One of the trendiest “health” fads right now is a colon cleanse. The reality is that we (a person in normal health) generally do not need this. The colon’s job in the body is to process the waste from the foods we eat. There’s no pretty way to say it but if we didn’t have a colon, we would be continuously excreting liquid bowel wastes…and nobody would want that. When your bowel is upset, you experience diarrhea or constipation.
A normal amount of bowel movements is different for everyone. Because everyone’s bodies are different, so are the way they process and eliminate waste. For one person, it may be normal to have a bowel movement every day, some twice a day, and some every other day. Do not compare yourself to the standard person…because there is none. Your body is your standard and when you are off, you’ll know it.
We retain an enormous amount of bacteria in our colons but this is the way it should be. They are very helpful bacteria that help us digest fibre, and create our waste products as well as ordinary colonic “gas”. These bacteria also create vitamin B12 and detoxify bile acids (the component that breaks down fat), which can then be reabsorbed. In a healthy colon, these bacteria work together with us to stay healthy.
These healthy bacteria are called probiotics and there are approximately 400 varieties. When they have been diminished by a variety of factors such as anti-biotic use, excessive alcohol, medication usage, age, stress, or dietary imbalances, our colons tend to function abnormally. Some typical side effects may be bloating, abdominal pains, and alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Some available probiotics include lactobacillus, acidophilus and bifidobacterium. You can find these added into yogurt and other food products and also in capsule form. Their healing benefits appear to include improvement in the function of the immune system, and may possibly reduce the risk of digestive cancers. They also have benefits that include lowering cholesterol and other fat levels.
The colon cleanse that is being promoted is a sort of enema therapy. This kind of procedure clears out the bowels but it removes the good with the bad. In some cases it can even result in fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
The best way to keep your colon healthy is to eat a diet high in fibre and water. Exercise also keeps your colon healthy by physically moving your muscles in the area forcing the food to move more quickly through your system.
If you want to do your colon a favour, eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains, washed down with a large glass of water.
Keep Well…Kristy
