Many positive health claims have been made over the years for high-fiber diets. Most recently two articles in The Lancet medical journal give credence to the long-held idea that such a diet protects against colon cancer. The articles described two long-term studies, one done in England, the other in the US.
One reason for the difficulty of proving such claims for fiber is that the substance is complex — there are many types of fiber, not all of which act in the same manner. Some, in other words, may be more effective as a preventive agent than others — it is important to isolate which specific high-fiber types matter most.
Fiber, as you know, is plentiful in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. For some reasons not certain, Europeans eat more of it than we do in the U.S.; their residents ate 22 grams a day to our (American) 16 grams a day. According to the latest studies just mentioned, neither the Euros nor the Americans are eating enough — at least 30 grams daily seem essential for protection against colon cancer.
Any idea how many grams of fiber there are in popular foods? Here are a few with fiber content noted:
· Slice of whole meal bread-2 grams.
· Banana-3 grams.
· Apple-3.5 grams.
· Cup of brown rice-3.5 grams.
· Half a cup of high fiber breakfast cereal-14 grams.
In the American study (consisting of 3,600 people) reported in The Lancet, people who ate the most fiber (36 grams daily) had a 27 percent lower risk of pre-cancerous growths than those who ate the least. In the English study, those who ate the most fiber (about 35 grams a day) had about a 40 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer.
All of which leads me to conclude that everyone would be wise to pay a lot more attention to fiber than is the norm! One way to do so, besides counting fiber intake daily, is to be as alert to what happens to your food after you eat it as to the foods you select to eat. Consider this fact: America leads the world in the incidence not only of colorectal cancer, but also of digestive tract disorders, such as diverticulosis and diverticulitis. You’ve surely heard about “irritable bowel syndrome,” haven’t you? Well, these conditions, largely influenced by poor food choices and lack of exercise, can be anticipated long before the disease state occurs IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ATE. Am I making myself clearer?
Compared with some third-world countries, where the populations enjoy high-fiber diets, Americans are not doing well in the OUTPUT side of nutrition, if you get my drift. This is seen in three ways contrasting their PRODUCTION with ours in terms of volume, transit time and consistency.
Let’s deal with volume first. People in some other countries produce, on average, a pound and a half to two pounds daily; Americans — just seven ounces. This isn’t to suggest that all citizens of these selected third-world societies are quite so productive or that all Americans are under-performers but that, on average, we’re being out-pooped! My fellow flag-waving patriots, if you want America to be #1, the REAL superpower of the universe, you will have to do your part — by exercising and eating more fiber. Consider it your patriotic duty.
The second measure of adequacy of production is transit time. From input (consumption) to output (waste disposal), the third-world folks require 24 hours or less. Americans retain their meals for two to three days! This means that many of us are giving new meaning to the euphemistic state of constipation. The truth is we have masses of humanoids functioning in society who are, basically, living, breathing and perambulating toxic waste dumps.
Finally, there is the matter of consistency or consideration of the behavior of the fecal matter. This is something you can check out at a glance, which is not illegal, sinful, disgusting or otherwise inappropriate. The rule is simple: Fluffy floaters are better than slinky sinkers.
In addition to enjoying vigorous daily exercise (and sufficient moments of a fulfilling nature, a bit of relaxation, maintaining a good attitude and an interest in the meaning of life), you, too, can produce whopper-sized winners by choosing meals high in bulk and fiber. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, for example, and be conscious of fat intake. Try for a gram of fiber for every 100 calories you consume. If you are packing in, say, 3000 calories daily, that means you need 30 grams of fiber. Why not go for the high standard of 35 from that English study for even more protection against colorectal cancer?
So, a main focus of your fitness routine should be to eat more fiber and, with it, drink plenty of water. Excellent fiber sources are just about any fruit or vegetable and beans, prunes, figs, raisins, oatmeal, pears, nuts and popcorn, in particular. Next time you buy food take a look at the grams of Fiber and see if you are getting around 30grams a day. Chances are that you never even thought about how much fiber is in you diet because we tend to be more fat and sugar conscious these days. Getting enough daily fiber can lead to a much healthier you. The proper consumption of fiber along with good intakes of protein and working out on a regular can get you well on your way to reaching your fitness goals!
