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k 1 0rono Weelyimea, lýWednesday, Nôv wi.f12, 1997 INTERACTIVE HEALTH e HIGH QUALITY PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE By Pal Irwin Lycet Nutritionzist, Certified Iridologisi Phone: 983-9475 Spring Forward: For anyone who would be interested in being inciuded in a six-week, nutrîtionai -support group, to begin in March, please cail Pat at 983-9475. Taber's Medical Dictionary defines dietary fibre as being components of food that are resistant to chemicai digestion.' The authors of 'The Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine' insist that this definition is vague, since it depends on an exact understanding of what exactly is not digestible. They therefore add to the definition, components of plant celi waiis. Taber's goes on to say that 'it is clear that dietary fibre, particularly those derived from wheat, oats, and other insoluble fibre sources are usefui in the prevention and treatment of constipation.' A 'western diet' is a term referring to the typicai diet of those in the western world, usualiy thought of as the North American western world. Though 'high-fibre' bas become a catch-word, and most people here are consciously aware of its importance, typical diets continue to consist of a bigb intake of refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and processed foods. In The Encyciopaedia, the authors claim that "In one year, the average North American consumes 100 POUNDS 0F REFINED SUGAR, 55 LBS. FATS AND OILS, 300 CANS SODA POP, 200 STICKS 0F GUM, 18 LBS. SWEETS AND CANDY, 5 LBS. POTATO CRISPS, 7 LBS. CORN CIPS POPCORN AND PRETZELS, 63 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS, 50 LBS. 0F CAKES AND BISCUITS AND 20 GALLONS 0F ICE CREAM. (1) The -above iisted 'non- foods of commerce' as they have, been called, are totally FIBRE-FREE! Rather boggies the mind, does it not? Until one remnembers that food manufacturers in the States spend '$4 billion dollars on advertising per year. An interesting fact in any discussion of bowel habits, and this is what we'-re talking about here, is the relationship of a healthy bowel to the amount of good friendiy bacteria present in the bowel, ready and wiliing to do the important job of digestion and assimilation of iife-giving nutrients. In normal health, there should apparently be a ratio of 80% good bacteria to 20% harmnful bacteria. In many people these figures are reversed, usually as a result of the 'overuse of antibiotics, birth-control, pilîs, and the above-mentioned offending foods. Dr. Rudolph Bailentine, in 'Diet and Nutrition-- a Holistic Approach', states that "one of the most important influences on the microbes (bacteria) growing in the intestinal tract is the arnount of fibre contained in the diet. For most of man's existence whether to have fibre in the diet was not a question since foods eaten were whole and natural and each morsel contained its own fibre as weli as the other nutrients which she/he needed." (2) It is now estimated that the -dietary fibre intake of the average person in the industrialized west is oniy one- fifth what it was a hundred years ago. This is primariiy because of the drop in consumption of grains from 350 Ibs per year per person to less than 150 lbs, and the rising intake of refined starches and sugars. In addition, the probiem is exacerbated by the fact that today's g rains are heaviiy refined. So, what happens when we consume a fibre-free meal? Think of it this way. Suppose one were to take a large pizza with double cheese' and pepperoni, put it in a large biender together witb two cans of pop with lots of ice, cburn it ahl up,- then put it in a garden bose. Now place the hose, al coiled up, on your bed, under blankets, and place a bot water -otte . In the morning your jobIto get ail of this out yothe o sf What do you think of this very 'common scenarlo? (3) In 1;ý past few years it bas been r,,,iied that certain diseases tha,,t plague Western persons, like cancer of the colon, obesltY, gout, diabetes, stones, hypertension, constipatioti, diverticulitis, appendiciti§, Crohn's disease, irritable Ipowei syndrome, multiple sclerosis and many more (4) ai,-- highly associated with a 1ow-tibre diet. From the above Iist iL can be seen that fibre sho ld not only be thought of in the treatment of constipatiori but also of diarrhoea due to the irritable bowel syndromne. FIBRE ACTS P ý NORMALIZE BOWEL M.)VEMENTS. There âre' many other benefits to jhe use of fibre in the diet, iniuding a graduai rise in biaod sugar levels (heipful to thje hypogiycaemic), and increased pancreatic enzyme secfýetion. Transit lime - an important concept. Cul1tures consumning a high-fibre diet usualiy have a transit time @f 18, 24, 3 0 hours. Typicail oW-fibre eaters will hoid this maieriai inside for 48, 72, any numfber of hours, and we ail knew someone who thinks tblIt one bowel movement per week is just fine. THE INCREASED INTESTIN/AL TRANSIT TIME ASS( CIATED WITH THE LOW-FIBRE DIET ALLOWS PROLONGED EXPOSURf TO VARIOUS CARCINOGENIC COMPOUNDS WITHIN THE INTESTINES. (5) This stuff gets absor&ëd! Inciuded in any iist of healthy fibre-filied foods are fruits and vegetables, grains, seed§ and legumes, and seed husks. Uniess one subsists on a diet cornposed entireiy of the above, ýit is a good idea to have the eXtra insurance of added fibre in the form of a supplement, caîl it high quality preventive maintenance, if you will. Ballentine states that "the husks of the psyllium seed are probably the best for this purpose." (6) Occasionally one hears the question "But wiiI I become dependent on this added fibre?" And the truth is that one is far more ikely to become unheaithily dependent on laxatives, which are sometimes used as an alternative to proper diet. Laxatives work by irritating the bowei to shake it up and make it move. Over time this is a poor choice, and cetani might become habit forming. Psyllium husks, on the other hand, provide what we normaliy get from our good food, and on which we are definitely dependent. It appears that psyllium seeds husks, available at your local health food stores, shouid be mixed in a full glass of water, and consumed at ieast 20 minutes before a meai. It doesn't taste great, but if you can stomacli it first thing in the morniîng, before the shower, adequate time will have eiapsed before breakfast to allow the fibre to pass through before it bas a chance to interfère with the incoming load of nutrients. it can pick these up, chelate them, and take them out, not a desirable idea, but totally preventable by observing time.. Another point is that the addition of extra quantities of bran to the food, can actually be harmful unless large quantities of water are taken with it. Pat Lycett sees clients for nutritional and/or iridoiogical assessment, at her home. She is also trying to make available nutritional education in cancer recovery, on an individuai or group basis. References -are available upon request. For ail your health needs please be sure to see your heaith care provider. exerdise can go a long way! Pushing a stLer 2.5km for 30 mntscn do onders for your heath. If's that simple. SEVNGDRHAM REGION SINCE 1841 FUNERAL SERVICES PRE-ARRANGED & PREPAID "W(iere .Preessiona('Etiquettc is Important- Funeral Directors Paul R. Morris Robert E. Williams Gary M. Conway Doug R. Rutherford ANSWERING YOUR CALL 24 HOURS 623-5480 4 Division St. Bowmanvilie