Download adding more fiber to your diet

RTD INJURY
PREVENTION PROGRAM
NEWSLETTER
Nutrition Injury Prevention
ADDING MORE FIBER TO
YOUR DIET
www.lifeclinic.com
We know that fiber is good for us, and
that water-soluble fiber is especially
helpful for people with
diabetes because it
blunts the rise in
blood sugar that
occurs after meals.
All fiber-containing
foods help us feel full without
overloading on calories. Here are some
tips for adding more fiber to your regular
eating habits:
Eat more vegetables, especially raw
vegetables.
 Leave the skin on fruits such as
apples, pears, peaches.
 Eat fruits especially high in fiber such
as strawberries, blackberries,
blueberries, raspberries, nectarines,
and pomegranates.
 Choose whole-grain breads like
whole wheat, rye and pumpernickel.
Add corn bread to your diet.
 Use corn instead of flour tortillas.
 Eat whole-grain cereals such as
oatmeal, bran cereals and what
germ.
 Several times a week, use legumes –
dried beans and peas such as lentils,
lima beans, etc. - in salads, soups,
and side dishes.
 Eat the edible skins and seeds of
vegetables, such as the skin of a
baked or steamed potato, the seeds
of a cucumber.
 Eat brown rice instead of white; eat
plenty of other grains such as
couscous, bulgur, quinoa, etc.
As you add more fiber to your diet, be
sure to drink at least eight glasses of
fluids daily, to help your body use the
fiber effectively and also to prevent
constipation.
Stress and Vitamin C
www.9news.com
Stress is inherent to life and unless it is
managed can be a major catalyst for
disease. In fact, stress is the top reason for
visits to your family practitioner. New
research may offer you even more support
in combating this inevitable part of life.
Vitamin C may provide beneficial
and protective effects for people who
are under stress.
In the study it was found that subjects
who had the highest blood levels of
ascorbic acid exhibited fewer physical and
mental signs of stress than those with
lower levels of vitamin C. It was also
determined that those with higher C
levels recovered faster from stressful
events as well.
Vitamin C is readily found in many
delicious foods including: red chili
peppers, kiwi, guavas, mango, kale,
collards, broccoli, citrus fruits, and
strawberries. When you are preparing for
a stressful day or in the midst of stress,
load up on these vitamin C-rich foods.
Confused about "Low-Sodium"
Foods?
You know you need to
restrict your intake of salt
and salt-containing foods.
But the packages in the
supermarket all seem to be claiming to
be better for you. What do the various
terms mean?
 Reduced sodium: This means that the
food has three-quarters less sodium than is
normal for that particular food. However,
since many foods are so high in sodium,
reducing it may not be as good for you as
you might think. Look at the mg.
 Low sodium: One serving contains 140
mg of sodium or less.
 Very low sodium: This means there are
35 mg of sodium or less per serving.
Check the serving size.
 Sodium-free: This food has less than 5
mg of sodium per serving, so you don’t
have to restrict yourself at all.
Don't be fooled by "designer" salts: sea
salt, brine, onion salt, and other seasoned
salts are full of sodium, just like regular
table salt.
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145
About the DASH diet from www.nhlbi.nih.gov
You need to eat the right amounts and right balance of food to maintain a healthy weight
and reduce your risk of diseases including high blood pressure. Remember that no single
item supplies all the nutrients necessary for good health. So eat a wide variety of foods, to
ensure you get all you need.
Eating to lower blood pressure
The DASH eating plan significantly lowered blood pressure in the recent Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study, and it may also help prevent
and control high blood pressure.
DASH Eating Plan
Food Group
Daily Servings*
Serving Sizes
Grains
7–8
1 slice bread; ½ cup cereal or cooked rice,
pasta, or cereal
Vegetables
4-5
1 cup raw leafy vegetable; ½ cup cooked
vegetable; 6 ounces vegetable juice
Fruits
4-5
1 medium fresh fruit; ¼ cup dried, frozen, or
canned fruit
Low-fat and
nonfat dairy
2-3
8 ounces milk; 1 cup yogurt; 1.5 ounces cheese
Meats, poultry,
and fish
2 or fewer
3 ounces cooked meat, poultry, or fish
Nuts, seeds, and
legumes
Fewer than 1 (4–5
per week)
1.5 ounces or 1/3 cup nuts; ½ ounce or 2
tablespoons seeds; ½ cup cooked legumes
* Number of servings is based on eating 2,000 calories a day. If your caloric needs are
higher or lower, you may eat more or fewer servings.
Compared with the standard food pyramid, the DASH eating plan is even richer in fruits,
vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods and lower in saturated and total fat. It is also low in
cholesterol; high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and fiber; and moderately high in
protein.
If you use the DASH eating plan to help prevent or control high blood pressure, make it
part of a lifestyle that includes choosing foods lower in salt, maintaining a healthy
weight, and making a habit of physical activity. And if you drink alcohol, do so in
moderation.
Food and medicine
The DASH eating plan can lower blood pressure. But if you are taking medication for
high blood pressure, don't stop taking your medication just because you are starting the
diet. Instead, advise your healthcare provider of your lifestyle changes, so your
medication regimen can be monitored accordingly.
A word about fats
While fats don't directly raise blood pressure, they do affect the health of your heart and
blood vessels. A high blood cholesterol level is a risk factor that raises your chance of
developing heart disease. And fats, especially saturated fat, play a role in raising the
cholesterol in your bloodstream.
Saturated fat is often found in foods from animals. This includes fatty meats, the skin of
poultry, and whole-milk dairy products, such as butter, cheese, and ice cream. It also is in
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145
coconut, palm kernel and palm oils. These oils are found mostly in processed foods, such
as baked goods, snack foods, and crackers. If you use saturated fat, keep the amount
small. Instead of saturated fat, try soft or liquid margarine and such oils as canola,
safflower, and olive. Avoid transfats in foods. But all kinds of fats have the same amount
of calories and need to be limited to help you lose weight.
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145