Did you know that you can actually slash your risk of developing almost every single known disease simply by changing what you eat- and not even having to change it that much?

It’s true. A recent mega-study that included over 400,000 participants found over and over (and over) again that increasing (or even simply including) one kind of food solves almost every kind of problem, from high blood pressure to type two diabetes to deadly high cholesterol and arthritis.

Today I’d like to talk about your bowels. Actually I wouldn’t like to but the evidence pointing to their importance is so compelling I have to.

You probably guessed it by now… we’re talking about fiber today.

Most people that consume a typical Western diet high in calories, specifically from fat and sugars, don’t get nearly enough fibers. Those that have cut carbs are at increased risk of fiber deficiencies because those diets are usually really high in protein, which really constipates.

Fiber is one of those amazing dietary necessities that seems to do everything under the sun to combat illness and inflammation. Knowing the metabolic processes behind the scenes can be just enough to make a fiber-weary consumer want to pack in all he or she can.

What are some of the diseases that a diet rich in fiber can eliminate? Get out pen and paper, because there are a lot of them…

IBS, GERD, and FBS

People who are routinely constipated are told all the time they need to increase the soluble and non-soluble (doesn’t dissolve in water) fiber in their diets. Fiber loosens the stools naturally, provides the prebiotics the gut needs for efficient, healthy digestion, and keeps a person from incurring injury to the digestive tract as a result of straining or impaction.

However, fiber also will bulk up loose stools that are a trademark of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Frequent Bowel Syndrome (FBS). Some people think because it loosens constipated stools it will make loose bowels worse…it doesn’t necessarily.

Natural food sources such as whole grains help to BALANCE the digestive system so you’re able to get away from being in either turtle or rabbit mode and can just be in normal people mode.

Those who suffer from GERD will benefit from the bulking power of fiber as it helps you feel fuller faster-and therefore eliminates the risk of overeating, which is a trigger for GERD flare ups. The key to managing GERD is to eat smaller meals more frequently to avoid the stress on the stomach. Increasing fiber helps you get from one small meal to the next without feeling like you’re going to starve.

More info on eliminating acid reflux in 5 minutes, here…

Suffering IBS, here is a step-by-step plan to cure it…

High Cholesterol

Soluble fiber also works to eliminate LDL cholesterol in the blood. This is the bad cholesterol that leads to plaque build-up and heart disease. Increasing soluble fiber, as with the kinds you’d find in whole grains, is the best and most reliable method to get cholesterol under control- far more reliable and more safely than by using dangerous drugs that have side effects.

Here is how my friend Scott Davis got his cholesterol under control in less than a month…

Diabetes

[adrotate group=”5″]When your meal includes increased amounts of fiber, it solves a host of metabolic problems related to blood sugar. First, it causes the food to empty the stomach more slowly, which keeps you full longer and fills you up faster with less calories needed. This helps those who are chronic overeaters or those with weight problems to get their portions under control.

Another thing that happens in the gut with soluble fiber slowing down the rate food empties is that the rate that sugar drips into the bloodstream is greatly minimized. This helps prevent unhealthy insulin responses, especially for those who are finding their insulin sensitivity waning due to Metabolic Disorder.

There is a reason diabetics are told to keep the fiber content up as high as they can, and it’s because this is the strategy that is proven to save lives and keep people off pharmaceuticals.

It doesn’t take a rocket science (or dangerous drugs) to cure type 2 diabetes, here is the 3 step system to permanently eliminate type 2 diabetes…

High Blood Pressure

Soluble fiber, or that which can dissolve in water, has been proven many times over to prevent heart disease and eliminate inflammation- specifically the kind that causes high blood pressure and artery diseases. The soluble fiber works almost like an inflammation magnet, pulling toxins from the blood stream that cause the body’s stress reactions to result in chronically high blood pressure.

Discover 3 easy exercises that drop blood pressure below 120/80 as soon as today…

So How Does Fiber Do You Need?

The study mentioned earlier found that men and women who had a high-fiber diet were at a much decreased risk of dying, from ANY cause, than their counterparts whose diets are lacking proper fiber content.

Men need at least 35 grams of fiber per day and women need at least 28. A typical American diet, high in processed food, only provides about half the amount of fiber a person needs.

There are fiber supplements out there that do a decent enough job of getting the missing fiber snuck into the day’s requirements, but the absolute best source is that which naturally occurs in foods.

Whole grains are a great source for fiber, but so are raw, fresh vegetables that represent all the colors in the rainbow. Leafy greens, bright citrus fruits, and the skins of many vegetables are usually going to be packed with fiber and should be included in your daily food intake, replacing processed, anemic-white breads and cereals.

If you’re doing the low-carb, high-protein thing, then you’ll definitely want to increase your bean repertoire. These treasures of the food world are high in protein and fiber, and have very little negative characteristics, outside of a little gas now and then. There are ways to minimize that, though, in how you prepare them. Just look for the recipes that mention something to the effect of a decreased amount of gas and you’ll be good to go.

The list of diseases that are minimized or eliminated entirely just by increasing fiber is lengthy, so you might want to consider increasing your fiber content a little every day until you are at the 25-35 gram levels.

In the meantime, check out these great natural programs to eliminate disease without medications:

Defeat type 2 diabetes in just 3 weeks…

High blood pressure is a thing of the past with these 3 easy exercises…

Beat your cholesterol problem for good in just one month…

Let us know what you think…have any great recipes? Have you tried weird or zany fiber sources like chia or other grains that aren’t typical? What did you think of them? Join the discussion below…