High Fiber Helps Reduce the Risks for Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is a major health problem. This disease is most common in Western cultures. Most colon cancer starts out as a colon polyp, a benign mushroom-shaped growth. In time it grows, and in some people it becomes cancerous.
Colon cancer can be curable, if the polyps are removed when found or if surgery is performed at an early stage. It is now known that people can inherit the risk of developing colon cancer, but diet may be important, too.
There is a very low rate of colon cancer in residents of countries where grains are unprocessed and still contain their fiber and other natural nutrients. Cancer-containing agents (carcinogens) remain in contact with the colon wall for a longer time and in higher concentrations. So, a large bulky stool may act to dilute these carcinogens by moving them through the bowel more quickly. Having little carcinogenic exposure to the colon will mean fewer colon polyps and less cancer.
Fiber helps us to get rid of wastes and helps to keep food moving through the intestine. The more fiber you eat, the more “stuff” your body gets rid of. Also, high-fiber foods expand the inside walls of the colon. This eases the passage of waste. Fibrous substances pass through the intestine undigested and absorb many times their weight in water, resulting in softer, bulkier stools. The recommended amount of fiber is twenty grams per day. This is a lot! Most people do not get this much a day. You may say that you eat fruit and vegetables everyday, well one piece of fruit only has 3 or 4 grams of fiber. Whole grain breads and cereals should contain at least 5 grams of fiber to be considered high fiber. Read your labels!
If you are not eating enough fruits, vegetables, and/or whole grains, you may need to start taking a fiber supplement.
If you are a Hauser Diet #1, Hauser Diet #2, Diet (Lion or Otter diets), and your diet does not allow for many fruits, vegetables, or grains, then you will most likely need to take a fiber supplement.
If you are a Hauser Diet #4 and Hauser Diet #5, make sure you eat the correct serving sizes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and don’t just fill up on simple carbs! This way you will be getting the right amount of fiber. It may also be smart for you to take a fiber supplement if you feel that you might fall a little short.
Drinking plenty of water is also important. Water helps to soften your stools. Fiber acts a lot like a sponge. It needs water to help cleanse our systems. With out water our bowels would turn hard and make us constipated. A high-fiber diet with plenty of water causes a large, soft, bulky stool that passes through the bowel easily and quickly. Because of this action, digestive tract disorders may be avoided or halted by following a high-fiber diet. A softer, larger stool helps prevent constipation and straining. This can help avoid or relieve hemorrhoids. More bulk means less pressure in the colon, which is important in the treatment of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber is also been shown to be helpful in relationship to diabetes, elevated cholesterol, colon polyps, and of course - cancer of the colon. So bulk up today – and we’re not talking muscles!
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