Nature Cure for Prostate Gland Disorders
BHP=Benign Hypertrophy (enlargement) of Prostate gland Cystitis = Infection of Bladder.
The Prostate gland is a small organ in human body. It is situated below the bladder being wound round the beginning of the urethra. Its weight is 9 gms only. But in advanced age i.e. old age, this gland gets enlarged. As a result, pressure is exerted on the bladder and various symptoms appear. In this condition, frequency of urination increases, especially during night. The patient feels a lot of trouble to urinate. Dysuria occurs and the total urine deposited in the bladder cannot be released at a time. As such urine comes out dripping and pressure is to be applied at the time of micturition. Besides, urine accumulated in the bladder causes cystitis. For this, catheter may be used at times. As a result, the kidneys may also get affected and if proper treatment is not under taken for a longer period, the condition may become fatal and can even lead to kidney failure.
Prostatic hypertrophy is a common disease. This condition appears commonly after 50 years of age. It has been generally found that at this age, the prostate gland gets enlarged in 30% cases and by 60 years, it causes interruption / obstruction of urine in 80% cases.
But in all cases this disease may not become fatal. Unhealthy lifestyle is the root cause of this disease. So our aim is to make the physique free from toxins. For this alternate hot and cold fomentation, douche, footbath or mild steam bath or hot and cold hipbath, abdominal pack, wet sheet pack once a week (for 1-2 hrs.), intake of sufficient lemon water, fruit, salad, boiled vegetables, vegetable soup, raw vegetables and honey or gurh (jaggery) etc. Should be taken off and on fasting is also needed.
When the body is freed from toxins by adopting this method, local treatment undertaken can cure the disease. The chief local treatment of this disease is hot and cold Hipbath. If that is not possible Hot and cold perineum pack once a day is a must. This exerts/ spreads impact on the prostate gland. Hot and cold perineum pack is applied for 5 minutes each. The total period of pack is (5+5) x 3 =30 minutes. Besides, genital pack (for 60-90 minutes) twice a week is recommended. This should extend from the end of the abdomen up to the anus. Two or three fold wet pack (with the help of khaddar cloth or small towel) should cover the above place. The pack should be covered with three fold muffler or flannel cloth off and on pelvic pack is better than this.
In case there is no pain, off and on hipbath in cold water should be taken. During this period, the feet should be dipped in hot water. But in case of pain, hot and cold hipbath is stronly recommended. If there is pain, hipbath in cold water should be avoided.
Dietary fiber is a complex mixture of plant materials that are resistant to breakdown (digestion) by the human digestive system. It is the part of a plant that provides and maintains the plant’s structure. This fiber cannot be digested by the human body; as it moves through the intestines (colon) undigested, it helps to keep food moving smoothly.
Classification of dietary fiber includes cellulose and non cellulose polysaccharides. Non-cellulose includes hemicellulose, gums, mucilages, pectines, and lignins.
* Cellulose are unbranched polymers which help to increase the fecal weight and size.
* Hemicellulose are a mixture of pentose and hexose molecules that help to increase fecal weight, size and binds bile acids.
* Gums are branched chain uronic acid containing polymers and these are good laxatives.
* Mucilages are similar to hemicellulose in structure which help to delay gastric emptying.
* Pectines are the mixtures of methy esterified galactan and galacturan which help to delay stomach emptying.
* Lignins are non carbohydrate polymeric phenylpropene which acts as anti-oxidants and anti-carcinogenic.
Dietary fiber can be partly digestible or completely indigestible by the bacteria in the colon. The dietary fiber components that are partly digestible include pectin, hemicellulose and cellulose. Lignin is not digestible at all by the bacterial enzymes in the colon. Lignin also lowers the digestibility of the other fiber components.
Types of Dietary Fibers
They can be divided into two categories; soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is made up of sticky substances like gums and gels and dissolves in water.
Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber is a coarse material that does not dissolve in water. It is roughage. It should be taken with enough water.
Sources of Fiber
Dietary fiber is found mainly in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. Meat, milk and eggs do not contain fiber. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as much fiber as raw ones. Other types of processing, though, may reduce fiber content. Drying and crushing destroy the water-holding qualities of fiber.
Sources of Soluble fibers
* Legumes
* Oats, rye, chia, and barley
* Fruits and fruit juices
* Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, beetroute etc.
* Root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions etc.
Sources of insoluble fiber
* Whole grain foods
* Wheat and corn bran
* Nuts and seeds
* Potato skins
* Flax seed
* Lignans
* Vegetables such as green beans, cauliflower, zucchini (courgette), celery etc.
* Fruits: The removal of seeds, peels or hulls also reduces fiber content. Whole tomatoes have more fiber than peeled tomatoes, which have more than tomato juice. Likewise, whole wheat bread contains more fiber than white bread.
Mechanism
The main action of dietary fiber is to change the nature of the contents of the gastrointestinal tract, and to change how other nutrients and chemicals are absorbed.
Soluble fiber binds to bile acids in the small intestine, making them less likely to enter the body; this in turn lowers cholesterol levels in the blood and also attenuates the absorption of carbohydrates, reduces sugar response after eating, normalizes blood lipid levels and, once fermented in the colon produces short chain fatty acids as byproducts with wide-ranging physiological activities.
Colonic fermentation is an efficient digestive process since starch is almost totally degraded, as well as lactose, alcohol- sugars and fructans if the intake of these sugars is not too high. More than half of the usually consumed fibers are degraded in the large intestine, the rest being excreted in the stools.
Insoluble fiber promotes normal elimination by providing bulk for stool formation and thus hastening the passage of the stool through the colon. Insoluble fiber also helps to satisfy appetite by creating a full feeling. Some studies indicate that soluble fibers may play a role in reducing the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Colonic motility and transit time
Fibers are known to have a laxative effect, in that their presence in the colon affects its motility and modifies colonic transit time. Two major mechanisms to explain this effect depend on the physicochemical properties and fermentative fate of fiber.
These mechanisms refer to stimulation by the bulking effect of fiber as well as changes in the contrctile activity and secretion of the colon.
Increasing the volume of colonic contents distends the colon wall and stimulates propulsion of intramuscular mechanoreceptors. Dietary fiber can increase the faecal bulk. First, the volume occupied by undegraded fibers adds to the volume of the rest of contents. Their explains the fermentable fibers, such as wheat and corn bran, some algal polysaccharides are particularly efficient laxatives. Also, these residues can trap water within their matrix, thus leading to a greater bulk. A third possible mechanism to increase intraluminal volume and stretch colonic muscle is the production of gases occurring during the fermentation of fiber.
Graph
Source: Adapted from Salvador, V. Cherbut, C.
Fiber and calories
Energy is extracted from food when the chemical structure of food particles is changed. Since insoluble fiber particles do not change inside the body, the body will not absorb any energy from them.
Soluble fiber is changed during fermentation, it could provide energy to the body. As of researcher’s point of view it is estimated approximately 2 calories (8.5 kilojoules) per gram of soluble fiber.
Short – chain fatty acids
The soluble fiber reaches the large intestine and is fermented by the colonic micro flora with the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), hydrogen, carbon dioxide and biomass. This fermentative process dominates human large bowel function and provides a means whereby energy is obtained from carbohydrates not digested in the small bowel, through absoiption of SCFA.
The major SCFA in humans are butyrate, propionate and acetate where butyrate is the major energy source for colonocytes, propionate is destined for uptake by the liver, and acetate enters the peripheral circulation to be metabolized by peripheral tissues.
SCFA that are not absorbed by the colonic mucosa pass through the colonic wall into the liver by portal circulation, and the liver transports them into the general circulatory system.
Guidelines on Fiber Intake
Current recommendations from the United states National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, suggest that adults should consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day.
The British Nutrition Foundation has recommended a minimum fiber intake of 18g /day for healthy adults.
No guidelines have yet been established for the elderly or very ill.
Diseases Associated with Low Fiber Diet
Colonic: Constipation, hemorrhoids, irritable colon, ulcerative colitis, cancer of large bowel, diverticular disease.
Metabolic: Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, IHD, Peripheral Vascular diseases, Varicose Veins, Deep venous thrombosis, gall stones, anemia etc.
Endocrine: Thyrotoxicosis, myxedema etc.
Sources of Fiber
| Food Amount of fiber (in gms) in a 100g (3.5 ounce) serving | |
| Cereals | |
| bran cereal | 35.3 |
| bran flakes | 18.8 |
| cornflakes | 2.0 |
| oatmeal | 10.6 |
| wheat flakes | 9.0 |
| Grains | |
| barley, pearled (minus its outer covering) | 15.6 |
| cornmeal, whole grain | 11.0 |
| de-germed | 5.2 |
| oat bran, raw | 6.6 |
| rice, raw (brown) | 3.5 |
| rice, raw (white) | 1.0-2.8 |
| rice, raw (wild) | 5.2 |
| wheat bran | 15.0 |
| Fruits | |
| apple (with skin) | 2.8 |
| apricots (dried) | 7.8 |
| figs (dried) | 9.3 |
| kiwifruit | 3.4 |
| pears (raw) | 2.6 |
| prunes (dried) | 7.2 |
| prunes (stewed) | 6.6 |
| raisins | 5.3 |
| Vegetables | |
| Beans | |
| baked (vegetarian) | 7.7 |
| chickpeas (canned) | 5.4 |
| lima, cooked | 7.2 |
| broccoli, raw | 7.7 |
| Brussels sprouts, (cooked) | 2.6 |
| cabbage (white) raw | 2.4 |
| cauliflower, raw | 2.4 |
| corn, sweet, cooked | 3.7 |
| peas with edible pods, raw | 2.6 |
| potatoes, white, baked, w/skin | 5.5 |
| sweet potato, cooked | 3.0 |
| tomatoes, raw | 1.3 |
| Others | |
| corn chips, toasted | 4.4 |
| Nuts | |
| almonds, oil-roasted | 11.2 |
| coconuts, raw | 9.0 |
| hazelnnuts, oil-raasted | 6.4 |
| peanuts, dry-roasted | 8.0 |
| pistachios | 10.8 |
Source: Provisional table on the dietary fiber content of selected foods
Benefits of Fiber Intake
Helps to reduce the hunger
Adds bulk to your diet, making you feel full faster so that it reduces hunger.
Helps to feel the sense fullness
Extends evacuation time for stomach and small intestines.
Helps control blood sugar levels
Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes can help improve blood sugar levels.
Lowers blood cholesterol levels
Soluble fiber helps in lowering total blood cholesterol levels by lowering LDL.
Normalizes bowel movements
A diet that is high in fiber results in large, soft, and bulky stools which pass through the bowels easily and are eliminated quickly. This can prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, lessen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.
Aids in weight loss
High-fiber foods generally advances chewing movements to make food and salvia well mixed which gives body time to register when there is no longer hungry, so less liking to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger, so we stay full for a grater amount of time.
Effect on colorectal cancer
Improves intestinal bacteria balance by increasing probiotics and decreasing malignant ones, absorbs organic substances and expel harmful ones and it also Balance intestianl pH and stimulates intestinal fermentation production of short –chain fatty acids so May reduce risk of colorectal cancer.
Lowers blood pressure
Lowers absorbing rate of salts to lower blood pressure.
Possible Adverse Effects and Saftey
A number of studies have examined the effects of fiber on mineral absorption. The results have been some what contradictory. However, supplemental fiber, especially wheat bran, may result in mineral deficiencies.
Fatients having a disorder of exophagus, fiber supplements in a pill form are contraindicated as they may expand in the esophagus and lead to obstruction.
The very important recommendation is to consume copious amount of water with fiber supplement.
Although dietary fiber is not a ‘nutrient’ it is nevertheless an important component of our diets. The fact that it passes through the body without being absorbed, is the main reason why fiber is so important. In order to have all the benefits of fiber it is important to vary the sources of fiber in the diet. Diets with fruits, vegetables, lentils/beans and whole grains not only provide dietaty fiber but as well many other nutrients and food components essential to good health.