Fiber Basics

Why is Fiber Important?

• Fiber is a substance found only in plants, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.
• It’s an important part of our daily diet because it helps keep us “regular” and prevents constipation.
• Foods that are high in fiber can help in the treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Fiber has also been found to play a role in helping protect against certain diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

How Much Fiber Does a Person Need Each Day?

• An easy rule of thumb for children ages 3 to 18 is to add “5” to their age in years - so if a child is 7 years old, they need at least 7 + 5 = 12 grams of fiber each day. 
• For adults, the range of fiber intake is 25 - 30 grams per day with an “upper limit” maximum of 35 grams per day. 

What Else Should I know?

• It is VERY IMPORTANT to take in enough liquids when eating a diet high in fiber. Otherwise the constipation may occur! 
• Also remember to increase the amount of fiber in the diet slowly so you do not develop a crampy, bloated stomach. 

High Fiber Ideas

• Prunes are an excellent source of fiber. Try cutting them into tiny pieces and mix into yogurt, cookies, muffins, cereal or pancake mix. They can also be pureed (and can be purchased this way as well).
• Try “old fashioned” oatmeal (not the instant kind). You can mix in recipes or make homemade oatmeal raisin cookies.
• Add processed bran to cereal, peanut butter, applesauce, casseroles and ground meats - aim for a goal of 1-2 tablespoons each day
• Whenever possible, pick whole grain breads, pastas, and rice over their white counterparts.
• Choose vegetables with higher fiber content such as peas, corn, potatoes, broccoli, spinach, dried beans (for dips, soups, burritos etc). Aim for at least 3 servings per day (1 serving = 1/4 cup for young children)
• Examples of fruits with higher fiber content include prunes, apricots, plums, raisins, cantaloupe, blueberries, and apples (with skin). Goal for day is 2 - 3 servings per day (1/2 cup or 1 small piece)

 

Fiber Boosters in the Diet

Instead of…		Try This
½ cup applesauce (1.5 g)	ààà	1 medium apple (3 grams fiber)
3 pancakes (1.4 g)	ààà	Aunt Jemima buckwheat pancakes (5 g)
1 waffle (1 g)	ààà	1 NutriGrain waffle (3 g)
1 cup Team Cheerios (1 g)	ààà	1 cup Multigrain Cheerios (3 g)
1 cup Frosted Flakes (< 1 g)	ààà	1 cup Wheaties (3 g)
¾ cup Captain Crunch (0.8 g)	ààà	¾ c Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran (5 g)
1 slice white bread (1 g)	ààà	1 slice whole wheat bread (2-3 g)
Taco Bell chili cheese burrito (5g)	ààà	Taco Bell bean burrito (13 g)
1 cup white rice (1 g)	ààà	1 cup brown rice (3 g)
½ cup green beans (1 g)	ààà	½ cup green peas (3 g)
Doughnut (0 g)	ààà	Bran Muffin (4 g)

Understanding Gluten Intolerance

As many as one in 133 adults in the United States suffer from an intolerance to gluten. Sometimes referred to as nontropical sprue, celiac disease, celiac sprue, or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, this condition is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other flours. Grains that contain gluten include wheat, barley, and rye. Ingredients in foods made from these grains also contain gluten-things like farina, graham flour, semolina, durum wheat, bulgur, Kamut, kasha, matzo meal, spelt, and triticale. Common foods that contain gluten include white or whole wheat bread, flour tortillas, pita bread, crackers, many cereals, pasta, cookies, gravies, and sauces.

What is gluten intolerance?

Gluten intolerance (or celiac disease) is a digestive condition triggered by eating gluten. When a person with gluten intolerance eats foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine. The result is damage to the villi on the surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb nutrients from food.

What are the signs of gluten intolerance?

Signs of this condition can vary widely, which is one reason it is so difficult to diagnose. Most people have general complains like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating that comes and goes. Symptoms may be similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, gastric ulcers, parasitic infections, or anemia. Some people with celiac disease have no gastrointestinal symptoms.

What is the cause of celiac disease?

The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown. However, can be inherited. If someone in your immediate family has it, you may have it as well. Celiac disease can occur at any age but sometimes emerges after some form of trauma such as pregnancy, surgery, or a physical injury.

How is celiac disease diagnosed?

Celiac disease can be identified by a blood test that detects antibodies that are present when a person with celiac disease has eaten gluten. This can be found by studying a sample of the intestine under a microscope.

How is celiac disease treated?

Celiac disease has no cure. It can be managed by completely removing gluten from the diet. Once you have done that the intestinal villi can heal completely.  To manage the disease and prevent complications, you must avoid foods that contain gluten for the rest of your life.

What can I eat if I have celiac disease?

If you are on a gluten-free diet you can enjoy fresh meats, fish, and poultry, most dairy products, fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, and gluten-free flours such as rice, soy, corn, and potato flour.

What should I avoid if I have celiac disease?

Breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, cookies, cakes, pies, gravies, and sauces can all contain gluten. Gluten-containing grains are often found in food additives such as malt flavoring and modified food starch. Reading food labels is critical to assure that you are not eating any gluten that might be in foods like commercial pie fillings, canned meats, condiments, soup mixes, non-dairy creamers, and many other foods.

 There is controversy as to whether or not oats should be omitted in a gluten-free diet because some people can eat them without having symptoms.

How can I locate gluten-free foods?

Fortunately, gluten-free products can be purchased in some markets and on-line via the Internet. Check with your local grocery store to see if they carry gluten-free products or rice or potato flour. Gluten-free forms of many foods are now available, including brownies, breads, and beer. An example of a gluten-free market is The Gluten-Free Mall, which can be accessed at http://www.glutenfreemall.com/.

References:

Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia: Celiac disease-sprue. Accessed January 2007. Available at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/print/ency/article/000233.htm

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Celiac Disease.
Accessed January 2007. Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

Going Veggie - Adopting a More Meatless Lifestyle

“Vegetarian” eating has many levels. It can be as extreme as the total avoidance of all animal- and insect-derived food products (including honey)… to simply eating meatless meals several times per week. Below are some common definitions:

• Vegetarian: a general term used to describe a person who excludes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy and/or other animal-derived foods from their diet.
• Lacto-vegetarian: person who consumes milk and milk products, but not meat, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs.
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: person who consumes milk, milk products, and eggs, but not meat, poultry, fish and seafood.
• Vegan: person who excludes all animal-derived foods (including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products) from their diets.

People often choose to eat less meat due to religious, ethical and/or health reasons. Once the decision is made to “go vegetarian”, it can be done instantaneously or gradually… whatever works best for you. Make it fun. You might wish to meet with a licensed nutrition professional such as a registered dietitian who can help you come up with a healthy, meatless meal plan that takes into consideration your specific dietary concerns, taste preferences and lifestyle. Below are some tips to help you get started.

Take a look at your current diet

• Make a list of the foods and menus that you typically eat for each meal.
• When do you eat meat the most?
• A particular meal, like dinner?
• In combination with other specific foods, like bacon with eggs?
• On certain days of the week, like weekends?
• At which meal (or meals) can you give up meat most easily?
• Identify the foods and meals that are already vegetarian, and expand from these.
• Spaghetti with marinara sauce
• Bean burritos or bean soup
• Cheese or peanut butter sandwiches
• Plan several meatless meals using foods you already know and enjoy.

Add more meatless meals by modifying favorite meat-based recipes

• Use beans, tofu and/or TVP (texturized vegetable protein) instead of ground beef or ground turkey:
• Chili
• Spaghetti sauce
• Stuffed peppers or cabbage
• Tacos or burritos

Expand your taste buds…find new recipes on-line or in cookbooks; try new foods

• Try various brands of meatless products – burgers, nuggets, recipe crumbles, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, etc.
• Keep quick-cooking grain products on hand – dry pasta, couscous, quinoa, barley, different types of rice, meatless ravioli and tortellini, kasha (buckwheat).
• Keep a variety of canned beans and legumes on hand (rinse with water to reduce sodium) – black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, lentils, navy beans, pinto beans.
• Keep frozen vegetable mixes, low-sodium canned vegetables, and precut fresh vegetables on hand – keep fresh veggies in cold water in the refrigerator to help it stay crisp.
• Ethnic foods have lots of meatless options – Italian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai

Meal Ideas

• Breakfast
• Cooked grains – oatmeal, quinoa, barley, rice – with dried cranberries and raisins, chopped nuts, maple syrup and low fat milk or yogurt
• Pancakes or waffles with sliced peaches and berries, yogurt and nuts
• Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and sliced banana
• English muffin with egg, vegetarian sausage patty, soy cheese and tomato
• Fruit salad topped with low fat yogurt and granola or high fiber cereal
• Lunch
• Salad bar fixings – beans, pasta, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, lettuce, pasta – with vinaigrette dressing
• Pasta salad with vegetables, olives, veggie ham or salami
• Vegetable, lentil or bean soup with whole grain crusty bread
• Cheese sandwich with tomato and lettuce on whole grain bread
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread
• Bean spreads or nut spreads on whole grain bread or crackers
• Low fat cream cheese and chopped nuts on raisin bread
• Baked potato with steamed vegetables and spaghetti sauce or salsa
• Dinner leftovers
• Dinner
• Pasta with vegetables (primavera) and meatless, tomato-based sauce
• Rice, couscous or quinoa cooked with peas, corn and beans
• Vegetable lasagna or chili
• Tacos or burritos filled with beans, salsa, tomatoes, green peppers, etc.
• Broiled vegetable burgers and roasted vegetables – bell peppers, onions, portabella mushrooms, zucchini
• Stir-fries with vegetables and tofu or tempeh, peanuts and rice
• Macaroni and cheese (made with reduced fat cheese or soy cheese)
• Pizza – plain or with vegetables – with or without cheese

References:

Whitney EN, Rolfes SR. Hightlight: Vegetarian Diets, pp. 196-202. In: Understanding Nutrition, 9th ed. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning: Belmont, CA; 2002.

Ford L. Making the change to a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian Nutrition, a dietetic practice group of the American Dietetic Association; 2001.

Simply Nutrition
Simply Feel Your Best                               Facilitating Change in Your Nutritional Health

Depends on your individual goals.  Those interested in identifying food sensitivities should plan on two to three sessions, while those interested in weight loss will likely need ongoing sessions to address individual barriers.  The Wire For Joy classes last six weeks and the Solution for Weight is eight weeks long.  The Shapedown program is eight weeks long.

The initial session is a time for me to become with your issues and goals.  This process requires additional time to develop an individual nutrition care plan. Follow up sessions are fifty minutes.

Emailing is a great way for you to get your nutrition related questions answered by a reliable source.   It is helpful for those who do not what or need to commit to a full session.  Simply e-mail me your question and I will provide a response within 24 hours.

Yes.  Telephone consults can be scheduled and conducted just like an in office session.  Unfortunately insurance does not pay for this kind of service.

I do not provider visits at this time.

Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I accept Aetna, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado,  American Specialty Health, Humana, United Health Care, Premera Blue Cross, Great-West Healthcare, Health Allies, Reserve National and Medical Resource and Medicare B. I ask that you contact your insurance provider for coverage details prior to making an appointment.  Be aware that many issues are not covered (for example weight loss), while other related conditions might be (i.e. diabetes, high cholesterol, IBS) so it is important that you ask what conditions are covered under your plan.  Another important question to ask:  If and how many sessions with RD’s are allowed in a calendar year, the percentage of visit covered, whether your deductible has been meet, and whether a referral from a physician is needed.  Please be aware that any session fees rejected by the insurance company or deductibles not yet meet will be the responsibility of the client.