Colon cancer is in the top 3 deadliest forms of cancer in the U.S. Diverticulitis used to be a rare disease before the 1900s but is now it is one of the most common disorders of the colon. One out of every three adults in the U.S. has some sort of intestinal problem. And the situation is even worse for young adults with something like 73% experiencing gut related issues.
The Gut is the Gateway to the body. If gut health is compromised other chronic health issues will arise. It's just a question of time. If digestive disorders are not resolved its almost a guarantee that diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, or cancer will occur down the road.
There is one nutrient that is missing in the modern diet that is the cause of this epidemic.
*The lack of this nutrient causes pathogenic bacterial overgrowth in the gut.
*The lack of this nutrient causes constipation. And constipation leads to bacterial overgrowth and intestinal disease.
I'm sure you can guess what this nutrient is:
FIBER.
Fiber is so essential to colon health, yet it's overlooked, and completely misunderstood.
Did you know that fiber provides a medium for beneficial bacteria to grow on?
Did you know that it also absorbs toxins and heavy metals in the colon such as cadmium?
But how are we so lacking in this nutrient when nutrition labels claim that the processed foods and even "organic" processed foods lining supermarket shelves have fiber?
The truth is that most processed foods do not contain real fiber from the actual food. They contain added or adulterated fiber. Additives like Cellulose (a fancy name for wood chips) and gums are added to foods to act as binders and fillers. They are counted as fibers on the nutrition labels, but these isolated fibers are not beneficial. In fact the opposite is true.
Food manufacturers often add processed cellulose (derived from wood pulp or cotton lint) to products like grated cheese, sauces, baked goods, and diet foods to increase fiber content or improve texture.
FDA regulations: Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, added isolated cellulose counts toward the total dietary fiber
Food cellulose is derived from plants, most commonly from wood pulp or cotton. E460 is the European food additive code for cellulose
Guar gum is processed by mechanically separating the endosperm from the guar bean's husk and germ. The end result is a highly processed powder.
Processed Fibers Added to Foods that count counted as Dietary Fibers on the Nutrition Label:
Isolated fibers may get the bowel moving but they irritate the intestinal lining causing more harm than good long term. In fact, its all these added fibers and gums that are causing the intestinal problems we face. Combined with a diet high in refined sugars, refined flour, and really crappy meats and fish loaded with hormones and antibiotics, its no wonder our generation is plagued with digestive disorders.
The Benefits of Real Fiber:
- Aids Digestive Health
- Promotes Weight Loss
- Produces normal Bowel Movements
Where Can we get Real Fiber?
Fiber from real whole foods is the only healthy way to consume fiber to maintain gut health.
Wheat bran is one of the best sources of fiber. However, its not recommended to take it as a separate supplement, these powders irritate the gut lining.
It's best to consume wheat bran from real bread that contains all 3 parts of the grain including the bran. Almost all breads on supermarket shelves are made with white flour, almost all sourdoughs are made with white flour. White flour has has the bran and germ removed. Almost all Wholewheat flour is also fake. It is white flour with a little bran and molasses thrown in for color.
Why is flour heavily refined? Because white flour rises and makes bread fluffy, which is what most people want. And bran can be sold separately for more money.
There are other reasons as well which go beyond the scope of this article.
The solution: Proper bread made with all the 3 parts of the grain intact: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
For Proper bread made from real 100% wholegrain, ancient grain flour try the Einkorn Bread from Josephs Organic Bakery. Our breads are not refined at all, meaning we dont separate the 3 parts of the grain and we never use white flour.
For more Dietary Fiber: Consume whole fruits, and vegetables cooked and raw.
When adding fruits and vegetables into the diet, go slow if you're not used to it, otherwise you will have loose stools, add a little more every day, within a week your body should adjust.
How does fiber work in the gut?
When fiber is present stool is large and soft. The intestine doesn't have to work hard to expel it. When stool is hard the intestine has to work hard to expel it. The intestinal wall gets squeezed between muscle fibers, in this situation the colon gets segmented and disorders like diverticulosis develops.
How does Fiber help with Weight Loss?
Fiber expands in the gut which gives us that full feeling. Food that lacks nutrients and fiber doesn't fill us, which leads to overeating.
- Hormonal signals: Fiber stimulates gut cells to release hormones like GLP-1 and peptide YY. These hormones travel to the brain and help regulate appetite and promote feelings of satiety.
- Acetate production: When fiber is digested, it produces acetate, which is released into the bloodstream and can travel to the brain to directly signal that you are full and should stop eating.
- Fiber also stretches the stomach triggering satiety.