Approximately 20 percent of US adults regularly suffer from sluggish bowels and irregularity. That is not surprising since most Americans get very little fiber in their daily diet.
To cope with this problem, many people take laxatives and fiber supplements. Laxatives are known to weaken the function of the bowels and thereby exacerbate the problem.
Both Helpful and Not
Every supermarket, pharmacy, discount department store, and health food store has numerous fiber supplements which are regarded as a healthy way of dealing with constipation. The trouble is, these dietary additives are composed primarily of soluble fiber rather than insoluble.
Soluble fiber is abundantly found in oats, barley, fruits, vegetables, and psyllium seed. It is very helpful for reducing cholesterol as a percentage can be absorbed into the bloodstream where it attaches to particles of harmful LDL cholesterol. This prevents LDL from attaching to the lining of the arteries and aids in its removal.
The major portion of Metamusil or whatever fiber supplement is taken remains in the intestines where it absorbs water and increases the volume of the stool. Unfortunately it also causes in a longer transit time because it reduces peristalsis.
Transit time is the length of time it takes for the intestinal contents to leave the body, starting from putting food in the mouth. Peristalsis results in the muscular movements of the gi tract which push everything along.
Bran is Best
Increasing peristalsis is the most helpful approach for treating constipation and the only type of fiber effective in that regard is insoluble fiber. It is found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and it, like the gel-forming soluble fibers, increases stool volume as none of it can be absorbed through the intestines.
Insoluble fiber is known to decrease transit time by increasing peristalsis. The biggest source of this type of fiber is bran and cereals are the easiest way to consume bran.
I have not been able to find a single fiber supplement in the stores in my town that contains bran. They are almost exclusively composed of soluble fibers. As late as the 1990’s, you could find bran tablets, but they seem to have vanished in favor of fancy fiber blends that are more profit generating.
That said, people who have difficulty with constipation are better off consuming some type of bran cereal every morning rather than seeking relief through supplements. If you don’t like any of the fiber cereals in the grocery, check the health food store or go online.
I found some cereals by Nature’s Path that are enriched with flax seed, contain considerable fiber, and they also taste really good. If the stores in your town don’t stock what you want, just ask them if they will get it. Most managers are eager to accommodate their customers.
Consider it a Red Light
In addition to eating high fiber cereals, increasing the roughage content of your diet through whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables would be helpful from a number of aspects. These foods have a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibers as well as many thousands of plant-based nutrients and antioxidants that are very instrumental in protecting your health from chronic, degenerative disease.
The problem of constipation is usually an indication that your dietary habits need change toward more whole, unrefined, plant foods and away from excessive consumption of meat and fast food. If you just add bran to a poor diet you remain in a condition of nutritional inadequacy.
Constipation should alert us to the need for dietary assessment. It’s a wise individual who addresses underlying causative factors and takes action to prevent the development of more serious conditions farther down the road.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 7:49 pm and is filed under Supplements, Nutrition and Disease, Plant-based Nutrients, Healthy Foods, Preventive Health.
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