However, as with any medication or organic dietary supplement, there are a few things to consider when taking it so as to maximize its full benefits and to experience the least discomfort:

• The first time you try ProFibe, take only half a scoop and mix it with a glass of liquid (water, skim milk, soy milk, grape, apple, or cranberry juice, Gatorade, etc.). The less-than-ideal amount is to inure your gastrointestinal system to one minor side effect of many water-soluble fibers, which is flatulence. Shake well before drinking the mix.
• After a few days, when your system has adjusted to an increased level of dietary fiber intake, you can increase the amount to 2 to 3 half servings each day, followed by one scoop thrice a day during meals.
• Some users take a bigger dosage once a day, but the best results are reported with the thrice-a-day scheme.
• You can also mix the ProFibe powder with food, soups, or salads. Or you can mix it in with oatmeal – 1 scoop two times a day – and have double benefits! Oatmeal by itself has been reported to lower the BP of hypertensives who are not taking any prescription medications.
• The safest way to take ProFibe is to try it for just 1 month. Request for a fasting cholesterol screening from your physician. Take ProFibe for 4 weeks and ask for a 2nd screening. This way, you will be able to determine if ProFibe is indeed effective for you.
• Do not discontinue your prescription medications even as you are taking ProFibe. Drugs such as zocor, lovastatin, and mevacor work differently and you would need your doctor’s go singnal before reducing or eliminating the intake of these drugs after you have noticed favorable results with ProFibe.
• ProFibe works best in conjunction with a good exercise regimen and a healthy, balanced diet, especially for the lowering of moderately high cholesterol levels.
• Cut down on, if not totally eliminate, smoking and drinking as these negate the benefits that can be attained with ProFibe.
• Take the recommended eight glasses of water daily to keep all your systems working efficiently.
• Don’t rush in. Keep in mind that with fiber, less is more! Excessive fiber can prevent the absorption of minerals in the body as food does not stay long enough in the digestive tract, making it difficult for your systems to draw out the valuable nutrients.

How much fiber do you need in a day? We need at least 35 g for it to make a significant decrease in the risk of heart disease. It goes without saying that although ProFibe satisfies this requirement, it should not be a substitute for your intake of fiber-rich foods.

ShareThis

They contribute to the reduction in the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and fatty acids, in the removal of bile acids, and in the reduction in cholesterol synthesis. Soluble fibers, such as those present in ProFibe, also bind cholesterol and aid in its elimination from the body.

The actual functionality or benefit of water soluble fiber (WSF) was enhanced in the ProFibe formula because of its complexing with soy protein. As the pancreatic enzymes digest the protein in the small intestines, the WSF is released, and when the WSF passes through the large intestines, 100% of the fiber is put to use. Here, it undergoes fermentation and short-chain fatty acids are produced – which, when absorbed, further aid in cholesterol and glucose control.

ProFibe’s extra benefit

It is also common knowledge that obese individuals are more prone to arteriosclerosis and other heart diseases than people within normal weight levels. ProFibe’s other benefit, on top of the abovementioned, has something to do with weight control.

When WSFs come into contact with water as they move along the digestive tract, they form a thick gel which produces a swelling effect. When this combines with the slowdown of digestion, a feeling of satiety or fullness is achieved, and you won’t feel hungry as often as before.

ShareThis

Experts are beginning to measure GI (Glycemic Index) to determine the rate of the body’s carbohydrate absorption. Carbohydrates with lower GIs are better than those with higher GI values. Foods with lower GIs are called complex carbohydrates such as whole grain foods, vegetables and fruits.

Plenty of foods we consume such as potatoes, bread, bacon, simple carbohydrates and shortenings contain high GI values. They also lead to production of fats in the blood (Triglycerides). Eventually, too much triglyceride will trigger production of more cholesterol (by the liver) which can add to fatty build-up on the walls of the arteries. These lead to heart attacks and strokes. Normal triglyceride levels should be less than 150 mg/dl. This can be measured by undergoing a cholesterol test.

Taking ProFibe helps by initializing a dramatic regression and drop in LDL-Cholesterol and slowing down glucose absorption. Profibe has water soluble fibers (WSF), grapefruit pectin, egg white protein and guar gum to thicken the unstirred water layers in glucose absorption.

Pectin is a group of carbohydrates that consists of very large, complex molecules. It holds plant cells together and is more commonly used in fruit preserves as a jelling agent. Twenty years worth of accumulated data also shows that WSF can reduce LDL-Cholesterol naturally. One particular study conducted by Dr. James Cerda, physician and co-founder of ProFibe, tested seven patients for 30 days where they found that using ProFibe (dosage of 15g/day) has caused a 25% decrease in LDL-Cholesterol and a 17% decrease in the total cholesterol.

ProFibe is a tasteless powder that can be mixed into food and beverages. Other side benefits include improved glucose absorption, improved GI motility, and improved male libido as well. In fact, people with Diabetes will find that ProFibe is safe to use. It also does not interfere with prescription medications.

Truly, it is more difficult to experience angioplasty, bypass surgery, heart attack, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Achieve optimum heart health now through regular cholesterol monitoring, doctor visits, frequent exercise and daily ProFibe intake.

ShareThis

Accumulated fat will continue to build into a bulge in the artery which results in the formation of scar tissue – a hard, shell-like covering fusing cholesterol and cellular structures. Cholesterol trapped by the scar tissue results in plaque.

A decrease in the supply of oxygen and cellular nutrients to the tissues is a characteristic of the buildup of plaque. It is caused by the narrowing of the artery which restricts the flow of blood and essential molecules.

The decrease in blood and oxygen supply leads to the reduction of elasticity of the blood vessels and can compromise the ability of the arteries to control blood pressure. If the narrowed arteries do not have enough oxygen in the blood flowing through, you may feel a certain pain.

The pain, called angina, originates from the heart and it usually occurs during times of stressful activities such as exercise. This is due to the fact that the heart requires more oxygen and can detect the lack of. Patients usually report feeling a pain in the left arm and shoulder, or chest region. Unfortunately, this process can sometimes happen without any tell tale symptoms.

Doctors usually perform tests to determine blockage and to identify heart disease. Since plaque varies in shape and size, some of the many small ones can be missed by these tests.

Because of their size, larger plaques used to garner the most attention. They were considered to cause more harm because of the likelihood to completely block the coronary arteries.

While angina is generally caused by large plaques, it is the smaller plaques that the medical community considers the more dangerous. If a smaller plaque is unstable and ruptures, it releases its contained cholesterol into the bloodstream. Clotting of the artery immediately follows the rupture. Blood clots could be large enough to completely stop the blood flow and produce a heart attack.

ShareThis

Needless to say, it was a timely and significant discovery. In the U.S., heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women; in the future years, heart disease is projected to cost upwards of $250 bn, and that includes expenses on medications, health care services, and loss of productivity.

Worldwide, more than 7 million people die of coronary heart disease (CHD) every year. These studies also show that lowering high blood pressure and reducing cholesterol levels significantly reduce mortality from heart diseases, the need for angioplasty or heart bypass surgeries, and the probability of suffering from a nonfatal heart attack.

This is why when Cerda and Burgin developed ProFibe and saw the potential of pectin, combined with other plant-sourced substances, in preventing the accumulation of arterial plaque, they immediately worked on several lab studies to further support their initial findings.

For one such study, they gave pigs grapefruit pectin coupled with a high-fat diet. They found that those given pectin had lower cholesterol levels as well as fewer instances of arterial narrowing.

In another experiment, they wanted to know if pectin would still have a positive effect on swine which already had high cholesterol levels. They used fifteen microswine and fed these with an atherogenic diet for more than a year. One of the animals were killed and tested for atherosclerosis.

The rest were divided into two groups – both received the same diet consisting of pig feed, cholesterol, casein, lard, and vitamins and minerals. However, one group was given 3% cellulose (fiber) while the rest were fed 3% pectin from grapefruit. Every month for 9 months, blood samples were checked to find out their total triglyceride levels and plasma cholesterol.

Not surprisingly, both groups demonstrated stabilized cholesterol levels. This was to be expected as fiber has been known for years to keep cholesterol levels from increasing. When the microswine were autopsied, however, the scientists were amazed to find that the group that received cellulose showed a mean narrowing of the coronary artery of 45% while that receiving pectin registered a mean narrowing of only 24%!

It was then that Cerda and his colleagues discovered how ProFibe could actually reduce existing plaque buildup. The difference lies in ProFibe’s water solubility, which is a feature that most fiber supplements lack.

ProFibe is also made of guar gum (also a rich fiber source) and egg white protein (for palatability). It is sold in powder form which makes it convenient for use and is easily blended into foods and beverages.

ShareThis

When fats are absorbed in the intestines, they get processed and then filtered to the liver. While in the liver, the fats are split into two types referred to as triglycerides and cholesterol.

The bloodstream delivers LDL and HDL proteins throughout the body. This process goes without disturbance just as long as the body is not under any immediate stress.

The fats need a mechanism to allow their distribution for immediate use or for storage in fat cells (to be used later). Using the bloodstream as a delivery system, cholesterol and triglycerides are distributed throughout the body by proteins called lipoproteins. There are three types of lipoproteins: Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), and Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL).

Cholesterol comprises cell walls and membranes, and aids in the production of hormones, bile acids and vitamin D. It’s also supposed to support the cell connections in the brain that are responsible for memory and learning.

The human body is naturally able to produce the amount of cholesterol that is needed on a daily basis. When cholesterol level rises in the blood, it causes more harm than assistance.

Too much cholesterol deposits by LDL narrows the blood vessels which restricts blood flow. This cholesterol may attach itself to the heart’s arteries - a common factor in strokes or heart disease. This is also known as atherosclerosis - the process of bad cholesterol formation within organ structures.

This is why LDL is labeled as ‘bad cholesterol’. On the other hand, HDL is known as ‘good cholesterol’. It works in the opposite way, by actually taking ‘bad cholesterol’ back to the liver.

There are many factors such as diet, heredity and exercise that affect one’s cholesterol level. It’s important to be aware of the health risks associated with high cholesterol.

Make it a habit to check your cholesterol level on a regular basis.

ShareThis

With a fully equipped laboratory and a $300,000 sponsorship from Florida Department of Citrus, they studied a group of pigs and found out that grapefruit pectin prevented the narrowing of arteries and inhibited cholesterol levels even with a high fat diet.

In focusing on grapefruit pectin, they discovered a certain type of water-soluble fiber found in the rinds and membranes of the grapefruit. Consulting with previous researchers that have already recognized a connection that existed between soluble fibers and cholesterol levels, they further looked into pectin-lipoprotein interactions.

By 1988, their group had learned enough to conclude that soluble fibers have a very important role in slowing down the progression of human atherosclerosis. In fact, they only aimed at lowering cholesterol but were surprised when they found out that the formula also has regression effects.

They found this in a succeeding study which was titled “Inhibition of Atherosclerosis by Dietary Pectin in Micro Swine with sustained Hypercholesterolemia” (Circulation 1994:89:1247-53), they established that grapefruit pectin also has an effect on the pigs that already have high cholesterol.

The experiment involved feeding 15 Yucatan micro swines (which are about five-month old) with a high fat diet for 390 days. After this time, one pig was slaughtered to check for the status of the development of atherosclerosis. Then the 14 pigs that remained were divided into two groups. One group received 3% cellulose fiber while the other group took 3% grapefruit pectin (which is also fibrous). After nine months, autopsies of the animals revealed that the narrowing of the mean coronary artery was 45% in the group taking cellulose but only 24% for the group receiving the grapefruit pectin.

In one particular human study, 27 people were fed with pectin derived from grapefruit pulp and peel. One half of the group was given three tablespoons of pectin per day while the next half was given placebo. The result was a reduction of 9% in blood cholesterol level on the average, with a maximum reduction of 19%. The regimen was also linked to reduction in low-density lipoproteins blood level, which is another substance linked to heart disease.

Because of these outstanding results, ProFibe, was conceived and released commercially. Today, after several human studies and positive testimonies, ProFibe helps thousands of people in caring for their heart and overall health.

ShareThis

Plainly speaking, dietary fiber refers to plant cells’ indigestible parts. Although it is a form of carbohydrate, fiber cannot be converted to glucose, which means that it does not raise blood-sugar levels the way typical carbohydrates do. Instead, it can even set back the entry of glucose into the bloodstream.

This consequently trims down the blood-sugar surges which foster the production and storage of body fat. By slowing down the transit time of food in your digestive tract, you’ll also experience fullness (in terms of eating) longer, helping you to actually cut down on intake.

ProFibe is a water-soluble fiber product approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under its “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) category. Made from citrus pectin and guar gum, ProFibe is tasteless and is easily tolerated by people who aren’t too keen on artificially flavored drinks.

Importance of Fiber

Water soluble fiber is effective in lowering cholesterol levels by flushing bad cholesterol out of the body before it reaches the bloodstream. Here are some of the other benefits you can get from fiber (Atkins, 2002):

• Treats constipation by “bulking up” the stool and making “movement easier”.
• Reduces the probability of the occurrence of diverticulitis (inflammation of small pockets in the colonic wall).
• Binds to cholesterol and helps the body flush it out.
• Crowds out harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and consequently boosts the immune system.
• Hastens the excretion of bile which may promote gallstone formation.
• Absorbs and gets rid of toxins and other harmful substances in the intestine.

When you include more fiber, as well as starches, in your regular diet, you will begin to experience a reduction in the risk for high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, and other diseases, as well as enjoy lower cholesterol levels.

It is said that a 2% drop in heart disease risk results from every 1% drop in blood cholesterol levels. ProFibe addresses the need for an inexpensive and effective way of not just reducing blood cholesterol levels but also repairing existing damage.

ProFibe is kosher-certified and is complexed with non-genetically modified organism (non-GMO) soy protein to improve its palatability and make it more acceptable for a greater number of people. Its powdered form is easily mixed with various beverages such as water and juices and works best when taken thrice a day in equal doses.

ShareThis