Express Diagnostics

How to get more fiber in your diet:

Start the day off right with whole grain cereal or toast (if your cholesterol is high, choose oatmeal or oat bran cereal or toast).

Instead of fruit juice, have a whole piece of fruit.

For a fiber-packed lunch, toss 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) into a dark leafy green salad.

Choose whole grain buns, bagels, English muffins, crackers and bread instead of enriched or white varieties.

Purchase whole-wheat pasta and brown rice instead of enriched or white varieties.

Top yogurt or cottage cheese with fresh fruit or nuts.

Give zest to broth soup by adding veggies, dried beans or barley.

Substitute brown rice for white rice.

Instead of cookies or chips, snack on vegetables, low-fat granola bars or trail mix.

6. Increase your intake of unrefined carbohydrates Eliminate processed or refined carbohydrate foods (e.g., white bread, white pasta, white rice) and substitute them with unrefined carbohydrate foods (e.g., whole grain breads, brown rice, oats, barley, bulgur [a form of whole wheat], quinoa [a grain-like product], whole wheat pasta, whole grain crackers and cereals, etc.). Unrefined or whole-grain carbohydrates provide more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber than refined carbohydrates.

7. Increase your intake of plant protein sources Increase your intake of plant sources of protein and cut back on the intake of animal protein. A steady diet of steaks, ground meat, pork, chicken and poultry with skin means a steady intake of cholesterol and saturated fat, both of which contribute to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease. So try to minimize the intake of meat and poultry. There are plenty of palatable nonmeat substitutes that provide good sources of protein but that also provide heart-friendly ingredients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Eat two to three vegetable protein meals weekly: split pea soup, garbanzo bean salad, bean- based meatless burgers, tofu stir-fry or textured vegetable protein.

Red meat should be eaten at no more than one meal per week.

Eat two skinless poultry meals each week.

Eat a minimum of six ounces of omega-3-rich fish weekly.

8. Choose nonfat dairy food sources (especially important for bone and blood pressure health) Such sources are skim milk or 1% milk, 1% or nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese, and reduced fat cheeses.

9. Decrease the number of desserts and sweets you eat to a few times per month. You don’t have to eliminate them from the menu altogether to derive benefit—just don’t make them part of your everyday diet.

10. Moderate alcohol intake Research is being conducted on the benefits of alcohol. Women who regularly consume alcohol (and have no history of alcohol abuse) should ingest no more than one alcoholic drink per day: 4 oz wine, 1.5 oz spirits, 12 oz beer. Women whose triglyceride levels are elevated (>150 mg/dL) should consider avoiding alcohol altogether.

11. Maintain or achieve a healthy body weight A body mass index, or BMI, of 18 to 24.9 is considered ideal. Speak with your physician or registered dietitian to learn how you can maintain or achieve a healthier body mass index. Even a loss of 5 to 10% of your body weight can have a significant impact on your overall heart health. For instance, a 200 lb. female would have to lose only 10 to 20 pounds; a 280 lb. male would have to lose only 14 to 28 pounds.

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Achieving the right balance

Everyone's body is different, and yoga postures should be modified based on individual abilities. Selecting an instructor who is experienced and attentive to your needs is an important first step to a safe and effective yoga practice.

Regardless of which type of yoga you practice, you don't have to do every pose. If a pose is uncomfortable or you can't hold it as long as the instructor requests, don't do it. Good instructors will understand and encourage you to explore — but not exceed — your personal limits.

Side Effects and Risks

Yoga is generally low-impact and safe for healthy people when practiced appropriately under the guidance of a well-trained instructor.

Overall, those who practice yoga have a low rate of side effects, and the risk of serious injury from yoga is quite low. However, certain types of stroke as well as pain from nerve damage are among the rare possible side effects of practicing yoga.

Women who are pregnant and people with certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, glaucoma (a condition in which fluid pressure within the eye slowly increases and may damage the eye's optic nerve), and sciatica (pain, weakness, numbing, or tingling that may extend from the lower back to the calf, foot, or even the toes), should modify or avoid some yoga poses.