Heart health or cardiovascular disease is a big deal for women – especially if you want to live an active life well beyond menopause. Time to cut through the noise of heart-healthy-diet information! Keep it simple with my top 3 suggestions for heart-healthy eating.
Have you tried the new bagels with 30 grams of fiber?
I just learned about these in a conversation with a private counseling client this week. One of her behavior-based intentions is to increase fiber to reduce her cholesterol.
Andrea: “I feel like I’m doing great with my fiber and protein intake!”
Me: “Amazing! What does that look like?”
Andrea: “Well, I found this brand of bagels that has 30 grams of fiber per bagel! I’m having one for breakfast with a couple of eggs and a little cheese. Then I have lunch, I have a protein bar with another 10 grams of fiber plus 40 grams of protein!” she said triumphantly.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Until a few mornings of 30-gram fiber bagels, made her move her home office to the bathroom.
Unfortunately, diet culture marketing can get the best of us.
Have you fallen into this trap, too, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]?
I get it. We need food and nutrition to be easy in this chaotic season of life.
And let me save your digestion and your bank account from a diet culture train wreck.
You DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT!
Need to eat bagels with 30 grams of fiber and bars with 40 grams of protein to improve your cholesterol during menopause!
Fiber, Without the Hype
Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel. It acts like a sponge, soaking up extra cholesterol and blood sugar. Oats are a classic example of soluble fiber, which is also found in barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. It adds bulk to your stool and acts like a scrub brush for your GI tract. It’s the roughage in vegetables. Examples include wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains.
Both types of fiber are found in complex carbs. Fiber helps slow the digestion of carbs, so you feel satisfied and full longer. It also helps stabilize energy levels and avoid blood sugar crashes.
Behavior-based goal ideas: Eat oatmeal or overnight oats for breakfast three mornings per week. Add a salad to dinner four nights per week. Have a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts for an afternoon snack three days per week.
Fats, Know the Difference
There is plenty of evidence that high cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, a direct causal link. Also, plenty of evidence that Saturated Fat contributes to an increase in cholesterol.
Saturated fats like butter, coconut oil, lard, red meat, and whole milk and cream have been shown to increase cholesterol. However, details matter. Dose, replacement, and source matter. Not about not eating saturated fat at all. About 8-10 % of total calories from saturated fat seems to be ok (dose). Less doesn’t mean none!
While we always want to lead with satisfaction, eating endless batches of chocolate chip cookies made with coconut oil was beyond the recommended dose of saturated fat, according to my lab values. I needed a cookie recipe that didn’t rely on saturated fat, so I could still enjoy the sweet satisfaction and support my cardiovascular health.
You can improve your cholesterol levels by replacing excessive saturated fat with Mono and polyunsaturated fats like olives and olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, nuts and seeds, and cold water fish. I traded the chocolate chip cookies made with coconut oil for no-bake cookies made with almond or peanut butter and olive oil. Same satisfaction. Better lab values.
Fitness without Obsession
Some is better than none. The American Heart Association recommends 75-150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise for most adults.
Moderate-intensity cardio, like a brisk walk or vigorous yard work for 30 minutes, shows the same benefits as high-intensity cardio like running. Strength training also shows a correlation to improved cholesterol levels. One review study showed a correlation between gentle movement, such as stretching or yoga, to improve blood pressure.
PMID: 28780647
The most important mindset shift around exercise for women in midlife is to focus on how your body feels rather than what it looks like (i.e., losing weight, looking ripped, or trying to shrink your stomach/butt/thighs, etc.).
When you focus on how exercise makes you feel (more energized, better focus, less anxiety, better moods, etc), you’ll feel motivated to keep moving your body consistently. Humans are drawn to things that make us feel good (during or after).
Read this blog post for more fitness resources to improve your cardiovascular health.
