Reprinted courtesy of Dr. W. D. Currier
The bowel is a muscular tube. It has many vital purposes but one of the most important, of course, is to propel the bulk through the intestinal tract at a proper rate. The muscles of the bowel, as with all muscles of the body, when put on a stretch or a load work more efficiently. So, if the bowel is largely full, the muscles of the intestinal tract will propel the bulk through at a proper rate of speed. The foods we eat should pass through the intestinal tract in 12 to 15 hours.
When we buy a new tube of tooth paste, it takes little pressure to squeeze the tooth paste out, but when the tube is largely empty, it takes a great deal of pressure to squeeze out the contents. A similar condition exists when the bowel is full or empty.
When we eat foods that are largely absorbed, the bowel is relatively empty. It churns on itself, develops spasms and gets “sick.” If the bowel content is small, it can take from 75 to 100 hours for the foods we eat to pass through. When this occurs, there is a stagnation and putrefaction. Foods become toxic and we absorb toxins. This is one of the ways in which ill health is produced, including food allergies.
Our so-called modern Western diets are composed of a very high percentage of almost totally absorbed foods, leaving inadequate bulk in the intestinal tract in most people. When the relatively empty bowel is present, the intestinal tract becomes sick in a wide variety of ways. Proper absorption is impeded and malabsorption takes place. This is the chief cause for many gastrointestinal problems, including colitis, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, appendicitis, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids and cancer.
Primitive peoples living on native diets eat a high percentage of foods which contain a large amount of roughage. In these primitive people, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract is practically unknown. In our Western diet, cancer of the bowel is the second most common site of all cancers, and it has been increasing at alarming rates. Of course, other body chemistry factors play a part in the production of such a complex disease as cancer.
The liver has many functions. One of its chief actions is to secrete bile into the intestinal tract so that our foods, particularly fats, can be properly absorbed. The bile contains a large amount of cholesterol. When there is stagnation of the passage of food through the intestinal tract, the cholesterol is reabsorbed into our system and high blood cholesterol results. In research work, when patients are put on hgih bulk diets, however, the food passes through at a proper rate of speed, i.e., 12 to 15 hours. The contents of the bowel are carried through at a normal, reasonably rapid rate and the excess cholesterol is eliminated in this manner, resulting in lower blood cholesterol.
The slow passage of food through the relatively empty bowel also accounts for injury to the bowel by toxins that we ingest in the form of food additives, such as the nitrates and nitrites, food colorings and artificial food substances, many of which are more toxic than we realize. In Japan and Germany, the use of nitrates and nitrites, as preservatives for food, is forbidden – they have been judged to be harmful and cancer-producing.
Medical literature is replete with articles in recent years concerning the importance of adequate fiber bulk in the diet and the serious and harmful effects of inadequate bulk. A recent research program, carried on in England, was most interesting. Sixty-four patients who were suffering severely from diverticulitis were all scheduled for surgical removal of a portion of the bowel. One surgeon learned about the importance of bulk and placed these patients on a high bulk diet. He used particularly large amounts of whole bran flakes. The result of his study was that 62 of the patients became symptom and complaint-free and no surgery was needed. Only 2 of the 64 patients went on to have the bowel surgery. There are doctors who say that there is no place, in the treatment of bowel diseases, for highly-absorbed, bland diets. However, as in all instances in the practice of medicine, undoubtedly there are exceptions. Occasionally, when a patient starts a high bulk diet, he will experience some increase in gas or other bowel symptoms for a short time, especially if he has been on a low roughage diet.
What are mostly absorbed? They are, first, the sugars and sweets. These are absorbed 100%. Second, the white flour foods, which are made from polished wheat and polished rice, and only the starch remains. These are used so much in the preparation of our foods and are almost 100% absorbed. Third, the fats we eat are almost completely absorbed. Fourth, even protein, important as it is, is mostly absorbed. These foods which compose such a high portion of the Western diet are responsible for a high percentage of gastrointestinal diseases.
VEGETABLES and FRUITS
Raw is always preferable to cooked or canned. Canned is merely cooked in a can. We should eat our fruits and vegetables, rather than drink the juices. Fruit and vegetable juices are good food but not nearly good enough. They might be taken in place of water, but, of course, are severely lacking in bulk. The vegetable salad that we eat in the evening should contain as many raw vegetables as we have around the house. Then, a health food store or similar source could provide some watercress, parsley endive, spinach, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts and other such foods to add to the salad, which would make it a highly nutritious, high bulk-forming food. Any type of unadulterated salad dressing can be used which is most desirable from the individual standpoint, so that a huge salad can be eaten in the evening.
The only other food which would be necessary for the evening meal would be good protein. Remember seafood, which is among the most nutritious of all foods, high in the essential amino acids and containing large amounts of minerals while relatively low in fats.
NATURAL CEREALS and GRAINS
Largely the 7-grain, granola-like cereals. Although they may contain a little honey, the amount is not significant to most people. Also, the whole natural bulk of the 7-grain cereal supplies an excellent source of the B Complexes, minerals and other indispensable nutrients. However, NO FORM OF SUGAR IS ALLOWED!
Another neglected source of the cereals is the 7-grain cereal that is cooked, like you cook oatmeal. Oatmeal is a good cereal but not good enough. You might say the 7-grain cereal is six times better than oatmeal because it contains six other grains and cereals besides oats. For breakfast, you should add some fruit, milk and an egg to the 7grain cereal which would give you an excellent start on your day for nutrition and bulk. It is also advisable to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of wheat germ and 1-2 tablespoons of whole bran flakes to the cereal. Of course, 7-grain (or more) stone-ground bread is an excellent source of good nutrition, as well as desirable bulk. The darker, heavier and coarser the bread, the better. If you wish, vegetable enzyme-alfalfa tablets can be taken at meal-time. Some yogurt or buttermilk would also be helpful.