No Contest. You are a winner!

I was just cruising through our morning newspaper and ran across a contest announcement.

Apparently, the Food and Cooking section of the Daily Star is giving away a couple of cookbooks to the winner of their Best Soup recipe contest.

So, I thought I would turn that concept on it's head; I want to just plain give away a wonderful cookbook to all of our loyal subscribers.

Now this is an awesome cook book of 100 classic "Weight Watchers tm" Recipes, including the W.W. point value for each meal. Some meat, chicken, fish, veggie and sweets. Something for every taste and desire.

And, yes, it's another freebie - No contest to enter, no balls to juggle, no hoops to jump through. It is my pleasure to make it available to you with a quick link at the bottom of the page.

But, can you do me a favor?

I am in the process of assembling a new version of our High Fiber Cookbook, and want to ask you for your original contributions.

I know for a fact that many of you have your own original High Fiber recipes (4 grams of Fiber or greater per serving) you may want to share; recipes for high fiber goodies and great dishes that could blow away the competition.

(If there were a competition!)

When we collect a bunch more we'll include them -with a Hat Tip to you and my personal thanks - in our latest version of our great High Fiber Cookbook.

And anyone that contributes -whether the healthy recipe makes the final cut or not - will get our latest edition absolutely free: a $ 19.95 value downloaded right to your desktop.

So be a part of the solution! Cook away, and send those recipes to me personally at -

Doc@DrSteveHealth.com

By the way, to download your free "Weight Watchers tm" cookbook, just click here for the PDF version or here in Word . . . with my thanks!

Sleeping like a baby? NOT!

Are you still chasing the elusive Sleep Switch?

Have you been struggling with the stress and health issues that chronic insomnia brings? Research tells us that insomnia can cause many problems in health and cognition;

• Low energy
• Lack of motivation
• Attention, concentration or memory problems
• Poor performance at school or work
• Extreme mood changes
• Daytime sleepiness
• Trouble making errors at work or while driving
• Tension, headaches or stomach aches
• Frustration or worry about your sleep.

Chronic insomnia can put you at risk for major depression, and can logically lead to prescription drug dependence and overdose.

Insomnia occurs for a variety of reasons that can often be pinpointed through a survey, questionnaire or a full blown sleep study.

While the shelves of our pharmacies as well as the local health food/supplement store are crammed with sleep aids for over the counter use - to say nothing of the 100's of prescription products for sale behind the counter, the latest and greatest research is proving beyond any doubt that most insomniacs benefit from CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you change actions or thoughts that hurt your ability to sleep well. It helps you develop habits that promote a healthy pattern of sleep.

CBT can take a variety of forms including:

Stimulus control - creating a positive stimulus triggered by tiredness opposed to the negative stimulus of the fear of tossing and turning all night.
Sleep Restriction - setting strict limits on the time you spend in bed every night, forcibly limiting the number of bed time hours only to the number of hours that you actually sleep, not the hours tossing and turning. The idea is to deprive yourself of additional non productive hours attempting to sleep, decreasing the actual number of sleep hours and increasing your overall tiredness. It's goal is to stabilize your sleep pattern and instill more sound habits.
Cognitive control and counseling for the worries and negative thoughts that can race through your mind hour after miserable hour.
Sleep Hygiene, or improving your basis sleep habits - deleting coffee from your evening routine, exercising to increase fatigue and decrease stress, stop napping at mid day - those kinds of things.
And finally, relaxation training with biofeedback. This is the area that has helped me the most over the years. It consists of techniques such as muscle relaxation, controlled breathing meditation, as well as the more tech oriented methods of biofeedback, brainwave training and audio relaxation programs.

If you are experienced with sleep audio programs, there have been extraordinary improvements in the field over the last few years. They now incorporate unique brainwave frequencies at the proper timing and in the right order to help train you to go under with the ease of a baby.

Sleeptracks.com provides you with a simple 7 question survey to determine your basic needs for an audio sleep program, while true brainwave enthusiasts can look at the amazing site from My Mind Shift to give yourself a high tech kiss goodnight on your tired little forehead.

And for those of you who love freebies (and who doesn't!) try Tranquil Sleep Now. Along with your audio sleep system you pick up 107 yes 107 free bonus gifts!

A Free e- Book, just for you!

I love the long weekends! Amid all the current and non-stop News online and in the media, I have to go on a regular "News Fast" as our friend Dr. Andrew Weil calls it.

So I spend some time researching and surfing. Possibly no other category of health and nutrition is searched online more frequently then "Weight loss".

Google it today and you will find 92 million webpages dealing with the concept. No kidding, try it yourself! (BTW, a search for "George Bush" yields a mere 40 million pages.)

So, how does a person sort out the wheat from the chaff?

Well, we get to a point where we listen to our trusted sources and then surf on from there. In my morning monsoon desert surf, look what I was able to find for you . . .

An awesome little e-book with a few - 177 to be exact - tips for weight loss and exercise; some brilliant, some common sense (the least common of all our senses), some just worth trying.

For example:

1. Substitute fruit purees for butter or margarine. They are easy to prepare in a food processor and will significantly reduce calories and fat.

6. Water mixed with fructose suppresses appetite better than glucose with water or diet drinks. Drink a glass of orange juice one half to one hour before a meal.

73. If you love pie, stick with the fruit pies. Pumpkin and other fruit pies are lower in calories. Pecan pie has about 430 calories while the same slice of pumpkin pie is only 240. You can drop another 100 calories if you don’t eat the crust!

100. Not only is a single order of Fettucine Alfredo an artery clogger, it also weighs in at a whopping 1,500 calories! When eating Italian food, opt for pasta topped with marinara or meat sauce (skip the meatballs), red or white clam sauce or chicken Marsala.

So, take this 12 dollar e-book with my blessings, with an eye for the content which suits you best.

And enjoy the 173 other tips.

And of course, it's my gift to you. Get it here, for free.

FLASH-

My surfing also brought me to this gem. Dr. Suzanne must be doing something very right with her Secret weight loss program, because food and drug lobbyists are trying to shut her down.

"New Breakthrough Secret discovered by lady doctor has other doctors
baffled!"

Find out how Dr Suzanne Gudakunst discovered how calories, carbs, and such have far less to do with the real reason you're fat and can't seem to lose weight regardless of what you do!

It is currently available here:

Dr. Suzanne's Dangerous Secret

But hurry as lobbyists want her secret forever banned because it threatens the food & drug companies' continued stronghold on the masses in order for them to remain rich at the cost of YOUR health!

Time for Another Cleanse

Awoke early this morning, and had one thing on my mind: "Time for another cleanse."

Colon Cleansing has become a part of my regular health ritual, providing a lightness of being and a powerful result that few other healthful pursuits can provide.

I will often recommend a good cleanse to many of my patients exhibiting signs of toxicity; fatigue, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, problem complexion, pounds of extra flab, (regardless of how hard they try to lose it), lowered immune system function and many other common signs.

There are a large number of commercial cleanse products on the market, which work in only a few different ways.

In general, they may consist primarily of:

• a bowel stimulant or irritant (more commonly and most unfortunately termed a laxative),
• a mechanical bulk mover which is usually a healthy wad of fiber or an inert substance like Bentonite clay,
• a liquid nutritional supplement to keep the body processes, processing,
• or an oxygen "scrubber" which releases stabilized oxygen bound to Magnesium Oxide or Peroxide.

Then again, Oprah has helped to make famous the Master Cleanse , if Lemonade suits your detox fancy.

Personally, I use and recommend the oxygen based cleanser Oxy-Powder System.

By taking an oxygen based cleanser we feed the friendly bacteria with the oxygen they need to create a stable bowel environment. Oxygen will also oxidize and clean the entire bowel, relieving constipation and compaction.

When taking an oxygen colon cleanser you raise the level of ORS (Oxygen Reactive Species), which causes a stimulation of lymphocytes to produce T-cells. This process results in a beefed-up immune system, and a thoroughly cleansed digestive system.

Weight loss? Did you say, Detox is a key to healthy weight loss??

You bet. Check out this incredible research from Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst but be aware: the pictures of the grime in your gut are pretty graphic, and they get right to the point . . .

But what about dietary changes, a natural and tasteful way to colon health? Many of the superfoods that have powerful cleansing properties and the best way to use them can be found in the brilliant and Super Simple Detox 101- "Detox Your Body with the Seasons".

Here's what it takes, leading you to vital health and well being:

• First and foremost, eat more foods high in dietary fiber 25 grams a day for women, 35 grams a day for men.
• Green leafy vegetables can be the most effective colon cleaners on the supermarket shelf.
• Switch to whole grains and cut oats- all the good low GI (gycemic index) complex carbs.
• Cut out the system clogging meat and dairy: not a lecture on vegetarianism, just use moderation and common sense.
• Put the milk jug away or soda pops away, and drink 8 glasses of water every day.
• Incorporate the colon cleansing herbs into your recipes -psyllium, cayenne, aloe vera, ginger, cascara.
• Exercise yourself to cleaner colon; that's right. Once again, exercise is a prescription for long life and health, and a more active, cleaner colon.

---

Recipes of the week? Sure, here's a couple of high fiber salads that you can happily use to transition back from your cleanse: Veggie Cobb Salad and Pea Salad.

So, as I plan my next few days of cleansing, I urge you to consider the possibilities of achieving your energetic, digestive, and weightloss goals.

Now, where did I put that bottle of Oxy- Powder . . . . .

How Are You Doing With Fiber?

The National Cancer Institute recommends that you increase the amount of fiber in your diet to 20-30 grams of fiber a day. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cereals, dried beans, and peas. When shopping, read the food label. Foods that are high infiber contain 5 or more grams of fiber in a serving. Foods that are good sources of fiber contain 2.5 to 5 grams of fiber in a serving. Use the Nutrition Facts section of the food label to campare the dietary fiber content of products before you buy foods. Compare serving sizes when comparing dietary fiber content of foods.

Here's how quickly some simple food choices within a day can add up to at least 20 grams of fiber.


Breakfast choices:
1 oz bran flake cereal.............................4.0
1 medium banana....................................2.4
6 oz orange juice..................................0.5
Lunch choices:
1 sandwich (2 slices whole wheat bread)............3.0
2 cookies (fig bars)...............................2.0
1 large pear, with skin............................6.2
Dinner choices:
spaghetti (1 cup pasta)............................1.1
1 3/4 cup salad (mixed greens with carrots,
broccoli, and kidney beans.........................7.1
Total.............................................26.3
http://seniorhealth.about.com/library/nutrition/bldoingfiber.htm
High Fiber Health

Fiber: An Aid To Preventing Childhood Obesity

In the United States, one out of every five children is obese. Overweight children are at risk for such disorders as Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and liver disease.

Setting a good example for your children by eating a balanced diet and exercising can help your child achieve a healthy weight and avoid becoming an overweight or obese adult. Increasing dietary fiber is one simple step you can take towards improving your whole family's eating habits.

In children just as in adults, high fat, high calorie and high sugar foods are a major contributor to obesity. Giving your child healthy, fiber rich snacks such as Gnu Bars, fruits and vegetables is a good rule of thumb. High-fiber foods satisfy your child's hunger and help curb unhealthy snacking. You can find out more about how dietary fiber works to aid weight control in our section on dietary fiber and weight loss/obesity.

A good resource for you and your child to explore together is the US Department of Agriculture's Website at http://www.mypyramid.gov and select the "For Kids" area in the menu to the left. The site targets 6- to 11- year olds and helps them to learn the benefits of combining good eating habits with physical activity to create a healthy lifestyle. Here you'll find a host of interactive tools, games and posters based on the Agriculture Department's recommended food guidelines and pyramid.

Of course, if you have questions or are concerned about your child's weight, diet or exercise habits, consult your pediatrician or physician.

http://www.gnufoods.com/kids.cfm
High Fiber Health

Tips For Increasing Fiber In Your Diet

* Substitute whole wheat flour for half or all of the flour in home baked goods.
* When buying breads, crackers and breakfast cereals, make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour or another whole grain.
* Use brown rice, whole grain barley, bulgur (cracked wheat), buckwheat, groats (kasha) and millet in soups and salads, or as cereals and side dishes.
* Try a variety of whole wheat pastas in place of regular pasta.
* Sprinkle bran in spaghetti sauce, sloppy joes, ground meat mixtures and casseroles, pancakes, and other quick breads, and in cooked cereals and fruit crisp toppings.
* Eat skins and edible seeds of raw fruits and vegetables.
* For high fiber snacks, eat fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain crackers or popcorn.
* For lunches, pick crunchy vegetables stuffed in whole wheat pita bread, salads and hearty vegetable and bean soups.
* For dessert, bake berry pies, apples stuffed with prunes, dates, and raisins; fruit compotes; whole wheat fruit breads; brown rice or whole wheat bread puddings; and whole wheat cakes and cookies.
* Try Middle Eastern, Oriental and Mexican dishes that make liberal use of vegetables, whole grains and dried beans.
* Use whole grain or bran cereals for crunchy toppings on ice cream, yogurt, salads or casseroles. Nuts, toasted soybeans, sunflower kernels, and wheat germ also can add interesting flavors and increase the fiber content of you meal.
* Many vegetarian and high fiber cookbooks contain excellent high fiber recipes.

Note that many fiber values listed on labels, cookbooks and other reference materials use crude fiber values which are now outdated. Therefore, it is recommended that you use the dietary fiber values listed on the following pages when planning your meal menus.
http://www.midwestgastro.com/diet_nutrition/High_Fiber.html
High Fiber Health

Fill 'er Up With Fiber

There is no doubt among medical mavens that fiber is strongly associated with reduced incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, some cancers, and, it even helps with weight control. But for some among us, figuring out how to consume the 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day that we are urged to eat can be real challenge. As a result, the average American diet includes only about half the recommended amount. Here are some suggestions from the American Dietetic Association on how to get more fiber in your diet.

Increase the variety of foods you eat. With a little of this and a little of that you will cover soluble and insoluble fibers and get the benefits of both.

Don't skip breakfast. Breakfast is a key fiber meal--cereals, bran muffins, whole wheat toast, fruits. Go for unprocessed selections. Look for breakfast cereals with five or more grams of fiber per serving.

Switch to whole grains. Whole grains are more than just whole wheat-think cornmeal, oatmeal, or rye. Once you've made that change, mushy white 4 bread will be forever a non-food item to you. Plan to eat legumes two to three times a week. They are among the best sources of fiber and they can help you reduce the amount of meat protein you consume.
Running & FitNews, April, 2002
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NHF/is_4_20/ai_87353191
High Fiber Health

Fiber for Your Whole Body

Once upon a time our diet was made up mostly of whole foods loaded with fiber. While we may have fallen to a wild beast or infection, fiber helped keep our cholesterol and blood sugar levels low, and kept our bowels functioning smoothly.

Now in our frenzied lifestyle, we're more likely to grab fast food or use prepared foods at home that have only a passing acquaintance with dietary fiber. It's a little known fact: Most of us should double the amount of fiber we eat if we want to reap its benefits.

"I don't think it would be a bad idea to flip the food pyramid and suggest nine to 11 servings of fruits and vegetables a day instead of the five to seven we recommend now," says William Hart. "None of us eats enough fiber." The average American eats 12 grams of fiber a day; most health organizations recommend 20-35 grams.

Studies have shown that dietary fiber -- including foods such as apples, barley, beans, and other legumes, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran, and brown rice -- clearly lower blood cholesterol. High-fiber foods are also digested more slowly, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes, and sweets do. Of course, everyone knows that fiber helps keep you regular, but so do laxatives. Fiber, however, has an added plus: High-fiber foods help us feel full, making it easier to control weight.

You get more nutritional "bang for your buck" with high-fiber food, says Hart.
By Carol Sorgen
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96416.htm
High Fiber Health

Making Fiber A Part Of Your Diet

Dietary fiber is the parts of plants that your body can’t digest. Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber can help lower your blood cholesterol when eaten on a regular basis as part of a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apples. Of these, oats have the greatest proportion of soluble fiber.
Helpful Tip - When increasing fiber in your diet, do so gradually and increase the fluids you drink at the same time (unless your health care team advises differently). If you don’t, you may become constipated.

Insoluble fiber does not help lower blood cholesterol, but helps you have regular bowel movements. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, turnips and cauliflower.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Eating Plan suggests eating a variety of food fiber sources. Foods that contain fiber also are often good sources of other essential nutrients. Depending on how these foods are prepared, they are often low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

http://www.medformation.com/ac/hearthealth.nsf/page/fiber
High Fiber Health

Have You Had Your Fiber Today?

Research shows that a high-fiber diet may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other serious ailments. The problem is that most Americans don't get enough fiber. The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American Dietetic Association. Health experts recommend a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day for most people. Based on scientific evidence, the FDA has approved four claims related to fiber intake and
lowered risk of heart disease and cancer.

One claim states that dietary soluble fiber, when part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In 1997, FDA approved this claim for certain foods containing whole oats and in 1998, for certain foods containing psyllium seed husk. The other three claims, allowed since 1993, are:
* Grain products, fruits, and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
* Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
* Fiber or vitamin A (as beta-carotene) and vitamin C, may reduce the risk of some cancers.
http://www.mdri.com/Resources/Have%20You%20Had%20Your%20Fiber%20Today.htm
High Fiber Health

Study Finds That High Fiber Fruit, Vegetable and Nut Diet Lowers Cholesterol

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts may reduce cholesterol levels and consequently lower the risk of heart disease as effectively as state-of-the-art drug therapy, results of a recent study by researchers at the University of Toronto reveal.

The researchers investigated the effects of three diets on 10 healthy individuals. Each person followed a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts containing 100 grams of fiber; a diet of mostly cereals and legumes, containing 40 grams of fiber; and a low-fat diet that contained 25 grams of fiber, for 2 weeks. After just 1 week, individuals on the high-fiber diet lowered total cholesterol by about 20% and reduced LDL ("bad") cholesterol by about 30%.

Other diets tested led to more modest reductions in cholesterol, possibly because they contained fewer nuts than the high-fiber diet, according to researchers. The tested diet contained an average of 67 grams of nuts daily.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EUY/is_15_7/ai_73639772
High Fiber Health

Fiber-Rich Foods Can Lower Blood Pressure

In the war against high blood pressure, fruits and vegetables can play a potent role, suggests new research published in the March issue of the Journal of Hypertension. Eating a high fiber diet can lower high blood pressure and even improve healthy blood pressure levels, say Tulane University researchers.

"We performed a comprehensive analysis of data from 25 clinical trials, and all the data pointed to one strong conclusion: Adding fiber to a person's diet has a healthy effect on their blood pressure," says Seamus Whelton, lead author and a medical student at the Tulane University School of Medicine.

"Analyzing a large number of studies lends strength to the conclusions of clinical trials that involved too few participants to show an effect of dietary fiber on blood pressure," Whelton adds.

The data represent 1,477 adult study participants. People who ate 7.2 to 18.9 grams of fiber a day experienced a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Studies that continued for eight or more weeks also showed significant reductions in blood pressure.

The researchers recommend that people add fruits and vegetables to their diets in order to increase dietary fiber intake. People can also get dietary fiber in pill form, Whelton says.

"Other lifestyle changes can also help reduce blood pressure," Whelton added. He encourages people with high blood pressure to talk with their physician about lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise habits.
by Carla Sharetto
http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/000466/41
High Fiber Health

High Fiber Foods In Six Easy Steps

Foods that rate high in fiber can also be delicious. It's just a matter of making the right choices. Here are six basic types of food that contain high amounts of dietary fiber:

1. Beans - including pinto, navy, lima, kidney, and baked beans. Beans are especially high in soluble fiber, the cholesterol-lowering type.

2. Whole Grains - Wheat bran and Oat bran can be found in a variety of cereals and breads. Check the label. It must say whole wheat or whole grain. Plain wheat bread has little fiber. Also be aware that brown bread is not always high in fiber. Sometimes bread is artificially colored to make it look more wholesome.

3. Whole Fresh Fruits - these contain pectin which is another soluble fiber. Figs, prunes, and raspberries have the highest fiber content.

4. Cooked Fruits - cooking does not destroy the fiber. Prunes and applesauce are good choices.

5. Green Leafy Vegetables - be aware that most leafy vegetables like lettuce are mostly water and contain little fiber per serving. A typical lettuce salad is a poor choice. Spinach, kale, and broccoli are suggested.

6. Root Vegetables - potatoes, turnips, and carrots are best.

http://www.gihealth.com/html/education/highFiberDiet.html
High Fiber Health

High-Fiber Foods For A Heart-Healthy You

It's not where you start, it's where you finish. So get the morning off to a great start with a bowl of high fiber cereal with fresh fruit. Fiberlady is pleased to inform you that if you choose a cereal high in fiber with your favorite fruit on top, you could get as much as a third of your daily fiber requirement. For optimal health, 25-30 daily grams of fiber-rich foods is the goal. High fiber foods effectively reduce the risk of cancer, gastrointestinal conditions and diseases and the all too prevalent killer in our society, heart disease.

There are many studies that have verified the importance of a high fiber diet. One such 11-year British study showed how women and men reduced their chances of death from all causes by one third because of their high fiber intake. For women, the risk of heart disease was cut by nearly a half.

The lack of dietary fiber is a critical issue in the hearts of most Americans' diets. Fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, lentils, and whole grain breads are the high fiber foods that provide you with the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are the key essentials for good health and a healthy heart.

Fiberlady heartily encourages you to fulfill your dietary fiber requirements until it becomes second nature to your lifestyle. Start now.
by Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady
High Fiber Health

Fiber Supplements: Safe To Take Every Day?

There's no evidence that long-term use of fiber supplements, such as Metamucil, Konsyl or Citrucel, is harmful. Doctors may recommend that people with certain digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic constipation, take fiber supplements indefinitely.

Be sure to drink plenty of water or other fluids every day if you take fiber supplements. Fiber tends to absorb water. If your fluid intake is low and you increase fiber in your diet, stool can become hard — making constipation worse.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber-supplements/AN00130
High Fiber Health

Add Fiber for Greater Health Benefits

The cornerstone of a healthy diet is whole grains and cereals and fruits and vegetables, according to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The fiber found in plant products, including fruits, vegetables and grains, have the following benefits:

Insoluble fiber helps you avoid chronic constipation, diverticular disease and hemorrhoids.

Soluble fiber may lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

High-fiber foods help you feel full, preventing overeating. High-fiber foods tend to be low in fat and calories.

Fiber-rich foods may help reduce the risk of some cancers.

Adequate fiber intake lowers risk of developing diabetes by helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Health experts recommend that adults eat 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber daily. The typical American adult gets only about 15 grams, according to the USDA. Children need fiber, too. Over the age of three the amount needed each day is the child’s age plus five grams of fiber. For example, a six-year-old should get 11 grams of fiber daily.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/successfulfamily/Nutrition%20&%20Wellness/addfib.htm
High Fiber Health

Feeding Kids Fiber

Researchers from Penn State University recently asked parents of 5,437 young children to report what their kids ate over a two-day period. The youngsters’ main sources of fiber turned out to be applesauce, fruit cocktail, and pizza! Results of the survey were published in the February 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Kids need fiber for the same reasons adults do: to prevent constipation and to protect against heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer later in life. You get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals (look for products providing four to five grams of fiber per serving). In addition to fiber, these foods also provide such important nutrients as iron, folate and vitamins A and C.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends eating 14 grams of fiber for each 1,000 calories consumed. That may be hard for parents to calculate on an every- day basis. The American Heart Association has a simpler formula, a fiber guideline of age plus 5. Here’s the way it works: a five year old should consume 5 (his age) plus 5 for a total of 10 grams. The Heart Association recommends that the parents of all kids over age two should make an effort to ensure that their children get the recommended amount of fiber for their age. Once a child starts consuming an adult level of calories (1,500 per day) his fiber intake should be 25 grams, the amount recommended for adults.

Andrew Weil, M.D
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA356150/
High Fiber Health

Fiber Tops List Of What’s Set To Sell

Trying to keep up with food trends can feel as futile as shoveling the driveway in the middle of a blizzard. But when there’s compelling evidence—or a break in the storm—it’s a little easier to follow the winds of change. And for the foreseeable future, the No. 1 trend is going to be foods high in fiber, and often that means whole grains.

“Fiber is really hot,” says Stacey Zawel, president of Zawel Health Collaborative in Hingham, Mass., and executive director of the Beans for Health Alliance. Indeed, Productscan Online reported in September that the percentage of new-product introductions making high-fiber claims has nearly doubled in 2004, from 2.5 percent to 4.2 percent.

Natural and organic food producers, such as Rudi’s Organic Bakery and Nature’s Path, market numerous whole-grain, high-fiber products. But even mainstream mainstays like General Mills, Sara Lee and Nestlé have launched high-fiber products in recent months. GM announced it would be reformulating all its breakfast cereals with whole grains. Nestlé’s Lean Cuisine brand is launching a line called Spa Cuisine, which contains lean meat, vegetables and whole grains; and Sara Lee has rolled out new high-fiber varieties of Earth Grains bread.

One reason for the rising interest in whole grains and high fiber is the decline of the low-carb diet fad but continued interest in weight control. “Y’know, fiber’s the whole story there,” Zawel says. People “are moving away from simple carbohydrates and toward complex carbs, which means fiber.” Adding punch is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s August report on dietary guidelines, which emphasizes the ability of whole grains to reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and help with weight control. Consumers are urged to eat at least three 1-ounce servings daily of whole-grain foods, “preferably in place of refined grains.”
by Laurie Budgar
http://www.newhope.com/naturalcategorybuyer/ncb_backs/Winter_05/resolution.cfm?path=print
High Fiber Health

High-Fiber Diet May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk

Reducing your risk of colon cancer might be as simple as eating a bowl of high-fiber cereal and skim milk for breakfast, says a large study out today.

Cancer of the colon and rectum is the second-most-lethal malignancy in the USA, accounting for about 60,000 deaths annually. Only lung cancer kills more Americans.

The new study's findings are fairly consistent with previous research about colon cancer risk factors. Though it doesn't prove that cereal fiber and non-fat dairy products protect against colon cancer, "it shows there's a strong association here," says lead author David Lieberman, chief of gastroenterology at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Ore.

Because the vast majority of study participants were men, though, the findings can't be applied to women, Lieberman's team writes in the Journal of the American Medical Association .

Lieberman and colleagues at 12 VA hospitals used colonoscopy to screen 3,121 patients between the ages of 50 and 75. None had any symptoms of digestive tract problems, but colonoscopies revealed that about 10% had advanced precancerous polyps.

Colon cancer is thought to arise from benign polyps that take years to become malignant.
By Rita Rubin
http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/USATODAY/2003/12/10/374287?extID=10037&oliID=229
High Fiber Health