Fiber-tastic!

Want to eat and stay "fuller" longer? Staying full off healthy foods means eating less calories and trimming our waist line! We can fit into those jeans from years ago we all have buried on a shelf in our dresser. Now that we know how enticing this sounds, how do we make it happen?       FIBER

Insoluble fiber is indigestible and passes through our digestive tract intact. As our digestive tracts can only hold so much at one time, fiber rich foods are more filling than other foods. Eating a diet rich in fiber is shown to lower your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular, heart disease, and constipation. Let's not also forget shrinking our waist line!

So now that I know fiber is fantastic, where do I find it? Fiber is found richly in fruits and vegetables (so load on these as they provide MORE benefits than just fiber alone!), whole grains (opt for the 100% whole wheat version of foods at your grocery store..no white bread!), dried beans, seeds, and wheat bran. Let's get to it, ladies!

Now, there are a couple side effects of immediately shifting your food intake to being high-fiber. The RDA recommends that women aim for 30-35 grams of fiber/day. Do not make this transition your first day! Slow add more fiber to your diet and build up to the RDA listed above. The reason I say this is because fiber increases "gas", so we do not want to push the people around you away from you with being smelly! ;)

Here is a high fiber recipe for your family for dinner!

~Tex-Mex Taco Salad~

www.eatingwell.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 large plum tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed (see Tips for Two)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

PREPARATION

1. Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef (or turkey) and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato, beans, cumin, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring, until the tomato begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture.
3. Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture and toss to coat. Divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with the cooked meat and sprinkle with cheese.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tips for Two: Refrigerate leftover beans for up to 3 days. Toss with a green salad or into soup for extra protein; mash with garlic powder and chopped fresh herbs for a quick dip.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 343 calories; 13 g fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono); 81 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 32 g protein;8 g fiber; 851 mg sodium; 737 mg potassium.

Calcium, Calcium, Calcium

Healthier bones means healthier bodies, and keeping your bones healthy means calcium, calcium, calcium. Calcium is important for adult women to maintain bone strength and density of bones. Many of us probably think, "Drinking milk is important for kids, not us adults"; however, it is vital at every stage in our lives. For many of us either having gone through menopause or with menopause just around the corner, it is especially important we consume enough calcium as after menopause because without adequate stores there is a rapid breakdown of our bones. This rapid breakdown of the bones can lead to 
easier to have a fracture.


Don’t forget vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, and Vitamin D comes from fortified dairy products, egg yolks, salmon, tuna and other foods. Want an easier and cheaper way to get Vitamin D? Go in the sun! Try to be active outside for 30 minutes a day. Take a walk down the street or do yard work. We need to make sure we stay on top of our Vitamin D intake as it plays a large role in utilizing our calcium! 


What have we learned from today?
1) Find ways to eat calcium! 8 oz. Fat Free Milk, Low Fat cheese, Low Fat yogurt 
2) Be active outside in the sun to help your Vitamin D levels!


I have included a recipe that I found which is rich in calcium and low in calories. It is easy and makes for a light breakfast or dessert! The frozen or canned pineapple chunks are a cheaper alternative to buying fresh. I would recommend only having one of the fruits you buy be frozen/canned, and the other fresh because canned products have more sugar and we don't need that! If you do not like either of these fruits you can substitute them out for ones that you do enjoy, ladies! 


~ Pineapple Raseberry Parfait~

www.intelihealth.com

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce containers (2 cups) nonfat peach yogurt
• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries, (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or canned pineapple chunks

Preparation

   

• Divide and layer yogurt, raspberries and pineapple into 4 glasses.

Per serving: 109 calories; 0 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0g mono unsaturated fat); 2 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 58 mg sodium; 113 mg potassium