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Fiber is the most essential non-nutrient in our diet, and perhaps the most misunderstood.
When I suggest that people take more fiber, about half give me a puzzled look and tell me
they certainly don't need fiber. What they mean, of course, is that they have diarrhea.
Since TV commercials recommend fiber for relieving constipation, they assume fiber would
make diarrhea worse.
But fiber is exactly what they need. Diarrhea is nature's way of flushing harmful
toxins and bacteria from the body as fast as possible. Fiber absorbs excess liquid and
binds toxins. Instead of using this simple, natural solution, many people take anti-diarrhea
meds, leaving the toxins and bacteria to be absorbed into the body, or worse, attach to
the colon walls, where they putrefy and cause damage.
Quite frankly, Americans have a fiber deficiency. Fiber is removed from our foods
during the refinement process. By removing the fiber, naturally low-glycemic-index foods
turn into high-glycemic-index foods. High glycemic index foods convert very quickly into
simple sugars, and in doing so increase our immediate energy, body fat production, and
insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, and obesity.
The same refinement process removes the vitamins and enzymes the body needs to digest
this so-called food. The lack of enzymes taxes the digestive system, leaving partially
digested food to become a feast for bad bacteria in the intestines. The partially-digested
foods, combined with toxic waste from the bacteria, get trapped in the nooks and crannies
of the intestines and start to ferment and putrefy. First the body becomes constipated,
then it uses diarrhea to flush out the toxins. The trapped putrefaction irritates and eats
its way through first the mucosal layer, then the intestinal wall, causing damage that can
manifest as irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, diverticulosis, diverticulitis,
hemorrhoids, colitis, or colon cancer.
Adding dietary fiber at any stage of this degenerative process reverses it. Increased
fiber slows digestion so that the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars is drawn
out over a longer period of time, thereby distributing energy to the body over a longer
period of time. The result: less load on the pancreas and liver, less insulin resistance,
more normalized blood sugar, and fewer heart challenges. Slower digestion means more
complete digestion of the food, and the leftovers are absorbed in the soluble fiber.
Meanwhile, the insoluble fiber scrapes the walls of the colon to remove food particles
that have become stuck. With the toxins removed, the intestinal walls have a chance
to heal.
As mentioned above, there are basically two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
Using Dr. Brenda Watson's analogy, soluble fiber acts like a sponge, soaking up excess
water and binding up toxins. It also absorbs dietary cholesterol which makes the oatmeal
and Cheerios commercials proud–see the "Cholesterol Myth." Insoluble fiber acts like a
broom and sweeps the debris and lodged fecal matter from the walls of the intestines.
How much fiber do we need? Dr. Watson says we need a total of 35 grams daily,
from food and supplement sources. Dietary sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables,
legumes, whole grains and nuts. Although psyllium is the most common supplemental fiber,
it may be a little harsh for some people. A good mix might combine flax seed, oat bran
and acacia gum. Apple and grapefruit pectin are also good sources, particularly if you
have blood sugar challenges.
© 2006 Chip Engelmann
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