Saturday, January 9, 2016

New Year's Resolutions


Sage advice, which I aim to apply both at home and work.

My other resolution is to use diet to tackle my high triglycerides & cholesterol. I eat well (very little fast food or processed foods), and exercise every day, so the doctor was saying my high levels are likely hereditary versus lifestyle induced.

I've successfully lowered my cholesterol in the past with dietary changes, not by cutting out bad fats so much as by adding good ones (olive oil, avocado, nuts).  My mom also did this effectively with a morning concoction of: 1/4 cup 1% cottage cheese + 1 tbsp of olive oil + tbsp flax + tsp. of psylium + dash of cayenne pepper.

So the doctor and I agreed to an experiment to see if adding a concoction might help to improve my results.

I have had the same blood test results for the last year; triglycerides so high that a reliable reading for LDL isn't possible. I'm aiming to schedule a follow-up in spring, which should help motivate me to keep eating this concoction as either a morning or bedtime snack:
  • 1/3 cup All Bran Buds mixed with Greek yogurt OR
  • fruit or veggie smoothie with Metamucil (psylium) or Benefibre (Inulin)
Maybe I'll even add some olive oil and cayenne pepper.

 ...........

My doctor helpfully gave me a sheet with some tips for adding fibre:
  • Sprinkle 1/3 cup of All Bran Buds over your favourite cereal or yogurt
  • Choose breakfast cereal with 4 grams of fibre per serving
  • Choose whole grain breads with 2 or more grams of fibre per slice
  • Choose whole wheat pasta and brown rice more often than white
  • Add 1-2 tbsp ground flax to cereal or yogurt
  • Choose vegetables and fruits as snacks more often
  • Fill half your plate with a variety of vegetables at your meals
  • Have whole fruit instead of fruit juice
  • It is important to add high fibre foods gradually and increase intake of water.
  • Aim for 25 - 35 grams daily
2 types of fibre
  • Soluble: slows down the amount of time food spends in our digestive tract. Counters diarrhea. This type of fibre can help lower LDL cholesterol and help control blood sugars.
  • Insoluble: Helps to speed up the amount of time food spends in our digestive tract. Counters constipation.
Fibre Scoreboard

1 comment:

Dick Grannan said...

Perhaps my resolution this year is to make a resolution next year! Never understood 'resolutions'...you just do what you have to do.
Three blogs in a row. Busy, busy, busy, busy...