Getting adequate amounts of fiber in your diet is important for a variety of reasons. The primary ones are that it improves digestion and contributes to lowering your risk of contracting chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The FDA recommends that adults get at least 25 to 30 grams in their diet every day. However, our typical western diet, which is high in refined grains and processed food, provides the average person only about 15 grams of fiber per day.
There are two different types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble, each of which fulfill an important task. Soluble fiber dissolves in water (and our stomach’s digestive juices), transforming into a gel-like substance that helps to lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and reduce high blood sugar. The primary purpose of insoluble fiber is to work as an indigestible bulking agent to keeps things moving along the digestive tract, which aids elimination and reduces the risk of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. Fiber may also help you to lose weight, and is important in maintaining general bowel health.
Among the best sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber are the following:
So be sure to add more from the above list to your weekly menu and enjoy the many benefits that increased fiber has to offer! If you have questions about your diet choices, always remember that you can call either of our Billings offices and schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Oblander or a member of our staff!
]]>When you work in an office job—even one that’s otherwise rewarding—it’s easy to feel trapped in a day-to-day pattern that doesn’t seem to leave much room for physical exercise or healthy eating. And this is true even though more and more Americans are becoming aware that sitting for long periods of time, often without a break, is hazardous to your health.
The simple truth is that they’re right to be concerned. One study conducted in 2010 indicated that “men who reported more than 23 hours a week of sedentary activity had a 64 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than those who reported fewer than 11 hours a week of sedentary activity.” And yet the nature of office work is essentially sedentary. So what can you do to change that fact and improve your health? This article lists a number of suggestions that may help.
“Poor circulation” can mean many things. Common symptoms include having consistently cold fingers and toes, experiencing tingling in your feet and hands, feelings of numbness, tiredness and a general lack of energy, and chronically dry skin. More serious symptoms of poor circulation can include headaches, hair loss, dizzy spells, varicose veins, muscle cramps, feeling short of breath, memory lapses (due to impaired blood flow to the brain), bluish-tinted skin, and slow healing times for wounds.
What causes poor circulation?
One of the most common causes is inactivity and lack of exercise. To keep the blood moving, you need to keep your body in motion. And do it often. Poor diet and carrying excess weight can lead to poor circulation, as can diabetes and many other chronic diseases. Medically, if you have been diagnosed as hypertensive (having high blood pressure), this is almost always an indicator of poor circulation. The “high pressure” is caused by your heart having to pump harder to cause the blood to keep flowing, often because of blood vessels that have become constricted because of stress, disease, or the buildup of plaque.
How can poor circulation be treated?
Serious circulatory problems can be treated with medication. But for most people anxious to improve their circulation and thus their overall health, a few lifestyle changes can do wonders:
If any of the symptoms become chronic, see your doctor or chiropractor. Don’t try to “tough it out” and live with the discomfort of consistent symptoms of poor circulation. Some of the causes can be very serious indeed, so see an expert to make sure.
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High blood pressure (hypertension) often has no visible symptoms, especially early on. The only way to determine your blood pressure is to have it measured. If you have high blood pressure, lowering it is vitally important to your long-term health and to reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Risk factors for high blood pressure include the following:
While you cannot influence some of these factors (such as genetic disposition and aging), it is possible to manage most of the items on this list.
Exercise is one very effective way to reduce high blood pressure. First of all, it increases your general level of activity. Second, it tends to lower your weight. And third, it helps to reduce stress because of the release of endorphins. Yoga and biofeedback have also been found to be beneficial in reducing stress.
When it comes to diet and blood pressure, bananas can be a useful addition. Bananas are a rich source of potassium and can help normalize the potassium-sodium balance in your cells. Limiting the sodium content of your food is also important. Eliminate refined sugar from your diet. Relying on fruit and natural 100% fruit juices to sweeten your diet can be one of the best things you can do.
Alcohol, like most everything else, should be taken in moderation. If you have too much stress in your life, realize that alcohol is a depressant and cannot help in the long run. Exercise is a much better stress reliever.
A few herbs are believed to contribute to high blood pressure risk:
Calcium and magnesium have been found to improve blood pressure. In particular, they’re associated with improving nerve action, calming nervous tension and reducing jitters.
These substances also help reducing high blood pressure or its risk:
If you have high blood pressure, be sure to consult with your doctor before following any of the above suggestions. But rest assured that there are natural ways for you to manage your blood pressure without resorting to drugs.
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There’s no doubt that many of us live very fast-paced lives. “Too much to do in too little time…” It’s this common complaint that’s helping to drive the popularity of energy drinks. After all, who couldn’t use a little boost to help get through another busy day? And it’s not only adults who are fueling the craze. Teenagers are among the biggest users of energy drinks when they need to be awake for morning classes after staying out late or studying all night.
So what’s the problem? Energy drink-related visits to the emergency room have doubled over the past four years, and most of these cases have involved teens and young adults.
Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Rock Star are starting to attract the attention of medical researchers and public health officials alike. This is leading to some troubling discoveries about what the ingredients in these drinks can do to our bodies. It’s also putting a spotlight on how these products are marketed. It turns out that energy drinks—unregulated and usually sold right alongside soft drinks in the supermarket—may be dangerous for our health.
What’s in the can? In addition to large amounts of caffeine and sugar, other ingredients commonly include taurine, glucuronolactone and guarana, as well as B-vitamins and a variety of herbal supplements such as ginseng, milk thistle and gingko biloba. The primary concern so far is the effect the combined stimulants in these drinks have on the heart. A typical energy drink contains up to three times as much caffeine as an equivalent amount of coffee or soda.
Energy drinks have been shown to produce arrhythmias (which are potentially life-threatening changes in your heart rhythm) and to raise blood pressure. Heart palpitations, seizures and sudden death can be caused when someone with an arrhythmia consumes an energy drink.
A study conducted by Dr. Jonas Dorner and colleagues from the University of Bonn in Germany found that energy drinks increase heart contractions. Dorner said “Until now, we haven’t known exactly what effect these energy drinks have on the function of the heart. There are concerns about the products’ potential adverse side effects on heart function, especially in adolescents and young adults, but there is little or no regulation of energy drink sales.”
The study involved 18 healthy volunteers, most of whom were male, who consumed an energy drink containing caffeine and taurine. They underwent an MRI an hour after taking the drink, and the results showed a significant increase in peak strain in the left ventricle of the heart.
Although these results may not cause problems in the short term for those who are young and healthy, these drinks may be a problem for anyone with heart disease. There are also no studies yet measuring the long-term effect that these energy drinks have on heart health.
Experts advise that children and anyone with a heart condition such as arrhythmia avoid consuming energy drinks due to the potential risks they pose.
]]>Most people know that calcium is important in maintaining strong bones. However, many are unaware that without adequate magnesium, the bones cannot absorb that calcium, making it worse than useless. If calcium supplements are taken without corresponding amounts of magnesium (in a proportion of 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium), the calcium will tend to build up in the soft tissues and the joints, contributing to osteoarthritis, while at the same time failing to protect against osteoporosis.
There are over 300 different enzymes in the body that require magnesium in order to work. Magnesium helps to lower blood pressure by keeping the muscles of the heart and blood vessels relaxed. It can reduce headaches (including migraines), alleviate symptoms of PMS, and reduce your risk of diabetes. It is also helpful in the treatment of kidney stones, constipation, muscle cramps, depression and anxiety, and reduces inflammation.
The NHANES study (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) of 1999-2000 found that 68% of Americans do not get their recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium. Adults who consume less than the RDA of magnesium are one and a half times more likely to have elevated markers for inflammation than those who get the recommended amount. Increased inflammatory markers indicate a higher risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
The recommended daily intake of magnesium is as follows:
Children 1-3 years: 80 mg/day
Children 4-8 years: 130 mg/day
Children 9-13 years: 240 mg/day
Girls 14-18 years: 360 mg/day
Women 19-30 years: 310 mg/day
Women 31 years and over: 320 mg/day
Pregnant women under 19 years: 400 mg/day
Pregnant women 19 to 30 years: 350 mg/day
Pregnant Women 31 years and up: 360 mg/day
Breastfeeding Women under 19 years: 360 mg/day
Breastfeeding Women 19 to 30 years: 310 mg/day
Breastfeeding Women 31 years and up: 320 mg/day
Boys 14-18 years: 410 mg/day
Men 19-30 years: 400 mg/day
Men 31 years and up: 420 mg/day
Although magnesium is found in a number of common foods, it is easily depleted by cooking and processing. There are also certain conditions that put you at risk of magnesium deficiency, including intestinal viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, kidney disease, pancreatitis and taking diuretics.
Signs of magnesium deficiency include muscle spasms or weakness, abnormal blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, sleep disorders, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, irritability and restless leg syndrome.
Good food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables (spinach, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens), seeds (sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, and flaxseed), nuts (almonds, cashews, and walnuts), baked potatoes and chocolate.
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