Lifestyles® individually wrapped Dream Cookies are a quick and convenient way to increase the amount of fiber in your diet.
And they make a wonderfully nutritious snack for busy people on the go.
Mix and match from a variety of five delicious flavors.
March, 2000 - UPDATE
Fiber is still your best friend
The importance of a high-fiber diet has nearly gotten lost in the shuffle lately, given the range of discoveries made about the heart-protective benefits of phytochemicals, antioxidants, different kinds of fatty acids, and other nutritional elements. We report frequently on such advances. And as we also reported last April, new research has cast doubt on the idea that a high fiber intake protects against colon cancer. But don't give up on "roughage," as your grandmother probably called it. It's even better for you than she said it was.
Indeed, according to a new 10-year study of the dietary habits of nearly 3,000 young adults, those who had a high-fiber diet were more likely to be healthy than those who merely kept their fat consumption low. This was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in October. A high fiber intake turned out to be an independent factor (not tied to exercise or other dietary habits) in controlling weight gain and high insulin levels, which can promote heart disease and diabetes. People in the study who ate more than 10.5 grams of fiber for every 1,000 daily calories were less likely to be overweight or to have gained weight in the 10-year period. They also had fewer risk factors for cardiovascular disease - that is, they were less likely to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and high blood cholesterol.
The researchers emphasized that their study did not tell the whole story. But there's plenty of other evidence that a high-fiber diet - one based on fruits, whole grains, and vegetables - protects against heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, whether or not it actually controls insulin levels.
Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods; it comes in two types - soluble and insoluble - and foods high in fiber usually contain some of both. (This study did not differentiate between the beneficial effects of the two types.) You should try to consume at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day.
Figure your fiber For a rough idea of how much fiber you eat on a typical day consider the fiber in each of these "servings". Remember official "serving sizes" are small. Just one slice of bread or piece of fruit; 1/2 cup of cooked beans, rice, pasta, vegetables or berries; 1/2 medium muffin; 1 cup of raw leafy greens; 1/4 cup of nuts; 1 ounce of crackers; 1 or 2 ounces of cereal.
This article taken from UC Berkeley wellness Letter, Volume 16, Issue 6, March 2000
January 1999, - UPDATE
Eat Fiber To Stay Slim
"I'm not recommending that we go out and put Metamucil on our Haagen-Dazs," said Dr. David S. Ludwig of Children's Hospital in Boston. But "you certainly do better by eating unprocessed foods -- the way grandma told us to eat."
Ludwig found that no matter how much fat they ate, study participants who the most fiber gained less weight than those eating the least fiber. Ludwig's 10 - year study was published in Journal of the American Mecial Association. Fiber slows the rate of nutrient absorption following a meal, reducing the rise of blood sugar levels and secretion of insulin level has been associated as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Vancouver Sun - December - 1999
January 1999, - UPDATE
And another recent article from University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter The WHOLE GRAIN Test
"Whole grains" play a key role in a heart-healthy, anti-cancer diet. Whole grains -- whether wheat, oats, rice, rye, barley, or some other grain -- come with the natural bran and germ. Refined grains have been stripped of their bran and germ, and thus most of their fiber and many of their nutrients. They are usually enriched with a few vitamins and minerals, sometimes even with fiber, but not all nutrients are replaced.
One recent study showed that women who ate whole grains, rather than refined ones, reduced their risk of heart attack by 30%. What conferred the benefit? Possibly the fiber, the vitamins (including vitamin E and some B vitamins), or various phytochemicals (substances in plants that may act as antioxidants and play other important roles in the body). We recently reported on new evidence that fiber protects against colon cancer, too. Whole grains also help control blood sugar and may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. They are some of the most healthful foods you can eat.
Do not be fooled by the following words: Enriched, unbleached, bromated, stone ground, granulated, 100% wheat, rye, pumpernickel, multi-grain, 7-grain, semolina, or organic. These products may contain little or no whole grains.
Look for the word "whole" before "wheat".
Oats are always whole, no matter how they're sliced (fine-cut, coarse-cut, instant, or regular).
"Oatmeal" bread is the big exception. The first ingredient in oatmeal brread is invariably refined wheat flour. Oats are way down on the list. That means there won't be enough of them to supply any significant amount of bran and fiber.
Brown and wild rice are whole grains; white rice is refined.
Final Glance: The only sure way to know if the product you buy is whole-grain is to read the label. If the first ingredient is whole-wheat flour, oats, brown rice, or whole-rye flour, you're getting what you need.
This information taken from the University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 15, Issue 4, January 1999
July 1997, - UPDATE
Here's a recent article from University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter: "Stoneground. Baked with 7 grains. Multi-Grain Bread." So says one package. Bursting with fiber and whole grains - No they are not! The chief ingredient is "unbleached enriched white flour" -- plain old refined white flour. You get one measly gram of fiber per slice. If you want whole-grain bread that's high in fiber, bring your reading glasses and a grain of salt. Unless the label lists whole wheat or another whole grain as the first ingredient, it's mostly white flour.
The following terms of phrases mean little or nothing on bread labels:
7 - Grain
Made with 3 natural brans
Multi-Grain
Wheatberry
Cracked Wheat
Stoneground (not an issue)
Wheat (simply white flour)
Oatmeal (usually not much
Rye (ditto)
Pumpernickel (just a little rye flour)
Crunchy
Sprouted wheat
Unbromated (not treated with potassium bromate - but not necessarily whole grain)
Unbleached (but still refined flour)
This information taken from the University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 13, Issue 10, July 1997
May 1st, 1997 - UPDATE
Here's a recent article from University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter:
Question:
How can I manage irritable bowel syndrome? Do foods cause it? R.S., Bolivar , New York
Answer:
No one knows what causes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common of all digestive disorders. It is also known as spastic colon, mucus colitis, or nervous bowel. The symptoms may include heartburn, abdominal pain, backache, gas, diarrhea and/or constipation. It does not lead to cancer or any other serious disorder. Food intolerances, combined with emotional stress, are often blamed, but the evidence is contradictory. And there's no surefire treatment. We suggest you see a doctor, if you haven't already done so, to rule out any physical abnormality or more serious conditions. Here are a few things you can try on your own:
Eat a low-fat diet. Eat more high-fiber foods ( fruits, grains and vegetables ) Try switching to lactose-free milk in case you have trouble digesting milk sugar. Cut down on alcohol and caffeine, or eliminate them entirely. Try switching to several small meals a day rather than two or three large ones. If emotional stress is involved, try dealing wiht it directly by talking with a counselor. A regular program of exercise and other life-style alterations may help.
This information taken from the University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 13, Issue 8, May 1997
April 26th, 1997 - UPDATE
Recent article from the magazine - Nursing 97, April Issue ".. A Patient With Colon Cancer "
Beverly Bowen, 63, is a creature of habit. Every morning as far back as she can remember, she's eaten a breakfast of bacon and eggs, toast, and coffee; within the hour she's always had a bowel movement. Until recently, that is.
For the past month or so, Mrs. Bowen's routine has ended with an episode of diarrhea, and on days when it hasn't she's been unable to move her bowels at all. But she didn't become alarmed until she noticed blood in her stool.
Mrs. Bowen's signs -- alternating diarrhea and constipation and blood in the stools -- are common in colon cancer, the fourth most prevalent cancer type...
..While performing a complete assessment, the physician asks Mrs. Bowen if she has any of the the following risk factors for colon cancer: ( There are five here including colitis, genetic factors, family history and exposure to carcinogens, HOWEVER the first risk factor the doctor asked her is this:) (continuing) (Do you have):
A high fat, low fiber diet, including large amounts of meat. Mrs. Bowen's intake fits this category; Her breakfasts are laden with fat, she eats beef several times a week, and she consumes few fruits and vegetables. Researchers believe that animal fat may increase bile salt production, which alters colon epithelial cell reproduction and may trigger cancer. Fiber , on the other hand, may reduce exposure to carcinogens by speeding stool transit through the colon. fatty meat doesn't contain fiber and may lower digestion.
This information taken from the magazine Nursing97, Volume 27, Number 4, April l997. The article was written by: Jeanne Held Warmkessel, RN, AOCN, CS, MSN, Instructor at Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Phildelphia, PA.
**It is precisely for some of these above obvious reasons that Lifestyles® has developed the
handy,
affordable,
easy to use,
effective high fiber Dream Cookies.
It is very difficult to get the required 30 , or more, recommended grams of fiber in your daily diet by simply eating our daily "normal" foods.
For More Info On Our High Fiber Cookies Call the Lifestyles Fax - On - Demand Line (416) 746 - 1869
March, 2000 - UPDATE 
Eat a low-fat diet.