Fiber Fights Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Obesity.
Registered nurse and licensed acupuncturist Roxanne Chan reads labels, uses glass rather than plastic, and doesn’t own a microwave. She also lives in our last wilderness, Alaska—a place that should still be clean.
Imagine her surprise when she recently discovered that she has high levels of at least 24 different toxic chemicals in her body. Whether found in furniture and clothing or beauty aids and water bottles, hormone-disrupting chemicals and heavy metals surround her—and all the rest of us.
Part of a new project sponsored by Physicians for Social Responsibility, Chan tested especially high for a chemical called DEHP, found in soft plastics. High levels of this substance cause kidney and liver damage in test animals—as well as fertility problems.
Whether we’re exposed to pesticides and plastics or low-level radiation, almost no one comes out clean these days. Others tested in this study showed close to 40 different toxic chemicals—often at even higher levels than Chan.
Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:
The right kind of dietary fiber is your best bet to sweep dangerous chemicals and other pathogens out of your digestive tract. And as the millions of people who use my Fat Flush and Gut Flush plans know, fiber-filled foods can cleanse the colon, preventing toxins from wreaking havoc that can cause disease.
Fiber Benefits
Americans average only about 5 to 10 grams of fiber each day from the diet. The truth is we need as much as 35 to 40 grams to move hazardous wastes through the digestive tract quickly.
The longer toxic chemicals and heavy metals remain in transit, the more trouble they cause. After eating, your meal should pass through the digestive system in 12 to 18 hours, ousting toxins and other pathogens from the colon before they can do much harm.
Two types of fiber keep things moving. Insoluble fiber (bran, lignans and other substances in seeds, vegetables, and whole grains) passes through the GI tract intact, carrying toxins and fecal matter with them. This type of fiber is most helpful in bowel disorders such as constipation and diverticular disease, in which weakened areas of the intestinal wall become inflamed.
Insoluble fiber may also protect against colon cancer by removing fat-soluble carcinogens. When you eat fats and oils, your liver produces bile acids to break them down for further digestion in the GI tract. Bile acids can cause cancer if they remain in contact with the intestinal walls for too long. Fiber speeds up transit time so that cancer-causing substances and noxious wastes move through the system quickly.
By contrast, soluble fiber (found in fruits, veggies, peas, beans, oats, chia, psyllium, and flaxseed) is rich in lignans, pectins, and gums that slow down carbohydrate absorption. This fiber is also believed to surround cholesterol molecules with a gel-like coating that inhibits their absorption in the bloodstream.
Soluble fiber has a viscous, gooey texture that softens feces to eliminate wastes easily and nourish good bacteria needed for healthy digestion and immunity. Soluble fiber also helps you feel full so you don’t eat too much. It even keeps calories from being absorbed, while helping lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels.
The secret to bulking up with both types is to slowly add fiber to your diet. Also drink plenty of clean, pure water so the fiber can expand and not create a blockage in the GI tract. It will be well worth your effort—you’ll find you can slip on those tight jeans much more easily.
Fiber for Fall Detox
To increase your intake of fiber and support a fall detox regimen, use Super-GI Cleanse, which contains five sources of the most effective soluble and insoluble fiber (apple pectin, flax, oat and rice bran, plus psyllium).
Based on years of helping clients fight constipation and detox safely, this formula can be used to replace flaxseeds or chia in the signature Long Life Cocktail, which appears in The Fat Flush Plan and my upcoming Fat Flush for Life.
Super-GI contains a unique combination of cleansing herbs including:
• Butternut bark – long considered one of the best and safest laxatives, supports liver function by protecting phase 1 and 2 detox pathways—and it also eradicates worms.
• Irish moss – a type of seaweed, protects the body against radiation breakdown products and supports glutathione production for effective overall body detoxification.
• Licorice – contains magnesium to move things along, protects the GI tract from the eroding effects of bile acids.
• Peppermint leaf – an anti-inflammatory, calms the stomach and intestines while relieving gas.
• Seeds like anise and fennel – promote healthy digestion and help protect the kidneys and liver.
• Buckthorn bark – an herbal stool softener, also eliminates parasites.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793511
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19825218
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19335713
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19765278
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