Saturday, September 23, 2006

Letter from Maribel K. on Fiber & Water

On September 17, 2006, Maribel K. wrote:

Hi Karen - Maribel K. writing. I'm enjoying your website.

I have diabetes for more than 40 years - am using an insulin pump. My diabetes is in better control than ever and praise to the Lord! I will be 82 next week - continue to be very active. I was to China 7 times - teaching six summers. My last tour was 2004. Feb. '06 I traveled to Australia/New Zealand. My biggest problem is that my feet are very narrow and I have a problem getting sturdy firm shoes for stable walking.

I eat 1/2 cup oatmeal every morning.
I eat 1/2 Fiber One before bedtime - Please analyze for me.

I have constipation problems off and on - more on than off.
I started to add oat bran to my cereal. I'm not sure how much is ok. I feel it is helping.

Any advice for me?

I have a Nikken Pimag Aqua Power Express water purifier/acid remover on my counter top. Any comments on this machine? I love it!

I wait to hear from you,
Maribel K.

Well, Maribel, I went to the grocery store (Albertsons) and checked out the Fiber One cereal. Actually, they had two types of Fiber One, the plain one and the Fiber One Honey Clusters.

Fiber One - serving size: 1/2 cup; fiber per serving - 14 grams; calibration - 200
Fiber One Honey Clusters - serving size: 1-1/4 cup; fiber per serving - 14 grams; calibration - 150

You didn't state what type of oatmeal you eat, so I calibrated a couple of them also:

Quaker Oats (old fashioned & quick oats) - serving size: 1/2 cup; fiber per serving - 4 grams; calibration - 200
Albertsons (old fashioned & quick oats) - serving size: 1/2 cup; fiber per serving - 4 grams; calibration - 400

Why is there such a difference in calibration when the items are labeled identically? My only guess is the Albertsons brand is fresher and the Quaker Oats brand has been sitting on the shelf longer.

For your age, Maribel, you should be ingesting at least 25 grams of fiber per day. I personally feel you should go over that amount, perhaps up to 35 grams per day. In your oatmeal and Fiber One, you're getting 18 grams of fiber.... only 7 more to go! Easy to do... 1/2 cup of kidney beans will give you 6 grams of fiber... 1/2 cup of pinto beans will give you 9 grams of fiber. One whole wheat tortilla or 2 corn tortillas will give you 4 grams of fiber.

Most high-fiber foods contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, but in different proportions. Choose a variety of high-fiber foods (vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products) in order to get enough of both soluble and insoluble fiber daily. Both types of fiber are important because they have different health benefits.

Insoluble fiber produces the tough, chewy texture of wheat bran, whole grains, and vegetables. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are insoluble fibers. Eating foods containing insoluble fiber is important for proper bowel function and can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids.

Soluble fiber includes pectin and gum and is found in oats, dry beans and peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Some studies indicate that foods containing soluble fiber may help reduce blood cholesterol levels in some people.

The Nikken water purifier is a great product to use to get high quality drinking water. I know of a similar water purifier that has a larger capacity and is less expensive, but I shall comment on that at a later date.

What would kick up that water a few notches would be to turn it into hexagonal shape. If you think your water is good now, you'll *really* feel it then! I highly recommend the Vitalizer Plus to do this. Learn more about it at http://www.water-plus-resources.info. I've turned really good drinking water (calibration - 500) into really great water (calibration - 950) by using the Vitalizer Plus.

Using biokinesiology, food & product calibration is on a scale of 1 to 1,000 with a high number being more strengthening to the body and 200 being neutral (neither strengthens nor weakens).

The results above are not a recommendation or condemnation, approval or disapproval of any product. They are simply results of a calibration test that indicates the strength (or energy level, if you will) of any food or drink. Even though higher numbers of the calibration test indicate a better or stronger product to promote good health, it is best if individuals take into consideration their particular body chemistry (e.g., allergies, current medications, etc.) before utilizing that item.

If you have a product or food you would like me to calibrate, send me an email. If it is an item found in stores (local to me are WalMart, Smart & Final, Northgate, Stater Brothers, Albertsons), let me know what the item(s) is/are and I will report the results in this blog. If it is an item that is not found in stores, you must send that item to me. If you want that item returned, be sure to send funds or postage to cover the cost of return shipping.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Consider Storing Food Now

by Dr. James Howenstine, MD

There are many good reasons to obtain food supplies now. The United States has become a net importer of food for the first time in its history. Remember also that the major foods grown and exported by the U.S. are GMO wheat, corn and soy which are very deleterious to human health.....

To read the rest of Dr. Howenstine's article, go to:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james50.htm


Dr. James A. Howenstine is a board certified specialist in internal medicine who spent 34 years caring for office and hospital patients. After 4 years of personal study he became convinced that natural products are safer, more effective, and less expensive than pharmaceutical drugs.


Editor's note: I've known for years that natural products are safe, more effective, and less expensive than pharmaceutical drugs. I think way down deep, we all know that. However, because of propaganda from the media via drug companies' in-your-face advertisements and the "I want it now" thinking of today's society, the general public is not altogether willing to search for and wait for the positive results natural products can and do offer in promoting and achieving good health. It's very refreshing to know there are certified medical specialists who are more concerned about their patients' health than the mighty dollar.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Fun Fiber Facts

A breakfast of whole grains can supply
a third of the daily dietary fiber
you need to keep, er, moving.


I admit, it's not a glamorous subject, but it does involve a function that every one of us has in common.

Maybe it's because many of us are uncomfortable discussing this particular bodily function that many of us have problems with it.

According to a National Health Interview Survey, close to 5 million people in the United States say they are constipated most or all of the time. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the country, resulting in about 3 million annual visits to the doctor.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the most common cause of constipation is a diet low in fiber. We eat too many refined and processed foods from which the natural fiber has been removed, and a lot of meat, which is, for the most part, devoid of any fiber.

Despite the fact that it's actually pretty easy to incorporate into your diet, doesn't provide any additional calories and has numerous health benefits, Americans tend to eat only 4 to 15 grams of fiber per day, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That's barely half of what is recommended.

Most people are aware that eating fiber helps promote intestinal health, but may not understand how it actually works.

Since fiber can't be digested, it travels through the intestine attracting water along the way, enhancing your body's natural process of elimination. If too little fiber is eaten, constipation or more severe digestive disorders, such as diverticulosis, can result.

Other benefits of a diet high in soluble fiber, like that found in oats and oat bran, include reducing cholesterol levels and promoting cardiovascular health, controlling blood sugar levels, and aiding with weight control by making you feel fuller longer.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that women and men age 50 and younger should eat at least 25 and 38 grams of total fiber per day, respectively. Women and men over age 50 should eat at least 21 and 30 grams per day, respectively.

When it comes to fiber sources, plant foods really shine. Whole grains and beans are perhaps the most often overlooked sources of fiber. Fruits and vegetables are also great choices when trying to increase your fiber fill.

A secondary source of fiber is through supplementation. You see on TV and hear on the radio about products like Metamucil, Benefiber, and Citrucel. Although not as good as fresh food sources containing fiber, they may provide benefits mentioned above.

But wait a minute... are they really all that effective? Most of them are made only from psyllium husks, which alot of people can't handle.

I went to my local WalMart and looked around at their fiber products. Since I can calibrate the strength of products and foods using biokinesiology, I decided to test what was on the shelves and post the results.

On a scale of 1 to 1,000 with a high number being more strengthening to the body and 200 being neutral (neither strengthens nor weakens), the product calibration results are as follows:
  • Benefiber (all types) - 200
  • Fiber Choice (all chewables) - 200
  • Fiber Choice (sugar-free) - 150
  • Fiber Choice (plus calcium, sugar-free, assorted berry flavor) - 125
  • Fiber Choice (weight management, sugar-free, strawberry with Chromate & green tea) - 200
  • Metamucil (all types, including wafers) - 200
  • Equate Fiber Therapy (powder and capsules) - 200
  • Citrucel (all types) - 200
  • FiberSure - 200
  • Kronsyl - 200
  • EZ Fiber - 150
And then I went home and tested a fiber product that I use (not available in WalMart):
The results above are not a recommendation or condemnation, approval or disapproval of any product. They are simply results of a calibration test that indicates the strength (or energy level, if you will) of any food or drink. Even though higher numbers of the calibration test indicate a better or stronger product to promote good health, it is best if individuals take into consideration their particular body chemistry (e.g., allergies, current medications, etc.) before utilizing that item.

If you have a product or food you would like me to calibrate, send me an email. If it is an item found in stores (local to me are WalMart, Smart & Final, Northgate, Stater Brothers, Albertsons), let me know what the item(s) is/are and I will report the results in this blog. If it is an item that is not found in stores, you must send that item to me. If you want that item returned, be sure to send funds or postage to cover the cost of return shipping.