Benefits of fiber

A variety of epidemiological (disease and population) studies have found that in populations with high-fiber diets, the incidences of colon cancer, appendicitis, and diverticulosis are very low. Industrialized countries, which largely have diets high in fat and low in fiber, have high incidences of these diseases.

Fiber has long been recognized as one of the best food ingredients for maintaining regularity and preventing constipation. Consuming fiber reduces transit time and results in a more thorough evacuation of waste materials.

Because fiber may cause starches and sugars to be absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, the amount of glucose in the blood is reduced and so is the work required of the pancreas in producing insulin.

Water-soluble fiber may lower cholesterol. This is because fiber removes bile acids from the body, and bile acids are made from cholesterol. In order to replace the bile acids lost to fiber, the body pulls more cholesterol out of the blood. This lowers cholesterol. However, not all water-soluble fiber does this. The fiber found in oat bran, legumes, and psyllium does. Studies reported by Kellogg indicate that a daily intake of 10 grams of psyllium may lower cholesterol by as much as 15 percent.

Because fiber is low in calories, it can be added to your diet, providing a greater feeling of satiety without significantly increasing your caloric intake. In other words, you may find yourself eating less. This is beneficial in weight-loss programs.

Two tablespoons (16 g) of ^AIM Herbal Fiberblend ? contain 9 to 10 grams of fiber

Cleansing, detox, and herbs

The concept of body cleansing has been with us for centuries; simply put, this means that various parts of the body must be in harmony, and if they are not, sickness develops. This harmony was traditionally achieved through diet, internal medicine, purging, vomiting, bleeding, cupping, and other methods.

Today, many health practitioners recognize the importance of keeping the body in harmony; it is often referred to as cleansing or detoxification. Many health practitioners believe that this is particularly important today, as our world is becoming increasingly polluted with toxins found in the environment and in the foods we eat.

Why cleanse?

Toxins undermine our health. Elson Haas, M.D., in his book Staying Healthy with Nutrition, defines a toxin simply as "any substance that creates irritating and/or harmful effects in the body, undermining our health or stressing our biochemical or organ functions." More specifically, a body overloaded with toxins can result in a number of symptoms. These include constipation, stomach bloat, poor digestion, gas, fatigue, weight gain, excessive mucus, poor concentration, headaches, poor skin, poor memory, depression, body odor, and bad breath.

Some health practitioners relate toxins to specific diseases. R.A. Buist, M.D. (International Clinical Nutrition 8, no. 4 [1988]), states that chronic fatigue syndrome may be related to toxin exposure. Multiple chemical sensitivity and fibromyalgia (muscle and joint pain) may also be environment-related diseases. Indeed, there is a new medical category, clinical ecology, which deals exclusively with how toxins in the environment affect our health.

Cleansing

The body does have a system in place for detoxifying these harmful toxins. The most important cleansing organ is the liver. Eliminative channels include the bowels (the digestive system), kidneys, skin, lungs, and lymphatic system.

When the body is doing its job, and is not overburdened with toxins, the blood carries toxins to the liver, which uses enzymes to detoxify the harmful substances. They are rendered harmless or converted into a water-soluble form that is then eliminated via the urine or feces.

Unfortunately, this system can handle only so many toxins and was designed for "natural" toxins, not the man-made ones we have to deal with today. For example, protection against an age-old toxin-alcohol-is built into our genes. One gene codes an enzyme to convert alcohol into substances that the body can use or excrete.

Our body does not, however, always know how to handle the new toxins in our lives. It cannot understand how to excrete them, and they may accumulate to harmful quantities or be converted to odd, unknown substances that can interfere with metabolism. According to the textbook Nutrition, Concepts and Controversies, this can result in cancers or birth defects.

Today, there are different ways to cleanse the body. Among these are baths and hydrotherapy, diet and nutrition, herbs, chelation, and exercise. Using herbal supplements, often in conjunction with other methods, is one of the most popular ways to cleanse the body.

Herbs in cleansing

Herbs have been used for cleansing purposes for ages. Herbs are said to promote cleansing by eliminating toxins from the organs and systems of the body.

Two thousand to 3,000 years ago, herbal medicine was practiced in both China and India. About 2,000 years ago, the earliest Chinese pharmacopoeia, the Pen Tsao, appeared. It tried to give an authoritative survey of the medicinal preparations available at the time.

In the West, in the first century a.d., the pharmaceutical guide De Materia Medica was written by the Greek physician Dioscorides. In it, he describes the use of more than 600 different herbs, as well as 35 animal products and 90 minerals.

In the sixteenth century, the Swiss-born physician Phillipus Aureolus Paracelsus began to stress the idea that the value of plants is found in their chemical makeup. In other words, he invented the idea of "active ingredients." Scientists began to isolate these ingredients and create them in the laboratory.

Today, more than 25 percent of prescription drugs are derived from plant sources. If you add species such as fungus and molds to this, the number jumps to 50 percent.

Although there is much personal validation on the benefits of herbs, and herbal medicines are prescribed in many countries, there have been few clinical studies on herbs in North America. This is changing, however. More information about herbs is coming from Europe, more studies are being conducted on herbs in North America, and more and more health practitioners are beginning to use herbs for cleansing and other healthful purposes.

Suggested Reading

• Jensen, Bernard. Dr. Jensen's Guide to Better Bowel Care. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group, 1999.

• Schumacher, Teresa, and Toni Schumacher Lund. Cleansing the Body and the Colon for a Happier and Healthier You.

• Castleman, Michael. The Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1991.