Veggie Blog

People who follow the Atkins plan often say they get less hungry between meals. The old version of this post explained that with a mix of facts and some very confident guesses, including that your stomach “creates a chemical response” because it believes it is full. Not all of that holds up. Here is what is known about appetite on a low-carb plan and what is not.

Does protein really make you feel fuller?

Generally, yes, though the effect is modest. Reviews of research on satiety, including one in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, find that higher-protein meals tend to increase fullness and reduce later eating more than carbohydrate or fat, but the effect depends on the amount, the food and the timing. Atkins meals are built around protein and fat, with carbs coming mostly from vegetables. The old post argued that a carb-heavy meal does not have staying power, and many people do notice that sweet, refined carbs leave them hungry again soon. That is a reasonable personal observation, but the explanation (blood sugar “highs and crashes”) is not proven in every case.

What does the egg study show?

The old post mentioned a study in which women who ate eggs for breakfast stayed fuller than women who ate bagels. The study is real, though the details were slightly off. In a 2005 trial reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 30 overweight or obese women ate either an egg breakfast or a bagel breakfast, with the same calories and the same weight of food. Each woman tried both, two weeks apart. After the egg breakfast the women felt fuller and ate less at lunch 3.5 hours later: about 2,406 kilojoules versus 3,091 kilojoules, and they also ate less over the rest of the day and the next 36 hours. The authors concluded that the possible role of a routine egg breakfast in weight loss “should be determined,” so it is a promising result, not proof. See the abstract: egg breakfast and satiety study.

What else is in an egg?

According to USDA data, a large egg has about 6 grams of protein and roughly 147 milligrams of choline, a nutrient used by the brain and nervous system. The old post said that you should eat the whole egg and not just the white, because the yolk has lutein, zeaxanthin and choline. It is right that the yolk contains these. Eggs also contain cholesterol, so if you have high cholesterol or diabetes, ask your doctor how many are right for you. Our post on what cholesterol is explains why this matters.

Do broccoli and cauliflower help with hunger?

They provide bulk and fiber for very few net carbs, which is why they are staples on the plan. Fiber can improve fullness, though research is mixed and it does not always reduce how much people eat. The old post made some stronger statements, such as that your stomach reduces your appetite when stretched “regardless of what is in your stomach” and that water and psyllium husk work the same way. I could not find reliable support for those, so I have removed them. A simpler message holds: vegetables add volume and nutrients to a meal.

What if you still feel hungry?

Cleveland Clinic notes that if you are not eating enough fat or protein on a low-carb plan, you may not feel full and the hunger will continue. Eating more often, and choosing a variety of allowed foods, may also help. Hunger that does not settle can be a sign that you are cutting calories too low, or that you are missing fiber. Our posts on Atkins and sugar cravings and carbohydrate cravings and the Atkins diet explain how to manage the other kind of hunger, the craving for sweet or starchy foods.

What is the bottom line?

A low-carb plan can help some people feel less hungry, and protein, eggs and vegetables are a good set of tools. But it is not a magic appetite switch, and the old claims that it “suppresses” appetite through special chemical effects are unproven. Focus on regular meals with protein and fiber, and see Atkins diet basics for the overall approach.

Yoga for Women: Hold that Pose

So, how can yoga help reshape your waist?

In general terms, by asking you to use, and think of, your torso muscles as a unit. Rather than isolating your abdominal muscles as you do in crunches, yoga poses help to strengthen your whole torso, giving you a posture that is both centred and strong. Keep in mind that no exercise burns fat from one spot, so a slimmer waist also depends on diet and overall activity.

Think of your torso as a big cylinder in which several muscles work together to keep you looking trim. Your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle, works with the others to hold in your lower belly. Your erector spinae, the muscles that run along your spine, straighten your posture and can make you feel (and look) taller, while your rectus abdominis and obliques are strong, flexible muscles that let you bend and twist your trunk.

If you or your child has asthma, you may have read that certain vitamins or herbs can ease it. The old version of this post said that large doses of vitamin C are “very effective” against asthma and that vitamins A, E and B can reduce attacks. That is not what the research shows. This updated article explains the evidence, and the main point is that supplements are not a substitute for asthma medicine.

What is asthma?

According to MedlinePlus, asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects your airways, the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. The airways can become inflamed and narrowed, which causes wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest. When these symptoms get worse than usual, it is called an asthma attack or flare-up. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that more than 25 million people in the United States have asthma and that severe attacks can be life-threatening. The NHLBI says there is no cure for asthma, but treatment and an asthma action plan can help you manage it.

What triggers an attack?

Triggers differ from person to person. MedlinePlus lists allergens such as dust mites, mold, pets, pollen and pests, and non-allergen triggers such as cold air, certain medicines, household chemicals, infections like colds and flu, outdoor air pollution and tobacco smoke. Exercise can also trigger asthma, especially when the air is dry. The old post said foods like peanuts and chocolate can trigger attacks. Food allergy can be a trigger for some people, so discuss it with your doctor, but do not cut out foods without advice. The best protection is to learn your own triggers and to use the medicines your doctor prescribes. Read the MedlinePlus page on asthma.

Do vitamins help asthma?

NCCIH has reviewed the evidence on supplements. On vitamin C, a 2013 evaluation of 11 studies with 419 people concluded that there were not enough high-quality studies to show whether it helps asthma, and too much can cause diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. On vitamin D, a 2023 comprehensive review of 20 studies (15 in children, 5 in adults) found that supplementation did not reduce the proportion of people who had one or more asthma attacks, although few participants had severe asthma or low vitamin D levels. Selenium did not help in a 2007 trial of 197 adults. NCCIH says evidence does not support using complementary health approaches instead of proven medical management for asthma.

What about herbs such as ginkgo and garlic?

The old post recommended ginkgo biloba and odorless garlic. NCCIH says many herbal products have been studied for asthma, but there has been only a small amount of research on each one. A 2010 evaluation of 26 studies of various herbal preparations found that there was not enough evidence to recommend any of them for asthma. I could not find reliable evidence for ginkgo or garlic specifically. Herbs and supplements can also interact with medicines, so NCCIH advises anyone who takes asthma medicine to talk with their provider before starting a dietary supplement.

What does help?

MedlinePlus says treatment includes strategies to avoid triggers, quick-relief medicines that help relieve symptoms during an attack (including an inhaler that you carry all the time), and control medicines that you take every day to prevent symptoms. A balanced diet with fruit and vegetables is good for everyone, but it is not an asthma treatment. NCCIH says approaches that help people manage stress, anxiety or depression might help them feel better and improve their asthma control when used in addition to medical care. See our article on yoga breathing and asthma for the research on breathing exercises, and vitamins and your health for supplement basics.

When should you get help?

See a doctor if you think you may have asthma, and ask what to do if symptoms get worse. If you have trouble breathing that does not ease with your quick-relief medicine, get emergency medical help. The NHLBI page on asthma explains treatment and action plans in more detail.

What you can do to lower your cholesterol

Experts advise adults from the age of 20 to pay attention to their cholesterol levels and to do what they can to keep their bad cholesterol low. Even though cholesterol can be lowered through a low cholesterol diet, lifestyle changes and medication, many people with high cholesterol still do not manage to bring it down.

Although it is not always easy to stick to what it takes to lower your cholesterol, you can still get the result you want by following these simple steps:

1. Know where you stand by getting your levels checked regularly. Seeing your doctor and having your cholesterol checked is an important part of staying healthy. Since high cholesterol is linked to cardiovascular disease, make sure you know your numbers so you can adjust your diet and habits. Knowing your cholesterol levels also helps you and your doctor decide what kind of diet to follow and whether you need medication. Your starting point lets you track your progress towards healthy cholesterol levels, and it is a good reason to quit smoking and cut down on foods high in saturated fat.

2. Learn the basics and find out everything you can about the condition. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, the first thing to do is to understand the situation and get more information. Doing your own research will teach you about lifestyle changes that can help and about the treatment options available. Learning about cholesterol, its types and its health risks will also show you that the situation is far from hopeless if you are on the right track.

Finding out more about the condition will also help you realise how many things you can do. You can get information from a registered dietitian, local nutrition centres, your local hospital or public health department, and from your doctor or other health care provider.

3. Watch your weight and lose extra pounds if needed. Keeping an eye on your weight is one of the first ways to prevent high cholesterol. If you are overweight for your height, losing some weight can help bring your cholesterol down. Excess weight affects the way the body handles fat, so experts advise overweight people to plan a healthy diet and lifestyle to lose weight safely.

But before making big changes to your diet and lifestyle, see your doctor first to check your overall health. This is especially important if you take medication.

4. Get physical and exercise more often. Regular activity is very helpful in managing high cholesterol levels. It helps raise the good cholesterol (HDL) and lose weight as well. There is no need for high-intensity workouts; regular brisk walking or jogging can help raise HDL and is good for the heart.

5. Make a commitment and stick to it. The key to lowering cholesterol is the discipline to stick to your goal. Learn which fats are good and bad and where they come from, eat more fibre, especially soluble fibre from oats, beans and fruit, and find ways to manage stress. Multivitamins do not lower cholesterol. If your doctor recommends medication, take it as prescribed; for people at high risk it is often needed alongside lifestyle changes, not only when all else fails.

Selecting cholesterol-free foods

Almost everybody knows the effects of too much cholesterol in the body. High cholesterol here refers mainly to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which can deposit fatty plaques in the walls of the arteries, narrowing them and hindering the flow of blood. This is what makes the arterial walls atherogenic, or prone to hardening. While many people do not fully appreciate the importance of cholesterol, this waxy, non-soluble substance is essential for building cell membranes, making bile, forming nerve sheaths and producing hormones.

However, high cholesterol over a long period contributes to cardiovascular disease and to atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty substances and fibrous tissue in the inner walls of the arteries.

Good ways to prevent and lower high cholesterol are healthy eating habits together with regular exercise. An unhealthy lifestyle and overindulgence tend to raise cholesterol levels.

Good eating habits include:

1. Planning a low-cholesterol everyday menu around vegetable-packed recipes, together with a good supply of fibre-rich fruits. If you can buy or grow organic produce, for example from an organic garden, that is a bonus, although there is no evidence that organic food itself lowers cholesterol. Carbohydrates should be complex rather than refined.

Many supermarkets now stock a good range of fresh green vegetables like lettuce. The soluble fibre in vegetables (and in oats, beans and fruit) helps lower LDL cholesterol, and plant foods contain no cholesterol at all. On the other hand, foods high in saturated and trans fats raise LDL cholesterol, which can then settle in the arteries as the lipoprotein particles travel through the bloodstream.

2. If eggs are part of your meals and your LDL cholesterol is high, eat more egg white and fewer yolks. Choose breads made from whole wheat, and noodles made from whole grains. Go easy on the sugar in your drinks. Highly refined foods are processed for whiteness and fine texture for marketing reasons, and they lose much of their fibre and nutrients along the way.

3. Water is the body’s main solvent. Drinking enough water supports digestion and blood circulation, though water by itself does not lower cholesterol.

4. Eat more whole, fresh produce rather than processed or baked foods made with additives, colourings and extenders for commercial purposes.

5. Drink fresh fruit juices in moderation, instead of manufactured soft drinks with added sugar, artificial colourings and additives. Sugary drinks are linked to worse cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Heavy coffee drinking, especially unfiltered coffee, can also raise cholesterol somewhat.

Always remember that trans fats and hydrogenated fats or oils used in frying or in food processing are even more harmful than the saturated fats found in some oils. Use healthier oils when preparing your meals, especially olive oil. It may be more expensive, but it is a good choice for the whole family’s heart health.

The first thing to do is to have your cholesterol checked regularly, so that you can catch a rise early. High cholesterol has no symptoms of its own, but over time it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.