The Three F's

 

Happy Spring!

Spring is here. You have been thinking about improving your health but not sure you have the time. Simple works, and here are three simple things you can add to your day that will immediately improve your health! 

 Fiber

Increase fiber in your diet by adding daily servings of whole grains, legumes, fresh vegetables and fruits.  Eat as seasonally as possible and explore high fiber choices like blackberries or raspberries (contain twice as much fiber as blueberries and strawberries), some good greens like collards or some fresh peas. 

Why fiber?   Science is clear that fiber decreases the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart attacks. The more the better. Be careful your fiber is not mixed with large amounts of sugar (breakfast cereals are often guilty of this). On average, we Americans consume only 15 grams of fiber daily, while other nations with lower incidence of chronic disease consume ten times that amount, just one sign that we have a dramatic need to increase fiber in our diet.  I advise that you add fiber gradually and allow your system to get accustomed to the increase.

 Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are the single best source of omega-3 oils outside of eating fish.  They decrease risk of breast and prostate cancer and have an anti-inflammatory   effect. One other bonus is that they are a high fiber food.

Reminder:  Keep your flax seed refrigerated as they oxidize easily and then grind your seeds as needed before sprinkling them on your oatmeal, in your smoothie, on your salad or soup.  Recommended serving is 1-2 tablespoons /day

 Fats

Are you surprised?  Healthy fats are a foundation of an anti-inflammatory diet. So grab some cold water fish, avocados, nuts and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).  Most Americans consume way too much saturated fats, thus increasing their chances of cardiovascular disease and diseases based in chronic  inflammation.

When choosing a cooking oil for sautée or stir fried use EVOO or organic canola oil instead of other oils. Never reuse oils and if the oil smokes, throw it out and start over.

These three Fs… FIBER, FLAX AND FATS ... maybe you never thought of them this way?  We learn through repetition, and indeed, action is what counts.  Your life is worth the effort of these small, simple changes, so … right NOW, add these to your shopping list and then integrate them into your day.   I would love to hear how that goes and how you have used these.

To your health,

Robert Pendergrast, MD, MPH

Aiken-Augusta Holistic Health

​​​​​​​www.aikenaugustaholistichealth.com