Whole Grains Prevent Weight Gain
Research from Harvard, recently published in the highly respected peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Nutrition, has now proven that women who eat the most whole grains lose more weight and maintain that weight loss better than women who eat the least amount of whole grains.
In a twelve year study of over 74,000 nurses, ages 38 to 63, the researchers discovered that women who ate the most whole grain foods weighed less than those who ate the least. The Harvard scientists concluded that the high whole grain group of women had a 49 percent lower risk of gaining weight. The women eating the most whole grains also had a much lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.
For many years now, nutritional research has recommended the consumption of nutritious whole grains because they’re rich in vitamin E and other essential oils, B complex, protein, minerals and high quality fiber. But, this is the first time that whole grains have been proven to have such a major effect on both weight loss and optimal weight management.
Although some popular diets lump all carbohydrates together, this study proved there is a major distinction. As I’ve said before, “All carbohydrates are not created equal.” In the Harvard study, women who ate large quantities of processed, refined grains tended to be obese, whereas women who ate the most whole grains weighed less than all the other women in the study and had less tendency to gain weight.
So, be sure to include 100% whole grain breads and cereals in your weight loss program. Read the labels. Look for the coarsest, least processed whole grains. Sprouted and stone ground are best. And make sure that high glycemic sweeteners are not high on the ingredient list. European style rye bread or hearty rye crackers are also good choices. The coarser the grain the better. The same goes for cereal. Old fashioned oatmeal should be your choice rather than oat flakes or “instant’ hot cereals. Avoid ‘puffed” cereals also, even though they might claim to be 100 % whole grain. My favorite breads are “Ezekiel” from Food for Life. They can usually be found refrigerated at most major health food stores.
This latest research shows that you can eat hearty whole grains, enjoy these low glycemic carbohydrates and stay trim and healthy. Because now we can say for a fact that whole grains help prevent weight gain.
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3 Steps Gastric Bypass Patients Can Take to Avoid Calcium Deficiency
Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets; the average daily intake is 500 milligrams shy of the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams.
Gastric bypass patients are even more unlikely to intake adequate dietary calcium and without supplementation they may become calcium deficient which ultimately results in osteoporosis. Weight loss surgery patients are limited by the volume of calcium rich foods they may consume. In addition, the malabsorption issue resulting from gastric bypass presents another problem. Since the bowel does not readily absorb calcium and the stomach is drastically shortened there is limited opportunity for the calcium to be absorbed in the body.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body – we have two or three pounds of it, most of which is located in the bones and teeth. In addition to building bones and teeth, calcium is an electrolyte required for transmitting nerve signals, water balance, acid/alkaline balance and maintaining osmotic pressure. It helps the blood to clot and is necessary for the heart muscle function. It’s long been known that calcium will aid in the prevention of osteoporosis, but new studies are identifying calcium for it’s anticancer actions within the colon.
Most dietary calcium comes from dairy products but can also be found in sardines, canned salmon, green leafy vegetables and tofu. The National Academy of Sciences has raised the calcium guideline to 1,000 milligrams a day for people under 51, and to 1,200-1,500 milligrams a day for people over 51.
Gastric bypass patients can do three things to better assimilate calcium in the body:
First, take a chewable calcium supplement twice daily.
Second, exercise consistently.
Third, enjoy sunshine every day.
Chewable supplements taken twice daily will more rapidly dissolve and assimilate into the body than hard pills. They should be 500 milligrams each; the body cannot absorb more than 500 milligrams at a time. The best supplements are calcium citrate, calcium carbonate and calcium lactate.
Next, studies show that people who exercise regularly better assimilate calcium into the body than sedentary individuals. Even though US Astronauts take calcium supplements in orbit, they return to Earth calcium deficient; NASA believes lack of physical activity prevents their bodies from assimilating the calcium.
Finally, get some sunshine. Twenty minutes a day of direct or indirect sunlight will give the body plenty of natural vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin", which is necessary for calcium assimilation.
Doing these three things will make you feel great today and will contribute to healthier aging. Osteoporosis is an epidemic in this country and is directly attributed to calcium deficiency. We all know that when an elderly person falls and breaks a hip death is imminent. Osteoporosis is nearly always the reason why hipbones break when older people fall. In the case of osteoporosis there is nothing the body can do to defend itself from the loss of calcium associated with aging. Supplementation is necessary throughout adulthood to prevent chronic calcium deficiency.
Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of .livingafterwls.com and .livingafterwls.blogspot.com
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