Let’s face it, our modern world isn’t getting any cleaner. With dangerous chemicals lurking in our air, our drinking water, and even in the products we use every day like soap and shampoo, our bodies have become inundated with harmful toxins – but a high-fiber diet may just be the key to fighting back.

Studies show that in addition to its role in disease prevention and healthy weight loss, fiber helps absorb toxins in the digestive tract and eliminate them through the bowel, which is one reason why the majority of experts recommend eating 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day (both soluble and insoluble) for overall health.

Soluble fiber (found in fruits, beans, oats, legumes and nuts) acts like a kitchen sponge, literally soaking up toxins as it passes through your digestive tract and capturing them in order to prevent them from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Insoluble fiber - often called “roughage” – passes through the intestines virtually intact, helping to “sweep” the colon free of debris by removing toxins from the intestinal wall. It also tones the bowel muscles by creating resistance and stimulating peristalsis (the natural muscle contractions that move food through your intestines). Peristalsis is necessary for healthy elimination, and healthy elimination is an important step in ridding toxins from the body. Sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, whole grains, and fruit and vegetable skins.

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There are more than 1 million overweight adults in the U.S. alone, 300 million of whom are considered obese. As if that weren’t cause enough for concern, it seems the trend is continuing among American adolescents and teens, contributing to an alarming increase in obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke in adulthood. But what if simply adding more fiber to the diet could be the solution?

A new study conducted by experts at the University of Southern California and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says eating more fiber can lead to a significant reduction in belly fat—the type of “bad fat,” experts say puts added stress on the body’s vital organs. Read more about the science behind high-fiber eating and learn why even a small increase in daily fiber can go a long way toward helping our young people maintain a healthy weight.

You may not realize it, but everyday stress factors can have a significant impact on healthy weight loss. When stress levels increase, it puts added strain on the adrenal glands—small glands located on top of your kidneys. One of the primary functions of the adrenal glands is to produce certain hormones (such as cortisol) to help the body cope with stressful events.

The problem occurs when stress levels are prolonged, leading to an increased production of cortisol. Too much cortisol in the body can affect healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which can in turn contribute to weight gain and weight retention. But, health experts have discovered a promising natural substance that may be able to help.

Sensoril® is derived from the Withania somnifera plant, also known as ashwagandha or Indian ginseng. In studies, this health-promoting botanical has been shown to help reduce the affects of adrenal stress and is often included in natural adrenal support supplements to help prevent stress-related weight gain. So if you’re worried your hectic schedule may be packing on the extra pounds, maybe it’s time to get a little help from Mother Nature!

Ah, the holidays—that wondrous time of year when family and friends gather together to celebrate the joy of the season… and when all your good intentions take a nosedive into the land of “As soon as the holidays are over, I’ll start my diet again.”

But before you lose hope, consider this: healthy weight loss shouldn’t be about restrictions. Instead, if we stick with smart choices all year long, it’s okay to indulge a little when the holidays roll around. And if you need a little extra help staying on track, natural weight loss supplements can help.

Successful weight loss has a lot to do with three very important things: healthy metabolism, healthy blood sugar, and appetite control. And as luck would have it, Mother Nature provides plenty of ways to help you reach your goal. Natural metabolism boosters made with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and banaba extract can help your body burn fat more effectively, and a natural blood sugar support formula made with chromium GTF (from brewer’s yeast) can help reduce those sudden ups and downs in blood sugar that can lead to cravings and overeating.

There are also natural adrenal support supplements that help reduce adrenal stress (which can lead to weight gain) and herbal thermogenic formulas to help you burn calories more efficiently. So instead of giving up on your good intentions until after the New Year, put the power of weight loss supplements on your side and give holiday weight gain the slip.

It’s pretty remarkable that something as simple as a high-fiber diet can have such an impact on our health, but that’s what scientists in Australia discovered recently when they analyzed the link between dietary fiber and the body’s natural immune response. In fact, said researchers, adding more fiber to your daily diet may help prevent some of the most prevalent diseases in America today–including asthma, diabetes and arthritis. Read more about the science behind fiber and better health in this article featured recently in the Health Highlights section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Who says holiday eating can’t be healthy? Celebrate the flavors of the season with these mouthwatering—and high in fiber!—recipes the whole family will enjoy.

Quick & Easy Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
1¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup honey
½ cup canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin (organic)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, honey, canola oil and pumpkin in a medium bowl. Mix together until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon into well-greased muffin pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups onion, finely chopped
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 apple, cored, peeled and cubed
1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ cup plain yogurt

Directions: Health oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and nutmeg; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add squash and apple; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock and sea salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until squash and apple are tender. Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return squash mixture to saucepan; cook until thoroughly heated. Ladle into individual bowls and top with yogurt.

Turkey Vegetable Roll
Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless turkey breast (approx. 1-2 lbs.)
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup fresh, whole-leaf spinach
¼ cup frozen unsweetened cherries
¼ cup pecans, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup goat cheese
2 tbsp. rice flour
Spray or pump olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cotton poultry twine (approx. 2′)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Place turkey breast on cutting board or firm surface. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and pound very thin with a flat mallet; salt lightly. Layer turkey breast with sweet potato slices, spinach, cherries, pecans, garlic, and goat cheese. Roll tightly, tie with poultry twine and dust with rice flour. Spray a skillet with olive oil; heat to medium. Add turkey roll and braise until brown on all sides. Cover skillet, transfer to oven and bake 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat; let sit for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Want more delicious, high-fiber recipes? Read Brenda Watson’s The Fiber35 Diet: Nature’s Weight Loss Secret absolutely FREE by signing up for our e-mail series.

Think your body is really getting the nutrition it needs from that high-fiber toaster pastry or vitamin-enriched marshmallow cereal? You may not be getting the whole story. As more and more food manufacturers are beefing up their product packaging with statements like “high in fiber” and “essential vitamins”, the Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to make sure consumers have all the facts—especially when it comes to hidden fats, sugars and other less-than-nutritious ingredients. Want to learn more? Read about what the FDA has in store for the future of nutrition labeling.  

And as for getting the most out of your daily diet, especially when it comes to eating enough fiber, here’s some advice: stick to the basics. Raw foods such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are always the best option, but if shopping and prep time are an issue, try boosting your dietary fiber intake with all-natural fiber supplements. Nowadays quick and healthy options include high-fiber snack bars and fiber shakes, as well as chewable fiber wafers that are great for taking on the go.

Are you thinking about beginning a weight loss program and want a little extra boost to help you get started? Try adding fiber powder to your daily diet. Fiber works in the digestive tract to absorb and eliminate waste, literally “flushing” away stored fat and toxins that can build up in the body and contribute to weight gain. The result is better digestion and increased metabolism (the rate at which your body is able to convert food into energy). And because of fiber’s natural ability to help manage hunger and regulate blood sugar, fiber powder supplements go a long way toward successful weight loss.

In place of a low-fiber breakfast, start your day off with a nutrient-rich fruit and vegetable fiber powder that you can mix easily with a glass of water or juice. Or try adding a few scoops to plain, low-fat yogurt for your morning fiber fix. Throughout the day, keep a shaker bottle of flavor-free fiber powder handy for adding to soups, salads, beverages and just about anything else you can think of. Those made with 100% natural acacia fiber dissolve completely in beverages and soft foods with no hard-to-swallow lumps, making it easy to increase your fiber intake and start shedding those unwanted pounds. Remember to avoid psyllium-based fiber powders, as they often cause gas, bloating and uncomfortable cramping.

Promising news for those with high cholesterol: increasing your daily fiber intake may significantly boost your efforts to lower harmful LDL levels. Parade magazine recently featured an article highlighting a list of foods recommended to help lower bad cholesterol, and (not surprisingly) most of those foods are high in soluble fiber–a natural substance shown to bind with cholesterol in the bloodstream and help eliminate it from the body before it can build up in the arteries and threaten heart health. Keep reading to find out which high-fiber foods can help fight high cholesterol, and boost your fiber intake today with a high-fiber diet and convenient natural fiber supplements!

When it comes to weight loss, we’re all looking for that magic bullet—the one product amid a sea of diet products that will finally help us shed those unwanted pounds and have the body we’ve always wanted. But here’s the thing about diet products: many of them simply don’t work, and all too many of them come with impossible promises like helping you drop two sizes in two days. Yikes! That doesn’t even sound healthy!

If you want to lose weight, start with a little bit of common sense. Do your research. Talk to your health care practitioner. And when you are ready to choose the right diet products, make sure they’re made with safe, effective natural ingredients that won’t hinder your weight loss efforts or be harmful to your health. In addition to choosing the right diet products, try making the small but simple changes in your diet and lifestyle that can make a big difference when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.

Adding more fiber to your diet and cutting back on unnecessary calories during the day are good ways to start, and you can do both at the same time. Research proves that foods high in fiber are also high-energy-density foods. That means they pack a large volume of food into a low-calorie package, so your stomach feels full faster and longer after eating. The result? You’re less tempted to overeat or snack in between meals. In addition, fiber helps prevent those drastic spikes in blood sugar that can leave you feeling starved and fatigued.

So when it comes to choosing the best diet products, remember these helpful tips: Do your homework. Read labels. And jumpstart your weight loss success even more by following a high-fiber, low-calorie diet.