“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”  Hippocrates

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet:

Dietary Fiber

An anti-inflammatory diet is encouraged as a remedy to battle chronic low grade inflammation throughout the body (“systemic inflammation” ), a condition that contributes to chronic pain, cardiovascular diseases, mental health and certain cancers.

Understanding the role of dietary fiber is an important aspect of maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet. This section is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather a reference for confirming recommended foods.

Included are links that serve as more in depth resources of information for those who want to pursue greater knowledge of a subject.

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Key to Links:

  • Grey text – handout
  • Red text – another page on this website
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Definitions and Terms Related to Pain

 

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is generally considered to have anti-inflammatory properties, as research shows that a high-fiber diet reduces inflammation and modulates the immune response. Fiber positively influences the gut microbiome by  acting as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, that are known to have anti-inflammatory benefits.  However, an individual’s gut health can impact fiber’s effects on inflammation. Additionally, the source and type of fiber determines its benefits as well.  

For example, while intake of fiber from grains, fruits and vegetables all contribute to lowering inflammation, cereal fiber appears to have greater benefit compared to fruit or vegetable fiber intake regarding lowering the risk of cardio-vascular disease (CVD). This difference may be primarily due to cereal fibers replacing other less healthful foods in the diet.

Soluble and Insoluble Fibers

Fiber found in foods can be categorized as soluble or insoluble and they each provide different benefit profiles:
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance when mixed with liquid. It slows down digestion and helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Examples of soluble fiber foods include oats, apples, beans, barley, citrus fruits.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and adds bulk to stool. It primarily aids in bowel regularity and prevents constipation by helping with movement of stool. Examples of insoluble fiber foods include whole wheat bran, nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables.           

See: Fiber content of whole grains                                                 

Key points about fiber:

  • Blood sugar levels and fiber – In people with diabetes, fiber slows the absorption of dietary sugar which helps reduce blood sugar levels. That’s especially true of soluble fiber. A healthy diet that includes both soluble and insoluble fiber also may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

  • Lower cholesterol levels and fiber – Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may keep reduce the absorption of some of the cholesterol in other foods. As a result, that may lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. High-fiber foods also lower blood pressure.

  • Bowel health and fiber – Fiber acts as a food source (prebiotic) for beneficial gut microorganisms (the microbiome) which produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that have anti-inflammatory benefits.

  • Constipation and fiber – Dietary fiber absorbs water and adds bulk to stool and in general, bulky stool is easier to pass, lowering the chance of constipation.

  • inflammation and fiber – Higher fiber intake is associated with lower levels of systemic inflammation and reduced risks for cardiovascular diseases including heart attacks and, especially, strokes.

  • Weight loss and fiber – High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods so one is likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. High-fiber foods also tend to take longer to eat and to have fewer calories per portion than low-fiber foods.
  • Lifespan and fiber – A high fiber diet is linked with a longer lifespan including a lower risk of dying of heart disease and, especially, stroke. This benefit appears more strongly associated with dietary fiber obtained from grains than fruits and vegetables.

Suggestions for getting more fiber

See: High Fiber Foods

  • For breakfast, select a breakfast cereal with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with whole grain, bran or fiber in their brand name. Top the cereal with berries or other high fiber fruit or add a tablespoon of chia seeds (4 gms), whole or ground flax seeds (2.8 grams) or wheat bran (2 grams) to the cereal.
  • Choose whole grain breads like rye (>2 gms/slice) or wheat (2 gms/slice, vs white bread (0.6 gms/slice). Another advantage of rye bread is its longer shelf life.  See: Fiber content of whole grains  
  • Review the product label, whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain should be first in the ingredient list. Try other whole grains especially rye, barley or oats.
  • Choose brown rice (3.5 gms/cup) instead of white (1 gm/cup).
  • Select whole-wheat chips for nachos and dips
  • Each day, make sure that at least half of the grains you eat are whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, whole-wheat pasta and quinoa..
  • When baking, bulk up!  Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking. Try adding chia seeds, crushed bran cereal, wheat bran or uncooked oatmeal to muffins, cakes and cookies.
  • Eat more legumes including black beans, kidney beans, peas and lentils which are excellent sources of fiber (10-15 gms/cup). Try eating beans instead of meat twice a week. they are also high in protein but are low in fat.
  • Emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. such as green beans (3.4 gms/cup)  green peas (7 gms/cup), cooked spinach (4.3  gms/cup), corn (4-5  gms/cup) and broccoli  (4.7  gms/cup)
  • When selecting canned fruits and vegetables, choose those that are canned in 100% fruit juice instead of syrup. If you eat canned vegetables, make sure they are low in sodium. See: Fruit – Fiber Content
  • Make snacks count.  Consider a cup of fresh raspberries ((8 gms), blackberries ((8  gms), blueberries ((4  gms), or strawberries ((3.3 gms),
  • A handful of nuts or dried fruits that don’t have added sugar also can be a healthy, high-fiber snack. Just be aware that crackers, nuts and dried fruits are high in calories.

 

Fiber: fortified foods and fiber supplements 

In general, whole foods are healthier than fiber supplements since they provide vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that supplements don’t.  When one’s diet is insufficient, one way to get more fiber is to eat fiber fortified food products that have fiber added to them. Some forms of added fiber come from processed plant sources such as bran, husks or roots. Commonly added fibers  include chicory root, cellulose and pectin. Side effects may include gas or bloating.

When supplements are advised, options include psyllium (Metamucil, Konsyl, others), methylcellulose (Citrucel) and calcium polycarbophil (FiberCon).

 

Fiber: Dietary Needs

The National Academy of Medicine gives the following daily fiber recommendations for adults:

  • 21 grams for women older than age 50.
  • 25 grams for women age 50 or younger.
  • 30 grams for men older than age 50.
  • 38 grams for men age 50 or younger.

High Fiber Foods

See: High Fiber Foods

 

When to not eat a high-fiber diet

Some conditions may argue against high fiber diets, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis or during bouts of diverticulitis. Other conditions of potential concern include post-surgical conditions, gastric paresis and those taking GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic or Mounjaro which slow gastric emptying.

 

Purchasing Supplements

To purchase supplements reviewed on this web site or discussed with Dr. Ehlenberger, a discount can be applied to usual commercial pricing by purchasing from Accurate Clinic’s online Supplement Store after acquiring the discount code from Accurate Clinic. Please note that Dr. Ehlenberger does not receive any financial rewards from sales through this store, it has been set up as a means to allow purchase of quality supplements more accessible and more affordable for his patients.

Accurate Clinic’s Supplement Store or, call Toll-Free: 877-846-7122 (Option 1)

 

Resources:

Online Resources for Nutritional Information

MyFoodData.com

MyFoodData.com provides nutrition data tools and articles to empower you to create a better diet. All data is sourced from the USDA Food Data Central.This site includes many tools related to nutrition including one that allows you to look up any food for a nutritional analysis, including commercial products,

 The Nutrition Source

www.Nutrition.gov
Nutrition.gov provides easy access to vetted food and nutrition information from across the federal government. It serves as a gateway to reliable information on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and food safety for consumers. Since dietary needs change throughout the lifespan, specialized nutrition information is provided about infants, children, teens, adult women and men, and seniors. Users can find practical information on healthy eating, dietary supplements, fitness and how to keep food safe. The site is kept fresh with the latest news and features links to interesting sites.

 

 National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
Founded in 1969, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) is a non-profit, all volunteer, civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through advocacy, public education, and support.

 

Journals & Newsletters

  1. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition

  2. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

 

Books

“Dopamine for Dinner”

by Joan Borsten, 2014
Available online at Amazon.com: Kindle subscriber: free;  Kindle book: $9.95  Paperback: $149.00

 

“Dopamine for Dinner,” is the first Malibu Beach Recovery Diet Cookbook, based on their famous low-glycemic diet. The recipes developed by four accomplished chefs are both pleasant eating as well as healthy. Based on the use of low glycemic index foods, the recipes emphasize nutritious eating in a manner that promotes maintaining high brain levels of dopamine and serotonin as a means of supporting healthy brain chemistry.

 

Educational Resources:

  1. Medline Plus 
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  3. NIH – Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
  4. Office of Dietary Supplements
  5. Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets
  6. Resources for Weight Loss Help

 

New Research

  1. Low- and High-Dose Plant and Marine (n-3) Fatty Acids Do Not Affect Plasma Inflammatory Markers in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome – 2011
  2. The influence of dietary and supplemental omega-3 fatty acids on the omega-3 index- A scoping review – 2023
  3. Association between dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and all-cause mortality in patients with osteoarthritis- a population-based prospective cohort study – 2024
  4. Omega-3 Supplements_ What You Need To Know _ NCCIH Eicosapentaenoic acid vs. docosahexaenoic acid for the prevention of cardiovascular disease – PubMed – 2022

 

Dietary Supplement Testing and Safety:

  1. NSF International
  2. USP – Quality Supplements
  3. Consumer Lab

 

Information on Herbal and Dietary Supplements:

  1. NaturalMedicines.com
  2. Herbalgram.com
  3. NCCIH – Herbs at a Glance

Genetically Modified Food

 

Misc.

  1. Simopoulos AP. The importance of the ratio of omega 6/omega 3 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Oct;56(8):365-379.
  2. LeGendre O, et al. (-)-Oleocanthal rapidly and selectively induces cancer cell death via lysosomal membrane permeabilization. Mol Cell Oncol. 2015 Jan; 2(4):e1006077.
  3. Carvajal-Zarrabal O, et al. Effect of dietary intake of avocado oil and olive oil on biochemical markers of liver function in sucrose-fed rats. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:595479.
  4. Unlu NZ, et al. Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil. J Nutr. 2005 Mar;135(3):431-436.
  5. Irandoost P, et al. Does grape seed oil improve inflammation and insulin resistance in overweight or obese women?. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2013 Sep;64(6):706-710
  6. Del Gobbo LC, et al. ω-3 ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers and coronary heart disease pooling project of 19 cohort studies. JAMA Intern Med. 2016 Aug; 176(8):1155-66.
  7. Carvalho M, et al. Human cancer cell antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of Juglans regia L. Food ChemToxicol. 2010 Jan; 48(1):441-447.
  8. Deol P, et al. Soybean oil is more obesogenic and diabetogenic than coconut oil and fructose in mouse: Potential role for the liver. PLOS One. 2015 June.
  9. O’Keefe S, et al. Levels of trans geometrical isomers of essential fatty acids in some unhydrogenated U. S. vegetable oils. J Food Lipid. 1(3):165-176.
  10. Kritchevsky D, et al. Lectin may contribute to the atherogenicity of peanut oil. Lipids. 1998 Aug;33(8):821-3.

Emphasis on Education

 

Accurate Clinic promotes patient education as the foundation of it’s medical care. In Dr. Ehlenberger’s integrative approach to patient care, including conventional and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments, he may encourage or provide advice about the use of supplements. However, the specifics of choice of supplement, dosing and duration of treatment should be individualized through discussion with Dr. Ehlenberger. The following information and reference articles are presented to provide the reader with some of the latest research to facilitate evidence-based, informed decisions regarding the use of conventional as well as CAM treatments.

 

For medical-legal reasons, access to these links is limited to patients enrolled in an Accurate Clinic medical program.

 

Should you wish more information regarding any of the subjects listed – or not listed –  here, please contact Dr. Ehlenberger. He has literally thousands of published articles to share on hundreds of topics associated with pain management, weight loss, nutrition, addiction recovery and emergency medicine. It would take years for you to read them, as it did him.

 

For more information, please contact Accurate Clinic.

 

Supplements recommended by Dr. Ehlenberger may be purchased commercially online

Please read about our statement regarding the sale of products recommended by Dr. Ehlenberger.

 

 

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