Fiber Intake

Adequate fiber intake is one of the most recent, popular health measures. It is much more than a fad. Fiber is the indigestible residue of food that passes through the entire bowel and is then eliminated in the stool. It is found in unrefined grains, cereals, vegetables-particularly celery-and some fruits.

The beneficial aspects of high-fiber intake come from the actions of fiber as it passes through the bowel. Fiber attracts water and provides consistency to the stool so that it may pass easily. The increased regularity of bowel action that results turns out to be very important. It decreases the chances of diverticulitis, an inflammation of the colon wall. Diverticulitis results from the excessive pressure in the colon and weakening of the wall. Fiber protects the bowel so that the development of pre-cancerous polyps is greatly reduced, as is the risk of cancer of the colon. Fiber also acts to decrease problems with constipation, hemorrhoids, tears in the rectal wall, and other minor problems as well as the big ones. Fiber binds cholesterol and helps eliminate it from the body.

We must emphasize that the natural-fiber or fiber-supplement approach to regularity of the bowel is greatly preferred over use of laxative and bowel stimulants, which have none of these advantages. You need to get the fiber habit and avoid the stimulant laxative habit.