Fiber :-Staying Young Inside and Out

[Guest guest]

Fiber -Staying Young Inside and Out

JoAnn Guest

Nov 08, 2003 15:26 PST

 

--

It's hard to admit sometimes, but it's starting to look like Mom

really did know best. Okay, so maybe that haircut she forced you to

get in the sixth grade wasn't exactly cool. But just about

everything else she made you do was right on the money.

Like when she had you start your day with oatmeal.

And when she filled a corner of your dinner plate with cooked

carrots and told you to have an apple instead of a brownie for

dessert.

 

Today, science has proven what Mom always said: There's something

special about fruits, vegetables and grains that really does a

woman's body good.

 

She called it roughage. Nutritionists call it dietary fiber, and

it's one of the simplest and most potent weapons we have in our age-

erasing arsenal.

 

Fiber is a front-line warrior in the battle against heart disease,

breast and other cancers, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high

blood pressure, constipation, digestive problems, diabetes and even

overweight.

Get enough fiber and your body will be healthier and run like a

well-oiled machine.

 

But most people don't get enough fiber. The recommended intake is 25

grams of fiber every day.

" Most Americans, however, only consume about one-third of that

total, " says Diane Grabowski, R.D., nutrition educator at the

Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica, California.

 

-

Nature's Cure

 

Fiber is a complex mixture of indigestible substances that makes up

the structural material of plants.

It has very few calories and provides little food energy to the

body. When we ingest it, it passes through our system without being

broken down.

 

Fiber works its magic by carrying the bad stuff--like cholesterol,

triglycerides, bile acids, heavy metals and other toxins out of our

system.

And it comes in two basic forms: soluble, which dissolves in water,

and insoluble, which doesn't. Most plant foods contain both types of

fiber, though certain foods are richer in one or the other.

 

The coarser, insoluble fibers really live up to the word roughage.

 

" They literally scour you out, " says David Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D.,

director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification

Center at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto.

 

" Once inside the body they absorb water, making stools softer,

bulkier and easier to pass. This keeps food moving through the

intestinal tract. "

It also makes a natural remedy for such ills as constipation,

irritable bowel syndrome, crohn's, diverticulosis and hemorrhoids.

 

Soluble fibers act differently. Inside the body they become gummy

and sticky.As they move through the digestive tract, they pick up

bile acids and other toxins, then haul them out of the body.

 

---

Squaring Off against Disease

 

Fiber plays a vital role in the 'offensive' against heart disease

and atherosclerosis.

 

Studies have shown that a diet high in soluble fiber reduces blood

levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called

bad cholesterol.

A study by Dr. Jenkins found that high intakes of soluble fiber

continued to lower cholesterol even after dietary reductions of fat

and cholesterol had been achieved.

 

" Cholesterol builds up in our blood and clogs arteries if it is not

'excreted' as " bile acids " from our digestive tract, " says Dr.

Jenkins.

 

" When soluble fiber carries these substances out of the body, it

draws cholesterol out of the bloodstream to be converted into more

bile, which we continue to flush out of the body--as long as we

regularly consume soluble fiber. "

 

Other studies have shown that fiber is effective at lowering blood

pressure, thereby reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

 

That's not all fiber can do.

 

Insoluble fiber is believed by doctors to be a key in preventing

breast cancer, the most common cancer among women.

 

How?

By reducing estrogen levels.

 

High levels of estrogen raise your risk of breast cancer.

 

A high-fiber diet also appears to lower your risk for colon and

rectal cancer.

 

It does this by diluting the concentration of bile acids and other

carcinogens and moving stools quickly through the intestines,

decreasing the time the colon wall is in " contact " with carcinogens.

 

Also, fiber increases the 'acidity' of the colon, making it less

hospitable to " cancer-causing " toxins.

 

Fiber can also help you better manage diabetes by 'controlling'

blood sugar and thus reducing the need for insulin.

 

Fiber delays the " emptying " of the stomach, causing the sugars in

your food to be 'absorbed' more gradually.

 

A fiber-filled diet makes weight loss a lot easier, too, because it

fills you up--meaning you're going to eat a lot less of those fat-

laden foods that put on the pounds.

 

Fibrous foods provide robust mouthfuls that must be chewed

thoroughly, slowing down your eating time.

 

And they tend to have fewer calories in every bite.

 

---

Bran: Where to Find a Lot of It

 

One sure-fire way to get a heap of fiber into your diet is by eating

bran, the coarse outer layers of high-fiber oats, wheat,and rice

that contain the " highest concentrations " of fiber.

 

Consider oat bran, the bran that has received the most public

attention in recent years.

 

" What sets oat bran apart from other brans is that it is extremely

high in a fiber called " beta-glucan " , "

 

says bran researcher Michael H. Davidson, M.D., medical director of

the Chicago Center for Clinical Research at Rush Presbyterian-St.

Luke's Hospital. " Beta glucan appears to be far more effective than

other soluble fibers in lowering blood cholesterol levels. "

How effective?

Just two ounces of oat bran per day (a medium-size bowl) is enough

to lower your LDL cholesterol 10 to 15 percent.

The catch is that you have to eat oat bran daily; otherwise your

cholesterol levels will creep back up.

 

Wheat bran is jam-packed with 'insoluble fiber', so it's the bran of

choice for people with 'digestive' problems.

This is probably the most common bran, found in most bran breakfast

cereals and whole-wheat products.

 

Rice, oat and wheat bran are high in both soluble and insoluble

fiber.

 

Unless your physician says otherwise, the best bran plan is to get a

smattering of each. This way you'll get a healthy dose of soluble

and insoluble fiber, not to mention some variety in your diet.

 

Getting your fill of bran is as easy as eating an organic bran

cereal, a bran muffin or a whole-grain bread. But make sure you're

always getting the goodness of the bran.

 

" Refined grain products like white rice, white bread and most flour

have had the fiber-rich bran " removed " in the 'milling process', "

says Grabowski.

" Instant oatmeal, for example, has a lot less fiber than whole oats

or pure oat bran. "

 

---

Adding Fiber to Your Life

 

Making the commitment to a high-fiber diet is relatively easy. Here

are some tips to facilitate your transition

 

Ease into it. As great as fiber is, too much too fast can have some

nasty side effects including gas, bloating, diarrhea and cramps,

says Dr. Jenkins.

 

Start off your first week by increasing your intake by about five

grams a day. Then take about a month to work up to the recommended

level. From there, if your doctor says it's okay and if you feel no

ill effects, you can increase your intake even more.

 

Don't dry out. We all know a high-fiber diet helps constipation, but

if you don't get enough water, it can actually have an opposite

effect and 'clog' you up, says Dr. Jenkins.

 

Drink eight to ten glasses of water a day to prevent constipation.

 

Vary your sources. Doctors aren't certain what ratio of soluble to

insoluble you should use when choosing your daily 25 grams of fiber,

says Dr. Jenkins, so it's probably wise to get an even dose of both.

 

The best way to do that is to eat a wide variety of fiber-rich foods

throughout the day.

 

 

Go for the green.

Brans and grains are not your only source for fiber. " Don't forget

your fresh fruits and vegetables, " advises Grabowski. Legumes,

beans, peas, salads and fruits can add a whole lot of the much-

needed fiber to your diet.

 

For some extra fiber, select fruits that have edible seeds, such as

berries and kiwis, suggests Grabowski.

 

Add a few sprinkles. " Fiber is easy to obtain in your diet if you

include whole foods such as sprouted grain breads, dried cooked

beans,split peas and fresh organic fruits and vegetables, " says

Grabowski. But for additional fiber, pick up a box of oat bran at

your health food store or natural grocery and sprinkle it on fruit

and salads.

 

Use it in place of bread crumbs in organic meat loaf or stuffings or

as a thickener for soups, stews and sauces. Or substitute oat bran

for white flour in baked goods.

 

Read labels carefully. Don't assume that a product with the words

" fiber, " " bran " or " oats " in its title necessarily has the 'fiber

content' you're looking for.

 

Always check the nutritional information on the box or bag to see

just how much fiber is available in each serving. " Also, look for

the word 'whole' to precede 'grain' on the ingredient list, "

suggests Grabowski.

 

" This way you know nothing has been " removed " and you are sure to

get the full benefit of the bran. "

 

 

Avoid fiber pills.

Fiber pills and drink mixes are a quick way to get more fiber, but

most professionals don't recommend them, says Grabowski.

 

They're expensive, and it takes several pills and drinks to equal

the fiber content of a piece of fruit. Fiber supplements may also

deplete your mineral stores leading to an imbalance of essential

electrolytes.

Your best bet is always to meet your fiber requirements by eating

healthy organic foods which are naturally rich in fiber.

 

 

Go whole.

Slight changes in the way you eat can infuse your diet with fiber,

says Grabowski.

Instead of your morning glass of orange juice, try eating a whole

piece of organic fruit, since almost all the fiber gets left behind

in the juicing process.

 

Serve whole brown rice instead of white. And if you like

potatoes, substitute a baked potato with the skin in place of mashed

spuds.

 

High fiber alone won't do. You might think that eating fiber means

you can eat more fat since fiber will cart the bad stuff out of your

body.Not so.

 

" A high-fiber diet doesn't somehow neutralize or balance out other

unhealthy eating habits, " says Dr. Davidson.

 

" Eating an extra candy bar or cheeseburger only makes it harder for

fiber to do its job. Fiber will only work when used in conjunction

with a good whole foods diet and plenty of exercise. "

 

 

GETTING ENOUGH:

IT'S EASIER THAN YOU THINK

 

Does 25 grams of fiber a day seem impossible to consume? Not if you

know where to get it. Here's some help.

 

 

Food Portion Fiber (g.)

 

Breads and Bread Products

 

Whole-wheat 1 slice 2.1

Pumpernickel 1 slice 1.9

English muffin 1 1.6

Rye 1 slice 1.6

White 1 slice 0.5

 

Fruits

 

Strawberries, fresh 1 cup 3.9

Dates 5 medium 3.5

Apple, unpeeled 1 3.0

Pineapple, canned 1 cup 1.9

Banana 1 1.8

Prunes 3 medium 1.8

Cantaloupe, cubed 1 cup 1.3

Grapes 1 cup 1.1

 

Vegetables

 

Brussels sprouts, cooked 1/2 cup 3.4

Peas, frozen 1/2 cup 2.4

Carrot, raw, 7 1/2-inch 1 2.3

Broccoli, cooked 1/2 cup 2.0

Green beans, frozen 1/2 cup 1.8

Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup 1.7

Beets, 1/2 cup 1.4

Celery, chopped 1/2 cup 1.0

 

Beans and Legumes

 

Black-eyed peas, 1/2 cup 8.3

Red Kidney Beans, 1/2 cup 7.9

Chick-peas, 1/2 cup 7.0

Pork and beans,1/2 can 6.9

Lentils, dried, cooked 1/2 cup 5.2

Pinto beans, lightly cooked 1/2 cup 3.4

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/44/84.cfm

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Melanoma.html

[Guest guest]

> JoAnn Guest wrote:

 

> Also, fiber increases the 'acidity' of the colon, making it less

> hospitable to " cancer-causing " toxins.

 

I can add that " fiber " indirectly increases acidity of the colon if

it is a prebiotic food for probiotic organisms. An active probiotic

culture ferments its food and produces anti-cancer enzymes and

pathogen-suppressing bacterocins, directly competes for colony sites,

and creates the generally biologically hostile acidity of the colon.

The suppession of pathogen numbers is what reduces toxin load.

 

Methanol, one toxin noted by Hulda Clark, is created by a bacterial

fluorish (bowel dysbiosis) that produces excess methane; methane-

using bacteria produce the methanol by fermenting it. Although she

recommends against toxins and methanol, this the biggest methanol

source in many if not most people, remains unaddressed by her

programs. Cancer is linked to dysbiosis, however, and using

prebiotics is linked to reduced cancer in the research as JoAnn

pointed out.

 

> Fiber can also help you better manage diabetes by 'controlling'

> blood sugar and thus reducing the need for insulin.

 

This is also part of the research on fermentation of prebiotics.

Googling keywords " inulin references " nets about a week of detailed

reading on this important subject right from page one.

 

Duncan Crow

http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/