Atkins and Intestinal Problems

The major complaint of those who use the Atkins diet is the intestinal problems that are associated with reducing carbohydrates. These problems can include constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms can happen to anybody at some point, but those who follow a low-carb diet are especially prone.Most commonly dieters will experience diarrhea during the early days of induction. This is a result of the body getting rid of excess carbohydrates. It also marks the beginning of the ketosis process. So in actuality, experiencing diarrhea at the beginning of the diet is a good thing. It indicates that you are on the road to becoming a fat burning machine.

Constipation is a side effect of lack of fiber in the low carb diet. Whole grains, legumes and fruit are the normal sources of dietary fiber, and they are all restricted on the Atkins diet’s initial phases.

However, you shouldn’t be scared off from the low-carb way of life because of these issues. There are simple solutions that can prevent and help with these symptoms and allow you to continue with staying on the diet plan.

The first tip is to make sure to include the proper amount of low-carb vegetables in your daily diet. In the induction phase, you can eat up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is roughly equal to 3 cups of salad vegetables. Some people are tempted to use their carbohydrate grams on cheese or artificially sweetened soda. Eating acceptable vegetables is a vital part of maintaining intestinal health while following the Atkins plan. It’s also important to drink a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day and get exercise. Both of these steps can help with intestinal programs.

If you are experiencing constipation specifically, then there are many methods for relief. When you switch from a diet full of processed and refined sugar products, your body will need some time to adjust to this new way of eating. You’ll need to make sure to up your fiber intake with acceptable vegetables and fruits (certain fruits are allowed after the initial induction phase). You can also try a fiber supplement like sugar-free Metamucil.

Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of too little fat in your diet. Adding tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal health. Also, try to incorporate a variety of vegetables in your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce does not have much fiber in it. Try dark green lettuces or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these tips don’t work, try cutting out all salt from your diet for a couple of days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and sometimes helps with bowel movements.

Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction plan. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, analyze your diet. If you are eating low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, eliminate them. They may contain sweeteners like glycerine, sorbitol and malitol which are known to cause diarrhea and gas. Homemade low carb desserts may also be a cause of problems. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some people.

If you are not used to eating raw vegetables everyday, this may be a cause of diarrhea. Understand that your body will adjust to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won’t last forever. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this problem.

Intestinal problems are common during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these problems will go away within the first few weeks of the new way of eating. If the problems persist, try the previously mentioned tips to get relief.

Posted in Atkins Diet on Oct 17th, 2007

Low Fat High Fiber Diet

Low Fat High Fiber Diet Will Change The Way You Feel And Keep You Healthy

A diet of low fat high fiber will change the way that you feel and will promote a healthier body. It should help you regain your lost fitness, lower your weight as well as keep you from contracting a number of deadly diseases including heart conditions. A normal diet is usually rich in fat and lacking in essentially healthy ingredients. Such an improper diet can cause a person to suffer and shorten the lifespan.

Read Nutritional Labels

It would be a good idea to read the nutritional facts on food labels which must, per force, contain how much fat, fiber, calories as well as nutrients are contained in the food. A low fat high fiber diet will usually be a food derived from plants as they generally have high fiber content and also are low in fat. You may need to forswear meats, seafood, poultry and eggs, milk and dairy products for they are not known to have fiber content.

Now-a-days, there are available many foods containing low fat high fiber content that tantalize the taste buds while also keeping the calories and fat content to a minimum. These low fat high fiber diets can be safely consumed and will make a big difference in keeping you from becoming flabby. The obvious choice is fat-free milk, low-fat cheese, low-fat chips and mayonnaise, as also fat-free pudding snacks.

Other choices for low fat high fiber diet include cold cereal with fruit and cottage cheese, milk and cheesy pita chips with club soda. You might consider this as a sacrifice for the betterment of your health though it will also afford you much satisfaction. So, there is no need to shy away from changing your diet to a low fat high fiber diet since, according to studies, this will reduce the chances of having a heart attack as well as prevents cancer, diabetes as also the possibility of stroke.

You will find that changing to whole-grain breads that are a perfect low fat high fiber diet will make your sandwiches that much more health beneficial while also not compromising on taste. Coupled with hot and cold cereals your breakfast will provide you with taste, strength and taking in plenty of fruits and vegetables should contribute to a better and healthier body.

If you still want to eat beef, veal, pork and lamb then you should ensure that it is baked or broiled and roasted and fat should be trimmed before cooking. In addition, remember that the lean cuts of meat you eat are low-fat and these should be cooked with herbs, spices as well as fresh vegetables along with non-fat marinades. A low fat high fiber diet is the solution to living a better life.

Posted in Fiber Diet on May 1st, 2007

Starting A High Fiber Diet To Lose Weight

Being overweight is something that most people will struggle with at some point in their life.  Whether its five pounds or one hundred pounds of extra weight finding the right diet can be a daunting task.  There are so many diet plans in society today that the average person just doesn’t know where to begin.  Starting a high fiber diet to lose weight can be a great way to not only lose weight but to improve ones health. 

The idea behind using a high fiber diet to lose weight comes from a couple of facts.  First of all when a person eats a high fiber diet to lose weight they will be full from all the bulk they are getting in their diet.  Fiber is indigestible material in the food.  The fiber creates bulk in the food thus making a person feel fuller and, therefore, helps a person to stop eating or snacking.  

The other idea behind using a high fiber diet to lose weight is that all the bulk from the fiber will help to carry out extra food from the body before it is completely digested and all the calories are absorbed.  Fiber is all excreted by the body as waist product and will usually take other food along with it.  This will help with weight loss.

Considerations In Using a High Fiber Diet To Lose Weight 

One important consideration with using a high fiber diet to lose weight is the need for water.  Fiber is moved through the intestines much more effectively when there is plenty of liquid.  A person on a high fiber diet to lose weight needs to drink at least eight glasses of water a day.  This will help the fiber to work more effectively.  A person should not drink too much water though. Too much water can wash the nutrients from the system.

Another consideration in using a high fiber diet to lose weight is that substantially increasing the fiber in ones diet will have some temporary side effects.  A person may feel bloated and have a lot of flatulence, otherwise known as gas.  This is normal for an increase in fiber.  That is why when people eat beans they often find they get gas.  Beans are very high in fiber.  The bloating and flatulence should go away after a short time as the body adjusts to the new diet.  There are some over the counter medications that can help with these temporary side effects so a person should not feel too distressed by them. 

Posted in Fiber Diet on May 1st, 2007

High Fiber Low Calorie Foods

High Fiber Low Calorie Foods Are The Key To Health

Great health is a goal of most people, and high fiber, low calories foods are the key to great health.  There are many drug therapies that can help people if they develop a disease.  Diabetes is a very serious disease, but there are drugs that can help people once they develop diseases such as diabetes.  People who develop these diseases do not have good health, and they have to live their lives taking the drugs that help them.  People can avoid these diseases, and the drugs that cure them if they eat a diet that is full of high fiber, low calorie foods.

A diet that is based on the use of high fiber, low calorie food should include oatmeal or other cereals to start the day.  Oatmeal has a great deal of dietary fiber that will help the digestive system of each person.  The dietary fiber helps cleanse the system of each person quickly after food is eaten.  There are other great cereals available at the grocery stores that meet the criteria for a high fiber, low calorie food.  The labels on these products will reveal the contents so people can choose one that will be rich in fiber and without many calories. 

High Fiber Low Calorie Foods Can Taste Great

Sometimes people get into habits that are not very helpful, but these habits are hard to break.  They end up eating at fast food places that do not have high fiber, low calorie food.  These places usually have food that tastes great although it is not high fiber, low calorie food.  Some people start to think that high fiber, low calorie food does not taste so great.  They need to reverse their habits and start to look at the high fiber, low calorie food that does taste good.  Fruits and vegetables can really taste great if given a chance. 

People might like sandwiches, but their choice of bread could make these sandwiches better for their health.  After a while, people will find that these breads that have more dietary fiber can taste great.  People should strive to eat high fiber, low calorie food.  They must add fiber whenever possible and cut out calories so they will have great health.  Their health goals may take some concentration and organization, but these people will avoid many health problems in the future by eating high fiber, low calorie foods now.  All people should concentrate on their health so they will not have to take drugs to eliminate problems in the future. 

Posted in Fiber Diet on May 1st, 2007

High Fiber Chocolate Bar

High Fiber Chocolate Bar: Fiber Really Satisfies

When you are trying to lose weight, it can be hard to find the right foods to eat. Most people, when they are trying to lose weight, will choose diet foods or low-fat foods. However, these foods that are packaged as diet foods often contain sugar or other substances designed to give the foods more flavor and to make them more tempting for the consumer. All that sugar and all of those other substances only increase the calorie content of the foods as well as make your blood sugar rise, leaving you feel edgy, ornery and even hungrier. The rise in blood sugar often makes people eat more than they should, which goes against the reason they reached for the diet food in the first place. High fiber chocolate bars are the solution to this very frustrating diet scenario.

High fiber chocolate bars contain everything you need to feel full faster, longer and they taste great; everything you’re looking for in a healthy, high powered snack. You can find high fiber chocolate bars sold in your local nutrition outlet or you can even order them over the internet. Sometimes, it’s best to order them in bulk because you can get them for cheaper. However, be warned that you should first try a particular brand of high fiber chocolate bar before you buy in bulk. You don’t want to load on a particular bar only to find out that you don’t like the taste. Not all high fiber chocolate bars are created equal. Some don’t taste as good as the others and some are just plain old chocolate bars.

The Beauty Of Fiber

Fiber should be a staple in every healthy diet. Fiber satiates you, leading you to eat less. Fiber also regulates your blood sugar, leaving you without that crashing feeling you get with sugary snacks. Fiber also helps you eliminate more calories than you take in, which is a necessity with any diet. So, you see, if you get enough fiber in your diet, you are getting everything you need to lose or maintain your weight and the fiber also makes you healthier. It would seem, then, that diet is somewhat like a wonder food. It is, however, you must be careful when choosing high fiber foods to make sure that they aren’t stuffed with sugar to make them taste better. This rings especially true for high fiber chocolate bars.

Make sure that you read the labels on the side of high fiber chocolate bars to make sure that they are low in sugar. If you eat a high fiber chocolate bar that is filled with sugar, the sugar will cancel out the benefits and will leave you feeling worse than before you ate it. If you’re going to eat a sugary chocolate bar, even though it may contain fiber, you may as well just pick up a candy bar. With all that sugar, there isn’t much difference between the two. So, learn to read food labels and make sure that the high fiber chocolate bars are healthy enough to be included in your healthy living diet.

Posted in Fiber Diet on May 1st, 2007

« Previous PageNext Page »