My High Fiber Lifestyle
Last year I was really miserable. I had a migraine every day and I was on medication that made me constipated. I was miserable from my head to my toes and I was looking for a way to change at least some of my problems. I read in The Migraine Brain by Dr. Carolyne Bernstein,
““What’s most important is to keep your blood-sugar levels even by eating regularly and eating healthy foods. If you skip meals, go too long between meals, or eat high-sugar and low-fiber foods, your blood-sugar levels jump all over the place… When you eat foods high in fiber and protein, the sugar you need for energy is released more slowly through your body, like a time-release drug.””
I thought why not kill two birds with one stone? I can prevent some of my migraines and help my GI troubles. This quote is what got me thinking about finding a way to add more fiber into my diet through foods and not slimy Metamucil. I started researching and discovered F-Factor, a sustainable high fiber diet. After a year and a half on F-Factor I can say that I understand my migraine and GI triggers much better and have prevented problems with both.
The reason I have been able to stick with this diet for a year and a half is because nothing is off limits with F-Factor. The focus is adding, not omitting, items to your diet. Registered Dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot created this diet for patients who were looking to lower cholesterol and control diabetes. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol by binding with it and pulling it out of one’s system, and it is crucial for diabetics because it slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, therefore avoiding a sharp increase in blood sugar levels (Zuckerbrot 2006). The latter is what I was looking for and the former is an added benefit.
The American Dietetic Association recommends that Americans eat 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, the average American currently eats only 15 grams of fiber a day.
Fiber is the indigestible component of carbohydrates that provides bulk without any calories (Zuckerbrot 2006). F-Factor combines high-fiber foods with lean protein at every meal. The combination of fiber and protein keeps you feeling full for the longest period of time on the fewest calories (Zuckerbrot 2006). The tools that I learned through F-Factor has helped me select foods to help me stay full longer and prevent a dramatic drop in my blood sugar. It explained things like why I always feel hungry so soon after eating a salad. Lettuce actually has very little fiber in it. One cup of romaine lettuce only has 0.95g of fiber. I found that things that I would traditionally think as healthy options actually have remarkably low fiber. One half cup of sweet potato only has 4g of fiber and 15g of carbs. While sweet potatoes will fill me up immediately, I won’t stay full for long and will start snacking after dinner. If I were to eat brussels sprouts with the equivalent 15g of carbs I would get getting 9g of fiber. The same principles apply to all food groups. If I’m given a choice between a banana (1 banana = 15g carbs, 2g of fiber) and blackberries (1 cup = 15g carbs, 8g of fibers) I’m going to choose the blackberries. A big part of F-Factor is learning which foods are naturally packed with fiber.
“Fiber and protein at every meal makes losing weight no big deal.”
In the months that I was bed ridden with migraines I had gained 15 pounds simply because I wasn’t mobile. F-Factor enabled me to lose that weight even though I was still bed ridden. While weight loss was not my original goal it was an added benefit for me. F-Factor provides a framework that if you do want to lose weight you are able to maintain that weight loss long term. F-Factor works in three stages, Step-1 Jump-start your weight loss and adjust to the increased fiber, Step-2 continued weight loss and more fiber, and Step-3 maintenance and eating for life. At every step you count the grams of carbs and fiber in the food that you eat. At each step you get a different number of net carbs. Net carbs are calculated by grams carbohydrates minus grams of fiber. Step 1 you get 35g net carbs. Step 2 you get 75g net carbs. Step 3 you get 125g net carbs. Step 1 is the most restrictive but you only need to do it for 2 weeks and it is to help your body get used to consuming an increased amount of fiber.
#grams carbs - #grams fiber = #grams net carbs
“A small portion of rice will raise glucose much higher than a large portion of broccoli. I personally like to be able to eat large quantities of food, so I go for lots of veggies instead of a little bit of rice. Rice has a lot more carbohydrates which break down to glucose. ⠀
Broccoli also has more fiber, which slows gastric emptying to make you feel full longer and enables a slower release of glucose into the body for a "steadier" energy release.” - Jessie Inchauspe (@glucosegoddess). Blood Glucose Curve from Glucose Goddess on Instagram.
On F-Factor nothing is forbidden from day 1, even alcohol. They have two guidelines in place for indulging in treats. First is the 3-bite rule. This is really simple you can have three bites of anything. If you are out with your girlfriends and all of you order dessert to share. Enjoy three bites of it. The idea is that you remember your first and last bites. It helps make sure you do not overindulge in one sitting, but you still get to enjoy your favorite treats. Their second guideline is called mindful indulgences. Let’s say you are out at a restaurant and instead of sharing a dessert you decide to get your own. They have your favorite cheesecake. Eat your cheesecake, don’t dwell on it, and keep going. Just because you had cheesecake for dessert does not mean you’ll have a donut for breakfast. Continue on your F-Factor way and enjoy your favorite treats.
After a year and a half on F-Factor I have a different relationship with food. I don’t look at things and think, “this is going to make me fat.” How I look at food is: Is it this going to keep me feeling full? Will I have a drop in blood sugar in a few hours? Will My stomach feel upset after this? Is it worth having my stomach upset? I have resolved most of my GI issues and I’m able to make sure that I don’t trigger a migraine with a drop in blood sugar. Because I am more conscious of what foods I’m eating I no longer feed my body; I nourish it.
If you are interested in learning more about F-Factor I encourage you to read Tanya Zuckerbrot’s book. I have only skimmed the surface of how F-Factor works and how to follow it. You can also get more information on the F-Factor website. But if you are really serious about following F-Factor you should read the book.
Citations
Bernstein, C. (2008) The Migraine Brain: Your breakthrough guide to fewer headaches, better health. Simon & Schuster
Zuckerbrot, T. (2006) The F-Factor Diet: Discover the secret to permanent weight loss. Penguin Random House
