Fiber Furious

I have always prided myself in taking care of myself. I eat well, try to stay fit, and keep in shape. I prefer DIY self-helps, but I’m not an expert. I’m guilty as the next woman to occasionally junk out. However, as I’ve gotten a little older, I discovered a problem – an inability to tolerate carbs. Since I am unclear, which carbs are my primary offenders; I decided to head things off at the pass. Type II diabetes is prevalent in my family and I wanted to get matters under control before things escalated out of control.

Two months ago, I embarked on the Atkins diet. I elected to begin at the Induction phase even though I could have moved directly into Atkins OWL (ongoing weight loss) level. At this level, my carbs are severely reduced to 20-grams per day and the amount of fiber is practically nil. Click here to learn what your daily fiber intake should be. After I found out what my daily fiber intake should be it startled me to realize how little fiber I was getting before starting the Atkins diet. I needed to make a change.

I immediately began to incorporate an Atkins’ friendly fiber – flaxseed into my meals. Words of caution, though, remember to consume enough water throughout the course of the day to help the fiber work properly in your body. One quick way to know your daily recommended water needs is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. Naturally, if you have an active lifestyle or drink caffeine, then you must replace what your body uses up to prevent dehydration. Read Wonders of Water at WebMD.

I’m a person who needs variety or else I become stagnate on my diet. This tends to sidetrack my hard pressed efforts. I found some wonderful recipes, which gave me ways to work in the flaxseed. For breakfast, try Hot Peanut Butter Flaxseed Cereal or Pumpkin Flaxseed Muffins. Each of these recipes gives me a whopping 10-grams of fiber. That’s about half of my daily intake. Flaxseed meal can be sprinkled directly onto most foods without altering the flavor. I like the golden flaxseed as it adds a nutty flavor. I often put two tablespoons of flaxseed in my Atkins Shakes, which makes for a great meal substitute because it’s so filling. One of my favorites, weekend pizza time I added back to my diet bu using this flaxseed pizza crust recipe and easy pizza sauce recipe. You can choose whatever toppings you want on top to compliment your taste.

Flaxseed has wonderful properties to aid your health. It’s is high in vitamins and minerals, fiber – soluble and insoluble, many positive antioxidants such as lignans (estrogen-like chemicals), and omega-3 fatty acids. But, what does this mean to me, exactly? Flaxseed can lower your blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reduce bone loss, help manage your weight, improve your digestion, boost your immune system, and help to fight certain diseases such as colon and breast cancers. Most findings show more research is needed on flaxseed, but some reports have a high regard for flaxseed because of it is a plant source of omega-3, which are as beneficial as fish oils. Flaxseed is a little wonder seed of sorts.

Unfortunately, not all people can use flaxseed comfortably or safely. I’ve read people who suffer Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) should use extreme care when using flaxseed because of the laxative effects. Pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid flaxseed use, as well as women who have issues with fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary disease. Soluble fiber such as psyllium seems to be a better alternative fiber to boost your daily intake if you suffer from any of these conditions. Remember, if you have any concerns about which fiber works best for you, then ask your physician.

Be smart, eat right, be fiber furious for life!