Have a Heart - How a High Fiber Diet Improves Cardiovascular Health

By Alex White, MD

Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

When most people think about fiber, they associate it with keeping their digestive tract moving along.  Aside from keeping you regular, diets high in fiber can also help your body do so much more.  Most doctors recommend foods high in dietary fiber as a way of improving cardiovascular health.  It is now known that high fiber diets can help reduce risk factors linked to coronary heart disease. 

While there are drugs on the market that can be prescribed to deal with the onset of heart disease, there are several reasons why a change in your diet is a better way to go. 

1. There are few side effects associated with adding fiber to your diet 
2. As well as helping your heart, high-fiber diets can also help you maintain blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of stroke, and even lose weight. 
3. Fiber also improves digestive health while reducing the risk of bowel cancer.

Image from en.wikipedia.org

Everyone always talks about “Superfoods” such as quinoa, blueberries, oatmeal, apples, almonds, beans and pistachios.  Aside from containing antioxidants, what makes many superfoods “super” is that they are also high in fiber.  Want more reasons to add fiber to your diet?  Here are some three heart-healthy hints about how fiber improves your cardiovascular system:

Removes LDL Cholesterol - Soluble fiber can reduce LDL cholesterol by binding with it in your digestive tract and eliminating it before it can be absorbed by the body.

Reduces Blood Pressure – Studies were conducted where volunteers were put on a high-fiber diet.  After 12 weeks, the test subjects showed a reduction in blood pressure.

Lessens the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome – This can include symptoms such as hypertension and high blood triglycerides.

A number of prestigious medical institutions, including the Mayo Clinic, recognize the fact that diet and heart disease are linked.  Currently, heart disease is the #1 killer of men and women alike, claiming far more lives than cancer.  In the past, being diagnosed with heart disease was a catastrophe, virtually a death sentence.  Today, doctors know that there are a number of things that people who either have, or are at risk of developing heart disease, can do to fight back. 

Be Careful What You Ask For

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Watching what you eat is a big part of the process, especially if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or are overweight.  Since it takes time to create any of these physical problems, it is going to take time to turn them around.  Contrary to big pharma, there is no “magic pill” that can cure heart disease.  That being said, there is also no single food that can return your heart to a healthy state.  The trick when it comes to diet is to assess your eating habits, then devise a way to incorporate healthy alternatives to some of the food that lead to clogged arteries and high blood pressure.

Smarter Cereal – Simply switching from rice and corn cereal to bran can add an extra 6 grams of fiber to your breakfast.  If you absolutely must have that bowl of Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes, try adding a couple tablespoons of flax seed or wheat bran to your bowl.

Leverage Your Lunch – Instead of making a sandwich with white bread, substitute whole grain breads, especially those loaded with seeds.  If you love pasta, make or find pasta made from whole grain or other sources of fiber.  A quick search online produced a myriad of high-fiber pastas, including those made with edamame, black beans and mung beans.  Many supermarkets now stock high fiber products as well.

Better Baking – While those cookies and donuts at the office might be talking to you, the trick to getting your fix without destroying your diet is to buy or make healthier treats.  Below is a recipe for Guilt-Free Cookies, that are not only delicious, they’re nutritious and loaded with fiber.

3 ripe mashed bananas (9 grams fiber)

1/3 cup apple sauce (1.5 grams fiber)

2 cups of oats (8 grams fiber)

¼ cup almond milk

1/8 cup of honey

½ cup raisins (2.5 grams fiber)

1 tsp vanilla

1tsp cinnamon

Mash the bananas, then add the remaining ingredients.  Mix together, then drop 1 heaping tablespoon onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. (See the video below.)

Fiber Supplements

Image courtesy of MicrobeFiber.com

Another way to get your fiber fix is via fiber supplement.  If you are into cooking, find a powdered fiber supplement.  This can easily be added into recipes and/or mixed into beverages and smoothies.  Be sure to find a supplement that doesn’t have any added fillers or artificial sweeteners.  One such supplement is MicrobeFiber™.

MicrobeFiber™ guarantees the quality and freshness of its products. Fiber is critical for gut health but unfortunately less than 3% of Americans eat the recommended amount daily.  MicrobeFiber provides the right quality and quantity of microbes and fiber to improve your gut health.

Hear how MicrobeFiber™ helped one woman with her heart problems.   

The bottom line is that by making a few adjustments to your diet, you can improve your cholesterol level, reduce your blood pressure and minimize the risk of heart disease. 

Alex White, MD is the Clinical Research Director of MicrobeFiber™.