Got Fiber- Eat a Tree?

My dogs occasionally eat grass.  They won't tell me why but perhaps they need the fiber.  The act of eating indigestible things is known as pica.  Some children have eaten calk, dirt, sand, or paper.  If you eat anything processed for more than one month then you might qualify for the diagnosis of xylophagia (the consumption of wood) in the form of cellulose.  Just look on the nutritional facts for some cheap products like hotdogs.  How in the world does a hotdog have fiber?  The same may be true for things like shredded cheese, ice cream and salad dressings. 

While I would prefer to avoid eating trees, it may surprise you that the consumption of cellulose is not a bad thing.  Methylcellulose is a soluble fiber product available as EZ Fiber (from bamboo cellulose).  There are other well know commercial fiber products that use methylcellulose; however, they contain additives and artificial sweeteners.  They may also contain maltodextrin which can be made from wheat and contain gluten.

Because of its thickening properties, cellulose is used in some sustained release prescription products.  While the food additive cellulose has no nutritional value the fiber content is needed in our Standard American Diet.   

When you eat unprocessed foods there are parts that are not digested.  The cellulose in corn is evidently not digested.  Fiber is a natural part of foods known to be good for you and may be either soluble fiber, insoluble fiber or a combination.  Soluble fiber such as the (EZ Fiber) turns to a gel, slows digestion and absorbs bile and toxins in the gut.  Insoluble fiber found in carrots, celery, green beans, and green leafy vegetables adds bulk to the stool and may help food pass more quickly.

Adequate fiber helps control blood sugar, and can decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke.  It is also useful in diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and hemorrhoids. The fiber goal is 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day.  Healthy choices include chia seeds, psyllium and ground flax seeds.  Fiber PF is a product with a combination of psyllium and flax seeds.  It also contains nutrients to aid in healing the intestinal tract.  Fiber rich vegetables include root vegetables, beans, peas, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.  Fibrous fruits are also helpful.

Stay Well!

Constipation, Drugs That Make You Crazy and Antifreeze

Constipation can cause many unpleasant symptoms that can make you, let's say, irritable.  I recently became aware from the FDA that a prescription and over-the-counter drug used to treat constipation can make you crazy.  The FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) shows that Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 3350) has caused "neuropsychiatric events".  This refers to neurological symptoms of the brain and nervous system.  Such disorders may include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple sclerosis, ADD, schizophrenia, depression, autism, and dementia.  I would speculate that PEG interferes with the absorption of nutrients.  Another consideration is that the gut acts as a second brain.  There is a huge gut/brain connection.  We should have seen this one coming.

 

As a side note the same AERS reported problems with commonly prescribed gabapentin and antiacids known as proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole, Dexilant, Nexium, Protonix).

Miralax (PEG 3350) is made by attaching molecules of ethylene glycol as a chain.  Ethylene glycol is better known as antifreeze for the automotive industry.  It disrupts hydrogen bonds to change the freezing point of water.  As a laxative it increases water in the bowel. PEG, also known as Carbowax is used in an impressive array of commercial products for just about anything imaginable.

Last year(June 2012) the Empire State Consumer Commission filed a Citizens Petition with the FDA calling for:

 "An immediate recall of PEG 3350 laxatives for addition of a black box warning against use in children and warning of potential adverse events associated with PEG 3350 laxative products. Adverse events reported in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System include, but are not limited to:  gastrointestinal, renal, urological, hematological, neurological, neuropsychiatric, dermatological, and at least 3 child fatalities. Adverse events are also outlined by the FDA Drug Safety Oversight"

 The ability to have daily, yes daily, bowel movements is imperative to good health.  Good hydration will aid in this endeavor.  Consider a good probiotic such as Enterobiotic SBO to soften the stool and create a healthy bacterial environment.  Fiber is important to add bulk and absorb bowel toxins and bile.  Consider psyllium (Metamucil), psyllium and ground flax seed (Fiber PF), or bamboo cellulose (EZ Fiber).  Homeopathics include Constipation CP for children and Constipation Drops for adults. Severe cases may require enemas.  For a better position in the relief consider the Squatty Potty.

Stay Well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got Fiber?

There are many health problems that are created by dehydration and constipation.  Have you ever heard someone say that it is normal to not have daily bowel movements?  Perhaps this is common but not normal.  A good standard for bowel function is at least one bowel movement per day.  If hydration is the number one health goal then a daily bowel movement is the second.  This is one major avenue of the body’s normal detoxification process.  Dehydration is a major cause of constipation.  Every time you eat there is peristaltic movement in your gut.  This means that you should have more than one bowel movement per day. 

Eating food low in fiber contributes to constipation.  In kindergarten we made paste from flour and water.  Get the picture?  Raw vegetables and fruits can help.  While fiber helps bulk up the stool, it also aids in the absorption and elimination of toxins.  This is why fiber is a recommendation for individuals with elevated cholesterol.  The liver breaks down cholesterol, hormones (thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, etc) and other byproducts of metabolism which is excreted in the bile via the gall bladder.  Bile is not only a waste product but aids in the digestion of fats.  Adequate fiber absorbs the waste components for elimination.  Fiber also acts as a broom for the colon to keep it clean.  My favorite fiber product is Fiber PF which is a combination of psyllium and ground flax seed.

For some fiber products can be constipating.  This can happen when antibiotics create an opportunity for yeast or candida to flourish.  This yeast combined with sugar results in fermentation creating gas and alcohol.  Good bacterial flora in the gut is also imperative to good bowel movements.  The bacteria have a normal life cycle of growth and death.  The normal bacterial die off helps soften the stool.  The use of a good probiotic such as Enterobiotic SBO is often helpful.

For some there is an emotional component to constipation.  It can be the holding on of toxins including toxic emotions.  Not being able to “let go”, so to speak.  Suppressed anger from abuse is a perfect example as many of these individuals display constipation.   This illustrates one aspect of how the mental, emotional, and spiritual can impact the physical body.  Much of illness starts on this emotional plane and is magnified in the physical body.  One great principle is if you heal the emotional/spiritual, then the body will, in turn, heal.  The spiritual is usually followed by the physical. 

Other products that are helpful include herbal teas such as Gaia Natural Laxative, homeopathic combination products Constipation or Constipation CP for children by Natural Creations.

Good bowel health is a major health goal.

Stay Well!