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Fiber and the Intestinal Microflora

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Nutrition and Diet Therapy in Gastrointestinal Disease

Part of the book series: Topics in Gastroenterology ((TGEN))

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Abstract

During the past decade, the importance of fiber substances in the diet has been reawakened by epidemiologists. The theories and information brought forth by Burkitt and Trowell,1 Cleave et al.,2 Spiller and Amen,3 and Walker4 have postulated that fiber in the diet is essential in the prevention of a series of degenerative diseases that include constipation, carcinoma of the colon, diverticular disease of the colon, appendicitis, diabetes mellitus, hiatus hernia, cholelithiasis, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids. This is truly a diverse list that can only be tied together by the theories postulated by Birkitt and Trowell. There are four texts published within the past decade that contain almost all of the recent information regarding these theories and the factual information in the field.1–3,5 In this section we can only outline available and pertinent information. There is enough information available now to indicate that fiber in the diet is an essential factor for normal intestinal function, which in turn may be essential for the prevention of a whole series of degenerative diseases. Early in this century, Metchnikoff6 proposed that toxic products within the intestine caused much of our disease. The present work on fiber substances may well prove him correct within the coming decades.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University School of Medicine, USA

    Martin H. Floch M.S., M.D., F.A.C.P. (Clinical Professor of Medicine, Chairman, Chief)

  2. Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Norwalk Hospital, USA

    Martin H. Floch M.S., M.D., F.A.C.P. (Clinical Professor of Medicine, Chairman, Chief)

Authors
  1. Martin H. Floch M.S., M.D., F.A.C.P.
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© 1981 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Floch, M.H. (1981). Fiber and the Intestinal Microflora. In: Nutrition and Diet Therapy in Gastrointestinal Disease. Topics in Gastroenterology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3791-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3791-1_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-3793-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-3791-1

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