Get Fit With Fiber

You’ve always known fiber was good for “regularity,” but did you know research also shows fiber can help protect against serious illness as well?
Unfortunately, Americans on average consume only 10-15 grams of fiber a day, far less than the 30 – 35 grams recommended by the American Cancer Society and American Dietetic Association. But don’t think popping a fiber “pill” will solve all your problems. Most of those “bulk laxatives” and fiber pills contain only soluble fiber, but the body needs both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble Fiber:
• Helps lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting cholesterol production and binding with cholesterol, leaving less to build up on artery walls.
According to the American Heart Association, a diet rich in soluble fiber can reduce serum cholesterol and lead to a significant decrease in the risk for cardiovascular disease. Learn more.

• Helps improve blood glucose control and improves the body’s use of insulin by slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. This in turn decreases the rapid rise of blood sugars after meals.

Insoluble Fiber:
• Acts as a bulking agent to speed transit time in the colon, reducing constipation, diverticulosis and the risk of colon cancer and other intestinal diseases.

• Supports the growth of “good-guy” bacteria in the colon that keep toxin-producing “bad-guy” bacteria in check.

• Enhances weight loss by improving satiety, and blocking the absorption of calories.

Fiber-rich foods include fruits, such as pears, figs and berries; vegetables, such as peas, Brussels sprouts and greens; whole grain breads, cereals and pasta; legumes, nuts and seeds, such as lentils, black beans and almonds.

Relìv’s FibRestore®, a fiber-rich antioxidant supplement, provides 10 grams of dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble) per serving.

What’s So Great About Losing Weight? (Besides Looking Better?)

If you ask your heart, or back, or joints, the most important reason to lose weight is for your health, not your looks. So consider looking better a major perk of weight loss — not to mention great motivation. Your clothes will fit better. Your self-confidence will soar. You may even dress better. But your whole body, from the inside out, will celebrate your weight loss!

Let’s look more closely at how weight affects your body.

Heart Disease
The heavier you are, the harder your heart has to work. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease, the pathway to heart attacks. In addition, the heart disease risk factors of high blood pressure and cholesterol are more common in people who are overweight and obese. Those same risk factors also increase your risk for stroke. The good news is the Framingham Study shows that each 10 percent decrease in weight reduced coronary heart disease by 20 percent in men. And when your heart is healthy, every part of you works better!

Diabetes
Consider this scary fact: Gaining just 11 to 18 pounds doubles your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Over 80 percent of people with diabetes are overweight or obese. But even modest weight loss — about 10 pounds — combined with increased activity, can reduce your risk for diabetes and improve blood sugar if you have diabetes. If you do have diabetes, losing small amounts of weight also can reduce the amount of medication you need to regulate your blood sugar levels. Overall, managing your weight is the best thing you can do to prevent the development of diabetes.

Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit their doctor. The biggest risk factor for back pain is carrying extra weight. The more out of shape you are and the heavier you are, the more stress you put on your back. One of the best things you can do to prevent and eliminate back pain is to lose weight and strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.

Arthritis
For every two pounds you gain, your risk of developing arthritis increases 9 to 13 percent. But symptoms of arthritis do improve with weight loss. Patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 25 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear arthritis, than those with a lower BMI. Your knees and hips especially take the brunt of excess weight and will thank you for losing even 10 pounds.

Cancer
Yes, weight even affects cancer risk. Being overweight and obese can increase your risk for cancers such as colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney and endometrial, cervical, ovarian, and postmenopausal breast cancers. In fact, obesity and being overweight are clearly associated with doubling the risk of kidney cancer in men and women. And postmenopausal breast cancer risk also doubles with being overweight.

Weight Loss for Life
In addition to the “biggies” mentioned here, being overweight also can cause a host of other problems including sleep apnea, fatigue, breathlessness, sleeplessness, varicose veins and even rashes and warts! Obviously, being overweight is anything but jolly. That’s why today is the day for you to start losing weight and getting healthier.

A simple, healthy way to lose weight is having Relìv’s Slimplicity® Weight Loss System on your side. With a delicious meal replacement shake, Accelerator capsules to curb your appetite and rev metabolism, an exercise and food journal, online support, and a pedometer to track your 10,000 steps a day, you have all the tools you need for a slimmer, healthier new you.