| | Location: Home » Cancer Education » Fiber Menace: The Truth About the Leading Role of Fiber in Diet Failure, Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Colon Cancer (Volume 1) | |
|
|
Fiber Menace: The Truth About the Leading Role of Fiber in Diet Failure, Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Colon Cancer (Volume 1) |  | Author: Konstantin Monastyrsky
Publisher: Ageless Press
Category: Book
Buy New: $19.95
as of 9/4/2010 20:55 CDT details
New (3) Used (9) from $18.89
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  37 reviews
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Pages: 296
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8
ISBN: 0970679645
EAN: 9780970679642
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
 Fiber Menace October 27, 2006
Kathryne L. Pirtle (Addison, Il)
78 out of 88 found this review helpful
Fiber Menace
By Konstantin Monastrsky
(Pub. by Ageless Press, 2005)
From a symbolic cover illustrating a cereal bowl full of gold screws, the insightful book, Fiber Menace, reveals the disastrous effects that our modern high-fiber nutritional dictates may have on the proper functioning of the digestive system. From purely a perspective of the problems that a high-fiber diet creates--of large stools that stretch the intestinal tract beyond its normal range and eventually cause intestinal damage and bowel problems, including hernias, hemorrhoidal disease, constipation, malnourishment, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, to drastically upsetting the natural bacterial flora in the intestinal tract--Fiber Menace describes major health issues that can develop from eating what's considered a modern healthy diet that is high in fiber from fiber supplements, grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes.
The book also details the problems with over-hydration. The recommended 8 glasses of water a day may cause problems such as constipation, mineral depletion and imbalances, which can factor in digestive disorders, kidney disease, degenerative bone disease, muscular disorders and even cardiac arrest from electrical dysfunction. Pointing to traditional healthy cultures, we find that people did not drink large quantities of water because a clean water source was not guaranteed. Instead, they stayed hydrated with dairy, fermented beverages and bone broth soups, which have incredible nutrient qualities and are not flushed through the body as plain water.
The author of this book is a brilliant man who suffered a life-threatening illness from years as a vegetarian. Mr. Monastyrsky is a pharmacologist, and after immigrating to the US from the Ukraine, pursued a career in high technology. He worked in two premier Wall Street firms: as a senior systems analyst at First Boston Corporation and as a consultant at Goldman-Sachs & Co. He has also written two best-selling Russian language books, entitled Functional Nutrition: The Foundation of Absolute Health and Longevity, and Disorders of Carbohydrate Metabolism.
I was fascinated with this author's perspective as I also suffered a life-threatening digestive illness and recovered through eating a nutrient-dense diet, which happens to also be a low-fiber diet. For years, I ate lots of fruits and vegetables--mostly raw--ate lots of grains and faithfully drank 8 glasses of water daily. I ate some meat and dairy and very little fat-- and definitely no butter! I developed severe intestinal damage from undiagnosed Celiac disease and a hiatal hernia, but am convinced, from reading this book, that many of my digestive problems may have been equally caused from a high-fiber diet as a factor in the intestinal damage and severe malnutrition that I suffered.
The author discusses that a low fiber diet and not eating anything that your great, great, great, great grandmother wouldn't eat will heal digestive illness. He advocates eating a high protein diet with foods that are easy-to-digest, build up the intestinal bacterial flora and supply ample traditional fat. These are the same principles that I found effective in building health from a very depleted condition.
This book focuses on what not to eat and why. Mr. Monastrysky explains that the human teeth are fashioned to chop flesh and our digestive system is built to handle mainly protein digestion with small amounts of fiber. When we eat too much fiber, digestion lasts longer and fermentation occurs, damaging the bacterial flora and causing problems such as bloating, flatulence and enlarged stools, which can lead to problems such as constipation or diarrhea, IBS, and diverticular disease.
We must consider however, that many healthy cultures successfully ate a mixed diet that included ample fiber from grains, vegetables and fruits. However, the missing component in the success of their diets compared to many modern mixed and vegetarian diets, is that healthy diets supplied adequate fats, vitamin A and D, easy-to-digest bone broth soups, traditionally fermented foods that promote a healthy intestinal flora and high-quality sources of protein. Although Monastrysky suggests high-quality protein, fats, and building intestinal flora as important, he leaves out discussion of the necessity of adequate vitamins A and D. Our modern diets are inadequate for intestinal health not merely because of a fiber issue, but that we lack the crucial components that are found in healthy cultures, in our diets that allow us to absorb nutrients and maintain proper digestive function.
He cautions the reader of problems with switching to a low-fiber diet in the first stages; that it is important to gradually cut down on fiber and make sure you are getting adequate fats and foods that build the intestinal flora. As stools are smaller, the urge to go to the bathroom will be less pronounced, so it is very important to pay attention to the "urge" signal so that the stools don't harden and cause constipation. Interestingly, he points out that a healthy stool is easy to pass, rather small in diameter and is mostly composed of bacteria leaving the body as proteins are digested completely before hand. He also sites that fiber is not necessary to have regular stools, as we have been led to believe, and that some of the healthiest cultures had very little fiber in their diets.
If you're worried about getting enough nutrients in your diet from cutting down on raw vegetables and fruits, remember nutrient-dense foods contain concentrated nutrients from the animals that "chowed" down on literally bushels of fresh green grass to produce a food that contains all of the vitamins and minerals found in fresh produce and more, in a concentrated form that is easy to digest. Also, if you have suffered from any digestive disorder, it is difficult to absorb the vitamins and minerals from raw produce, and raw produce can be extremely irritating to the intestinal tract and keep it from healing. When healing from any digestive disorder, beet kvass, fermented vegetables, vegetables in bone broth soups and steamed vegetables with butter are much better tolerated.
From a perspective of the benefits that a low fiber diet has to optimal digestion, following the Weston Price Foundation's principles of eating nutrient-dense foods for building health will lead you in this same direction. Many thanks to Konstantin Monastyrsky for writing this important book.
Kathryne Pirtle
This book has changed my eating habits for good! November 3, 2005
ESL Books
41 out of 45 found this review helpful
Fiber Menace is a fascinating read. I received an advanced copy of Fiber Menace for review. Before reading this book, I thought I knew a lot about nutrition. I thought I had a great grasp on fiber's role in our diet and on the importance of consuming plenty of it...Fiber Menace convinced me that the "truths" I had absorbed from other books, articles, and the food industry were in fact highly questionable. Fiber, it turns out, can actually be very harmful in the quantities recommended by the "establishment." Our bodies become addicted to it -- and then depend on it to stay regular. Basically, we get into a vicious cycle. Fiber Menace explains how that happens, what the results are (frightening and not always apparent until later in life) and what to do about it now. Since reading the book, I've changed my diet. For example, I've cut way back on fiber, I don't rely on drinking water to force down the food (as I've discovered this is not how our bodies function), I've stopped forcing myself to drink those 8 glasses of water daily, etc...the result is that I'm already starting to feel better after a relatively short period of time.
Author Konstantin Monastyrsky boldly challenges many truths about diet and nutrition, taking to task Dr. Atkins and many other diet gurus whose teachings many of us had taken as gospel (often with mixed to poor results!). His writing style is very accessible and engaging.
Thinking out of the box - This book is priceless... December 11, 2007
Mary Ann Cocuzza (New Jersey)
23 out of 24 found this review helpful
I would love to tell you how this book has helped me with my daughter. She is 20 years old and has severe cerebral palsy, full care, and in a wheel chair. Among many other problems that occur as a result of this condition she has always had severe bowel problems and constipation. I have been to the hospital, probably, atleast 20 times over the years for being in alot of pain, pain with fevers, pain and fever with seizures, constipation, impaction, & coming away not knowing much. That didn't count all the times I didn't take her to the hospital. The doctors didn't know what to do except give her tranquilizedrs, enemas, suppositories, medicines galore, and no hope because it is all blamed on CP. In July 2007, I spent nine hours in the emergency room with her screaming in pain. Fevers, excruciating pain, constipation, tons of mucus, malabsorption, undigested food, toxic bowel, you name it she had it. She had tons of testing, drugs for tranquilizing, stuff to drink for the C/T scan, anti-nausea drugs, ibuprofen, enema, and more. The upshot was that she was impacted and they suggested 4 doses of Miralax, 5 days of 10mg. of Ducolax, and the big question: Would I consider a colonectomy? I went home and basically cried again. She shouldn't be suffering like this just because she has cerebral palsy.
This summer I fortunately and coincidentally received a new russian speaking aide for my daughter and she was reading one of Mr. Monastyrsky's books in Russian. I was interested, but, didn't quite understand what she was trying to tell me. All I knew was that it was so different from all of the things I have been reading and trying. I looked up the name and found that he just published it in English and I bought it. At the time I was trying enzymes & probiotics again along with a new nutritionist who helped me get her away from fruit juice and drinking water by adding stevia and a little organic black cherry or blueberry fruit juice to color it. Once again we got into trouble with all the symptoms I told you about. After reading the book and using one round of the suggested protocol of L-Glutamine, Ascorbic acid powder and the excellent probiotics, I stopped all grains and legumes which consisted of oatmeal, brown rice, lentils, black eyed peas etc. (I already was not giving her wheat). Now, it has been four months and I only give her one dose of Miralax only because I am afraid to stop but I will try ending even that now. What has happened was TRULY A MIRACLE. SHE IS BASICALLY FREE FROM ALL THE HORRIBLE SYMPTOMS except for very occasional constipation which is not a nightmare anymore. SHE IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS. She is alert, happy, and so improved that I see her finally gaining strength and weight and who knows what she can accomplish. I could go on and on. It is so hard for people to make changes when you always hear the opposite of the answer, ie: Fiber, Fiber, Fiber...My suggestion would be to read this book and think out of the box. That last herendous nine hour hospital visit costed my insurance company something like $7000.00. This initial FIBER MENACE remedy for my daughter was the cost of the book and the recommended protocol the author suggested, maybe $120.00.
Finally, a solution for my constipation November 12, 2005
OG (Cambridge, MA, USA)
27 out of 29 found this review helpful
I have been suffering from severe constipation for many years and tried all the methods known to traditional medicine, including eating fiber, of course.
A year ago I met the author of this book and got help that allowed me to improve my condition dramatically. A lot of what I learned from the author is now available to everyone in this book. It's going to help a lot of people!
If you have any kind of digestive disorder (and constipation, in particular) you must read this.
My life is different now, on a "no fiber diet". March 22, 2008
Boris Solos
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Just like Mr. Monastyrsky's other two books (written in Russian, my native language), Fiber Menace became my health Bible. It describes exactly what's happening to my body (good and bad) when I follow/don't follow the dieting principals explained there. I have tried most of the other diets before, but I never had such a success.
I started "no fiber diet" about 9 month ago. Since then I lost 55 pounds, and went down from size 46 to size 40. I am almost 44 years old, and I feel healthier and stronger today then ever before in my adult life.
I would definitely recommend "Fiber menace" to anyone who would like to choose a healthy lifestyle for themselves and for their children.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
|
|
|
|
| |
|
