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 [Paperback]

Konstantin Monastyrsky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2005

Fiber Menace is for people who believe fiber prevents cancers, reduces the risk of heart disease, regulates blood sugar, wards off diabetes, lowers appetite, induces weight loss, cleanses the colon, and eliminates constipation.

Tragically, none of it is true, and Fiber Menace explains why it’s the complete opposite. Most of those findings have been well known and widely publicized even before Fiber Menace’s release. Here are some of the most striking examples:

— Fiber doesn’t ward off colon cancer, according to the Harvard School of Public Health: “For years, Americans have been told to consume a high-fiber diet to lower the risk of colon cancer […] Larger and better-designed studies have failed to show a link between fiber and colon cancer.” Scores of other studies, cited in Fiber Menace, have demonstrated that fiber increases the risk of colon cancer. (p. 181)

— Fiber doesn’t prevent breast cancer either, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, it’s the complete opposite: “Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with breast cancer risk.” Fiber happens to be a carbohydrate too, and carbohydrates are the only food that contains fiber. (p. 183)

— Fiber doesn’t reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association: “A fiber supplement added to a diet otherwise high in saturated fat and cholesterol provides dubious cardiovascular advantage.” Furthermore, these supplements caused “reduced mineral absorption and a myriad of gastrointestinal disturbances” — factors that in fact, contribute to heart disease. (p. 41)

— Fiber doesn’t counteract diabetes, according to the Harvard School of Public Health: “Fiber intake has also been linked with the metabolic syndrome, a constellation of factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes.” Truth is, fiber requires more insulin or drugs to control blood sugar, and makes diabetes even more devastating. (p. 220)

— Fiber doesn’t curb appetite, according to the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University: “…fiber supplements did not alter hunger, satiety or body weight in a pilot study of men and women consuming self-selected diets.” In fact, fiber stimulates appetite, extends digestion, expands stomach capacity, and makes you hungrier the next time around. (p. 60-76, or here.)

— Fiber doesn’t keeps “colon clean” by speeding elimination, according to the highly respected and authoritative Rome II: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders textbook: “There is little or no relationship between dietary fiber and whole gut transit time.” In fact, fiber delays transit time more than does any other food ingredient, and is the primary cause of chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. (p. 21,23, 29, 103)

— Fiber doesn’t relieve chronic constipation, according to the American College of Gastroenterology Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Task Force: all legitimate clinical trials demonstrated no “improvement in stool frequency or consistency when compared with placebo.” How could it, if it caused it in the first place? (p. 105, 115)

But that's only a small part of fiber’s menacing role in human nutrition. It also has it’s imprint in practically all digestive disorders. In that context, learning from Fiber Menace diet may end up becoming one of the most transformational experiences of your life.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

My training as a physician included many hours of nutrition, but fiber was only mentioned in regards to the effects of a deficiency. Never once did any of my professors consider the possibility that too much of what has always been considered a good thing' could have such harmful or far-reaching consequences. The author's detailed description of the trauma imposed to the gastrointestinal mucosa by the expanding fiber is a vivid reminder that returning to the basics of GI function and logically thinking through what our bodies actually are designed to do with the food we eat, should be the first step on anyone's journey to recovery from digestive disorders. Thanks to the insights in this book I have slowly begun to change my approach to common patient symptoms, which I traditionally would have treated by suggesting increased fiber and more water to correct! So far the results are promising. Dr. John Turner, DC, CCSP, DIBCN --Wise Traditions Newsletter by Weston A. Price foundation

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Ageless Press; 1st edition (October 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970679645
• ISBN-13: 978-0970679642
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Cancer > Colorectal
  • #10 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • #27 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Abdominal

More About the Author

Mr. Monastyrsky graduated from medical university in 1977 with a pharmacy degree. Shortly thereafter his family emigrated to the United States from the Ukraine (the former Soviet Union), where he decided to pursue a career in the high-technology field, and taught himself advanced programming languages.

From 1985 to 1990, he worked at two premier Wall Street firms: at First Boston/Credit Suisse as a senior systems analyst and at Goldman-Sachs & Co. as a technology consultant to Dr. Fischer Black, the co-author of the Nobel Prize-winning Black-Scholes theory of options trading.

In May of 1990, Mr. Monastyrsky was invited to participate along with Mr. Bill Gates in the filmed introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.0, which forever revolutionized personal computing. He was the only programmer in the United States to earn this honor because of his substantial contribution to the development of graphical user interface and Windows programming techniques.

Between 1990 and 1998, he was the president of Okna Corporation, a software development company. In 1996, Mr. Monastyrsky began to suffer from diabetes and a host of related ailments, including the debilitating carpal tunnel syndrome. Unable to use the keyboard, he turned his attention back to medicine to find solutions for his rapidly deteriorating health.

He applied the same analytical rigor to the study of his health condition as he had to technology, and within several years had completely recovered from diabetes. In 1998, free from the ravages of carpal tunnel syndrome, he left the technology field to pursue a career in nutritional research, medical writing, performance and longevity counseling, and health advocacy.

Through his extensive investigations and research, Mr. Monastyrsky pioneered the fields of forensic nutrition and nutritional intervention--both terms that he coined. His unorthodox thinking, penetrating analysis, and extensive and accessible writings are ushering in a new era and approach to nutrition and healthcare in the United States.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

161 of 179 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Quite interesting, but unproven ideas and some serious flaws, June 26, 2007

By 

guzolany (Hamburg) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 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 (Paperback)

I had to order this book via Amazon USA because it is not available in Europe. His basic recommendations, not do eat too much fiber and not to overdose water intake, seem to make sense. His hints how to fight obstipation caused by low-carb/low-fiber-diets are also as reasonable as the recommendation to make the transition vom a high-fiber/carb-diet to a low-fiber/carb one slowly to prevent negative side effects of the carbohydrate withdrawal.

But there are also some serious flaws. First is his completely wrong reception of the cause of Atkins' death. As we know, Atkins died from an accident with severe damage of his skull and brain. At the time of this accident he was not obese at all and did not suffer from heart disease. But Monastyrsky states Atkins died from a cardiac arrest, "unquestionably from obesity-related complications [...] and he died morbidly obese". Monastyrsky also seems not to have really understood the principles behind ketosis. I certainly do NOT endorse the Atkins-Diet nor his very problemable "induction phase", but I really dislike lay-journalists/writers who investigate inaccurately or do not fully understand what they are writing about.

Secondly Mr. Monastyrskys calculations about the daily need of carbohydrates (200 g/day is way to high) and the maximum intake of carbohydrates, fats and proteins to allow fat loss are quite weird. He claims that only with NO carbohydrate and max. 1 gram of fats and proteins per kg bodyweight, weightloss would be possible. Following this idea, a person of 75 kg would be allowed to have NO carbohydrates, 75 g fats and 75 g protein per day. This sums up to 975 calories - a very very low energy diet that virtually forces the body to engage all its energy-saving capabilities and will be the best basis for rapid regain of weight after stopping this very questionable approach. "Hello jo-jo". Weight- and fat-loss occurs as a matter of course with every longer lasting reduction of energy-intake below the requirements of the body. There is no scientific proof for Mr. Monastyrskys ideas concerning the required mix of macronutrients at all.

Thirdly Mr. Monastyrksy misinterpretes the term of "waterintoxication" he cites from the Schmidt/Thews-Textbook of physiology. Schmidt/Thews say that taking LARGER AMOUNTS of hypotonic solutions WITHIN A SHORT TIME into the body may cause waterintoxication. This is a wellknown fact inside the medical world, but it is crucial to see the term WITHIN A SHORT TIME, Monastyrsky seems to peculate in his further interpretation. The official recommendation of "8 glasses of water a day" may be questionable, but does of course NOT lead to "water-intoxication" when taken - as supposed - throughout the day. Only taking big amounts of hypotonic fluid all of a sudden may cause problems in the stated way, but nobody recommends this.

Fourthly Mr. Monastyrsky is very eager to promote the selling of his quite expensive food-additives through his website he cites over and over again throughout his book. This is very annoying.

Summary: Mr. Monastyrskys ideas seem to make some sense specially for people who experience problems from consuming too much fiber. But there is no adequate scientific evidence for his allegations. Readers who want to follow his suggestions therefore should be careful not to be drawn into esoteric spheres where they might lose their sense for reality. Monastyrsky might also have considered to publish his thinkings in an article in a medical or journal of nutrition (but that would have arisen the 'danger' of an external quality-control). His basic ideas would fit comfortably in a relatively short article and it does not seem to be necessary to spread it redundantly over more than 280 pages.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fiber Menace Refuted The Conventional Wisdom, March 24, 2007

By 

Jeffrey A. Jannuzzo - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 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 (Paperback)

This book contradicted the "conventional wisdom" about fiber and water-intake that I had been living under for more than 20 years. The science was laid out in terms that an educated layman could easily grasp, and the refutation of "conventional wisdom" was set forth in a way that was logically inescapable.

I am a hard guy to persuade, but I took the findings of Mr. Monastyrky to heart, and changed my fiber and water intake as he recommended, and within a day or two, my body was functioning better than it had in 20 years.

It was like trying to run a race with lead shoes, and discoverying again what it was like to run, when you got rid of them.

Mr. Monastyrsky's recommendations and reasons will in time replace the misinformation and misdiagnosis about fiber and its supposed benefits that have caused us so much grief. Readers of this book will congratulate themselves that they were years ahead of the curve.

105 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fiber Menace, October 27, 2006

By 

Kathryne L. Pirtle "Author of Performance wit... (Addison, Il) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 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 (Paperback)

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