High-fiber diets may assist with weight management
because they tend to be satisfying without being
calorie-dense.
Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower blood
cholesterol by binding to cholesterol molecules in the
digestive tract, thus encouraging their elimination
from the body.
High consumption of fiber-rich whole grains is asso-
ciated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Soluble fiber slows the emptying of food from the
stomach to the small intestine, thus causing a gradual
release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal.
For this reason, a diet high in soluble fiber may
promote better blood sugar management in those
with diabetes.
A low-fat, high-fiber diet combined with daily exer-
cise appears to be associated with a reduced risk of
developing breast cancer.
Studies investigating whether a high-fiber diet is pro-
tective against colon cancer are inconclusive. Those
that support the protective effect of fiber suggest that
fiber encourages the movement of food waste
through the bowel, possibly reducing the body’s
exposure to carcinogens in the waste products.
High-fiber foods tend to be rich in phytochemicals
that have been linked to cancer protection.
High-fiber diets that are comprised of large amounts
of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are associated
with better blood pressure control.
InteractionsFiber supplements such as psyllium may reduce
the absorption of certain medications when taken at
the same time. In general, medications should be taken
at least one hour before or two hours after fiber
supplements.
Resources
PERIODICALS
Saturday Evening Post278 (March-April 2006):74–79.
Ward, Elizabeth. ‘‘The Incredible Bulk: Fiber is a Nutri-
tional Scouring Pad. Here are 31 Ways to Keep it From
Tasting Like One.’’Men’s Health18(June 2003):102–
103.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association.120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. (800) 877-1600.
http://www.eatright.org.
American Heart Association. 7272 Greenville Avenue,
Dallas, TX 75231. (800) 242-8721.http://
[http://www.americanheart.org.](http://www.americanheart.org>.)
OTHER
Jackson Gastroenterology. High Fiber Diet<http://
http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs01.htm>
Linus Pauling Institute. Micronutrient Information Center
(Fiber)<http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phyto
chemicals/fiber/>
Mayo Clinic. Dietary Fiber: An Essential Part of a Healthy
Diet<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/
NU00033>
Medline Plus. Dietary Fiber<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
medlineplus/dietaryfiber.html>Marie Fortin, M.Ed., RDFit for Life diet
Definition
Fit for Life is a combination diet diet that empha-
sizes eating foods in the correct combination and
avoiding the wrong combinations of foods rather
than counting calories or controlling portion size.
Several aspects of this diet have been disputed by
dietitians and nutritionists.Origins
Fit for Life is the creation of Harvey and Marilyn
Diamond. The diet first came to the attention of the
public in the mid-1980s with the publication of the
bookFit for Life, which has sold millions of copies.
On the official Fit for Life website, Diamond claims
that the diet ‘‘spawned juice and salad bars, fruit sell-
ers on the streets of New York, and the juice industry.’’
He also claims the book ‘‘launched a nutritional awak-
ening in the United States and other Western coun-
tries.’’ These are impressive claims for a book written
by a man whose ‘‘doctoral degree’’ came from the
American College of Life Science, a non-accredited
correspondence school founded in 1982 by a high
school dropout.
Diamond has appeared on dozens of television
talk shows explaining his theories on how eating
foods in the correct combination and avoiding the
‘‘wrong’’ combinations of food can bring about weight
loss without calorie counting or exercise. In the 2000s,
the Fit for Life system added the Personalized FFL
Weight Management Program. This program uses
what they call Biochemical Analyzation, Metabolic
Typing and Genetic Predispositions to individualize
and personalize the dietary protocols. The resulting
diet is said to be effective only for one specificFit for Life diet