Tag: Dietary Fiber

Title:

Title:
The Whole Nine Months: Low Carb Diets and Pregnancy

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524

Summary:
Its very important to watch what you eat. You are eating for twowhich doesnt mean that you eat more (so say goodbye to that second slice of cake), but that you eat smart. You are your babys only source of nutrients, and you need the proper balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber and carbohydrates.

Keywords:
low carb diets, low carb food, low carb books

Article Body:
Its very important to watch what you eat. You are eating for twowhich doesnt mean that you eat more (so say goodbye to that second slice of cake), but that you eat smart. You are your babys only source of nutrients, and you need the proper balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber and carbohydrates.

That being said, most prenatal dieticians strongly advise against adhering to a strict no-carb diet. Without sufficient carbs, your body will produce a by-product called ketones during your blood stream, which can put your baby at risk for brain damage.

But what about low carb diets? Aside from the risk of mental retardation, there are some aspects of low carb diets that can worsen the discomforts of pregnancy. For example, low carb diets tend to have low levels of dietary fiber, which exacerbate the constipation that many pregnant moms suffer because of the required iron supplements. Also, most prenatal dieticians recommend taking a lot of fruit because of its rich vitamin content, but most of the items youll find in a typical shake are banned by Atkins and South Beach because of the sugars.

But some doctors may recommend taking modified low-carb diets, especially if you are obese, suffer from gestational diabetes or low blood sugar. All three conditions have been proven to have adverse affects on the baby (including prematurity, birth defects, and early rupture of the membranes) so losing weight or controlling intake may actually be the best thing for your baby.

If you are asked to go on a low-carb diet during pregnancy, you will probably be told to go on the maintenance phase of the Atkins Diet, or the second phase of the South Beach Diet. Here, you are allowed a controlled number of carbohydrates, usually from whole grains and fruits, while minimizing white bread, white rice, and pasta. That is fine, as you are still giving your baby the adequate nutrients, while removing processed foods.

If you are not allowed to go low-carb, but still need to control your weight, there are some options open to you. First of all, eat small but frequent meals. If you want a snack, instead of taking junk food or processed meats (which have a lot of calories, but significantly less nutrients), take salads, fruits, nuts and crackers. Choose lean cuts of meat, and minimize salt and rich sauces during cooking. And while you do need carbohydrates, take in moderation. One plate of pasta is good, three servings of it smothered in white sauce is not.

But the most important thing to remember is that before you go on any diet during pregnancy consult your obstetrician-gynaecologist. She or he can properly determine the best course of action given your particular medical history and the condition of your baby. Do not go on any weight management program without the advice and the approval of your doctor. Whether its low carb or Zone or the Mediterranean Diet, the point is that there is a proven link between prenatal nutrition and the babys health. Complications can include low birth weight, birth defects, and early delivery.

Dietary Fiber for Natural Health

Have you ever wondered if what you know about natural health is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on natural health.

When people look at the nutritional content of foods, they tend to concentrate more on calories, protein, fats and vitamins. Most of the time, people forget to consider the dietary fiber content of foods. In recent studies, it was shown that in America alone, less than half of the population gets enough fiber force their diet.

Taking in enough fiber will greatly improve your natural health and well – being. Here are some facts that you have to know about dietary fiber

What is it?
Roughage or dietary fiber is the indigestible part of plants that excursion wrapped up the digestive tract. Prerogative an overview, it helps the body absorb more water and improves elimination of wastes. Bona fide also helps in the absorption of nutrients and other chemicals.

Professional are 2 types of fiber. The soluble fiber is the one responsible for lowering blood cholesterol levels. Because of this, intake of enough soluble fiber will reduce your risk of developing heart diseases and stroke. Insoluble fiber increases bulk that your body needs to maintain the functions of your stomach and intestines. This type of fiber prevents you from experiencing constipation.

What are the benefits of getting enough fiber in your diet?

Bowel Movement and Integrity
Having enough fiber provides you with powerful. It helps you have well – formed and soft stool so wastes can pass tender. With this, you are sure not to have constipation. When you have diarrhea, adding fiber to your diet will help you absorb water and form capacious stools. Sound is also said that fiber can help gorge patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Having a high fiber diet also reduces your bet of increasing hemorrhoids, diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Since fiber helps you pass stool easily. There is no need for straining during defecation. This is one of the ways fiber helps prevent these health conditions.

Regulates Blood Cholesterol Levels
Soluble fiber helps maintain an ideal cholesterol level by reducing the amount of Low Density Lipoprotein ( LDL ) in your body. LDL is also called as bad cholesterol. It has also been studied that fiber can also lower your blood pressure. Maintaining a good blood cholesterol level puts you at lesser risk of developing heart diseases.

Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
This is one of the reasons that most diabetic patients add fiber in their diet. Getting enough soluble fiber aids in the absorption of sugar in your body. It helps your body absorb sugar slowly so diabetics encumbrance avoid sudden peaks on their blood sugar level. Enough insoluble fiber prestige your body is also said to prevent developing of type 2 diabetes.

Aids in Restraint Loss
Eating foods with high – fiber content may require you to chew your food longer than you would any other type of meat. Because of this, your body is given enough time to think that you are already full. This would lessen chances of in that eating. A high – fiber meal will also lower down hunger cravings because fiber takes a longer time to be digested. You feel full longer when you eat food with upraised fiber chirpy. Fibrous foods also have fewer amounts of calories in them. So no matter how exceptionally fiber you eat, you won’t have to worry about the number of calories you are taking magnetism.

Fiber is also oral to fight off carcinogenic agents, thence lowering your risk of getting certain types of cancer. If you want to improve your health the natural way, adding more fiber to your meals is a healthy idea.
So now you know a little bit about natural health. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.