Can oatmeal replace medications?

I stopped making oatmeal in the morning when my wife complained about the noise.  I am a bit clumsy.  But, overnight oatmeal solved this problem.

Oatmeal is a hidden superfood and clean fuel with excellent health benefits, and deserves  a menu spot to reduce your dependence on medications.

Cholesterol reduction

Though cholesterol medications reduce heart attacks and strokes, people dislike them.  Whether they refuse or not, I recommend incorporating oatmeal into their diet.  There are multiple studies analyzing the effect of oats on cholesterol levels.  In Ho et al , A combination of several studies  concluded that oats modestly lowered  LDL, triglycerides and apo B lipoprotein.  (1)

Blood sugar control

Oats  reduce blood sugars both before and after meals.  While it is a carbohydrate, it lowers sugars over time.  Though contradictory in nature, an elevated sugar is more of a sign of poor diabetes control than the central problem.  Oatmeal is not a processed sugar, but is a whole food plant-based carbohydrate.  It contains insoluble fiber or compounds that are not absorbed, but inhibits intestinal sugar absorption.   Moreover, many who eat oatmeal tend not to eat bacon, eggs or doughnuts in the same meal.  Again, the mere absence of those dirty fuels improves blood sugar control over time.

Weight control

Increased oatmeal intake promotes weight loss over time with noted increases with satiety hormones like Peptide YY.

Anti-inflammatory

Oats contain polyphenols that are released when gut bacterial feed on oat fiber.  These compounds reduce inflammatory markers in the stool, a marker of anti-inflammatory activity.  Sur et al notes avenanthramides are  polyphenols that demonstrate anti-itch activity.  It also explains why oatmeal based skin preparations are effective for eczema and are found in Aveeno products. (2)

Allergy/asthma control 

If oats are good for allergy/inflammation than it stands as no surprise that oat consumption prevents childhood asthma overtime.

Constipation

Increased oatmeal consumption in nursing homes reduce the use of laxatives by 60%.  Constipation is a serious problem in nursing homes.  Oat fiber increases stool volume and viscosity. (3)

Overnight Oats

1 cup of rolled oats

3/4 cup of vanilla or unflavored sugar free almond milk

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 tablespoons of walnuts or pecans

1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup

2 tablespoons of raisins

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and top with strawberries or blueberries.  Let it sit in the refrigerator all night.   Eat at work, in your car or at home.

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1.  Ho et al.  Effect of oat beta-glucan on LDL cholesterol and non-HDL Children’s and apo B for CVD risk reduction:  a systematic review and meta-analysis.  British Journal of Nutrition 2016 Oct 116(8): 1369-1382.
2. Sur et al.  Avenanthramides, Polyphenols from oats exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-itch activity.  Archives of Dermatology Res.  208.  Nov; 300(10): 569-75.
3. Sturtzel et al.  Intervention with dietary fiber to treat constipation and reduce laxative use in residents of nursing homes.  Annals of Nutrition Metabolism 2008; 52 suppl 1:54-6.