healthier lifestyles. This effort is about more than just giving information, it is a matter of making people understand there are options and practical ways to apply them to their daily lives.”

Originally identified in the Child Obesity Task Force report which noted that simple, actionable advice for consumers is needed, MyPlate will replace the MyPyramid image as the government’s primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. MyPyramid will remain available to interested health professionals and nutrition educators in a special section of the new website.

ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information. As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children. Later this year, USDA will unveil an exciting “go-to” online tool that consumers can use to personalize and manage their dietary and physical activity choices.

Over the next several years, USDA will work with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’sMove! initiative and public and private partners to promote MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate.gov as well as the supporting nutrition messages and “how-to” resources.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, launched in January of this year, form the basis of the federal government’s nutrition education programs, federal nutrition assistance programs, and dietary advice provided by health and nutrition professionals.

The Guidelines messages include:

Balance Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.

• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

• Make at least half your grains whole grains.

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower numbers.

• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Coupled with these tested, actionable messages will be the “how-tos” for consumer behavior change. A multi-year campaign calendar will focus on one action-prompting message at a time starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

“What we have learned over the years is that consumers are bombarded by so many nutrition messages that it makes it difficult to focus on changes that are necessary to improve their diet,” said Secretary Vilsack. “This new campaign calendar will help unify the public and private sectors to coordinate efforts and highlight one desired change for consumers at a time.”

As part of this new initiative, USDA wants to see how consumers are putting MyPlate in to action by encouraging consumers to take a photo of their plates and share on Twitter with the hash-tag #MyPlate. USDA also wants to see where and when consumers think about healthy eating. Take the Plate [http://www.choosemyplate.gov/global_nav/media_resources.html] and snap a photograph with MyPlate to share with our USDA Flickr Photo Group [http://www.flickr.com/people/usdagov/].

For more information, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

For decades, Americans have been bombarded with conflicting arguments both for AND against this essential macronutrient. Should we eat them? Should we not? What kind of fat should we eat?

But the confusion stops here. My no-nonsense, easy to understand guide to all things fat will show you why breaking-up with your beloved fat is not the way to go.

Why do we need fat?
-Critical for the production of cells and hormones in our bodies
-Important for proper brain functioning
-Provides energy
-Regulates the nervous system
-Controls blood pressure, heart rate and blood clotting
-Essential for the absorption of vitamins (particularly A, D, E, K)

How much do we need?
The daily recommended consumption of total fat in our diet should fall between 20-35%, with 10% or less saturated fats and 1% or less trans fats.

So, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, and 30% of that is fat, you are consuming 600 calories of total fat in your diet.

A common misperception about fats is that the good-for-you fats are also lower in calories. While some fats are healthier than others, they all share the same caloric density (~9 calories per gram). But don’t let that scare you.

Who are the key players? (from worst to best)

Trans Fat
Why it’s the worst:
-Raises LDL (bad guy) cholesterol
-Lowers HDL (good guy) cholesterol
Found in: Stick Margarine; Baked goods; Fried foods; Any foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list

Saturated Fat
Why it’s bad:
-Raises LDL (bad guy) cholesterol
Found in: Animal fats (meat, whole milk, ice cream, cheese, butter); Certain plant oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)

Polyunsaturated Fat
Why it’s good:
-Lowers total cholesterol
Found in: Vegetable oils (safflower, corn, sunflower, soy oils)

Omega 3 Fatty Acids (type of polyunsaturated fatty acid)
Why it’s better:
-Lowers total cholesterol
-Lowers triglycerides
-Decreases blood clotting
-Decreases inflammation
Found in: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring), Walnuts, Flaxseeds (and flaxseed oil)

Monounsaturated Fat (MUFA)
Why it’s the best:
-Protects against heart disease (lowers LDL cholesterol, raises HDL cholesterol)
-Prevents obesity related diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome
-Maintains brain function
-Decreases inflammation
-Reduces risk of prostate cancer
-Targets stubborn belly fat
Found in: Oils (Canola, safflower, sesame, soybean, walnut, flaxseed, sunflower, olive and peanut oils); Olives; Nuts and Seeds; Avocados; Dark chocolate

Here’s a simple mantra to follow:

Instead of LOW/NO fat, think GOOD fat…and in moderation.

For an even more in-depth look at how fats can affect your health, check out my New York Times bestselling book, Flat Belly Diet! For Men.

With busy schedules, various commitments, deadlines … who has time for rest or restoration or recharging?!

My personal goal is to spend time working more on me. Immediately. With the spring 2010 academic semester of doctoral studies behind me (yes!), I’m planning more physical activity. That’s what I want to do for me. I’ve realized if it’s not planned, it’s not getting done. My schedule was brimming: patients to see, papers to grade, classes to attend, papers to write. But now I have more breathing room. I am teaching one class this summer and working on research. Otherwise, my aim is more time walking outdoors with my dog, Mac.

What about you?

ScienceDaily (2009-11-18) — Eight percent of obese people misperceived their body size, believing they did not need to lose weight or that they could afford to gain weight. While those who misperceived their need for weight loss thought they were healthier than others their age, they had the same risk factors for heart disease as other obese patients. Those who misperceived their body size were less likely to exercise and see a physician than their counterparts who accurately perceived their body size.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161008.htm

Eat to Beat Stress

You’re knee deep in meetings when your financial advisor calls you to give you the latest grim news on Wall Street. The party for the in-laws is happening Saturday, and you can’t get a hold of the caterer. Meanwhile, you sense that the yoga class you’ve been anticipating all week is quickly slipping off the to-do list.
Stressed out? Resist the urge to grab lunch at the vending machine or the nearest mini-mart, drive-through or gas station checkout. It’s probably the worst thing you can do for your body when you’re under the gun. Eating the right foods when you’re stressed – which is rampant these days — can make all the difference in how you feel. Here’s your diet Rx for stress:
* Get your C. Loading up on this immune-boosting nutrient can help you survive an ordeal without succumbing to illness. It can even help reduce the physical effects of stress. Some studies have found that vitamin C can actually lower blood pressure and rein in the production of cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone.
* Track down some B6. Vitamin B6 is involved in the production of serotonin, the feel-good hormone, which has a naturally calming effect. Good choices include turkey, tuna, sunflower seeds and bananas.
* Feast on whole grains. Got a carb craving? Reach for those whole grain crackers, which are packed with tummy-filling fiber. The fiber will help you feel full, so you’re not grabbing every treat that comes your way.
* Drink water. Load up on good ol’ H20, which will flood your cells with hydration and prevent you from energy-sapping fatigue.
* Steer clear of foods high in sugar, which will set you up for a crash and raid your energy stores. That means nixing candy bars, pastries and sodas.
* Watch that java. Too much coffee, tea and cola will flood your body with caffeine, a diuretic that can result in dehydration and fatigue. For those who are sensitive, caffeine can also worsen anxiety.
* Imbibe with moderation. It’s tempting to grab a cocktail after a stressful day, but watch how much you drink. Too much can disrupt your sleep, which is what you really need after a stressful day.

http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/nature-s-fat-burning-breakthrough/296ca6b509787110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/news.voices/in.the.magazine/march.2008.issue