Although it is a myth that ninety percent of disease starts in the colon, it is nevertheless true that this section of the large intestine is one key aspect in overall health.
Making up most of the five feet or so of the large intestine, along with the final six inches of the rectum, you can help keep your colon in top condition with a proper diet that consists of adequate fiber. Good sources include bananas, oats, along with many similar foods. Dietary supplements similar to Metamucil may also help provided they are not overused.
One more unfounded health claim is that colon cleansing, also known as colonic irrigation, colon hydrotherapy, or a colonic, is essential to keeping the it free of toxins. Toxins can build up inside the large intestine, but that comes about in consequence of disease, which disqualifies an individual from having a colonic in any case. Seek expert medical attention instead.
Foods for Healthy Colon Flora
On the other side, when health advocates assert that probiotics support colon healthiness, they are correct. The popular yogurt variety Activia, made by Danone, does have clinically tested and real-world proven health benefits. There are lots of others, too. Whether in the form of natural foods, food additives, or supplements, probiotics either contribute or encourage the development of the beneficial flora that live within the gut and perform an important role in digestion.
However, a few organisms that can live in the colon are not helpful. All around the world, intestinal parasites account for millions of queasy stomachs or even worse every year. An assortment of single celled animals called protozoans and parasitic intestinal worms referred to as helminths can have health effects that range from mild to deadly.
Some of those organisms are believed to play a role in the development of colon cancer. There are numerous other contributing factors, most of which are themselves caused by bacterium, including ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and several more.
Less severe conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome, can still produce unpleasant symptoms, even when they do not represent a serious malady. Bloating along with painful spasms are just two amongst many. To make matters a little more obscure, as is frequently the case in health issues, those similar symptoms are found in rather more serious conditions such as colitis, diverticulitis, and ulcers.
To be able to know the difference between one intestinal condition from another, doctors will often carry out a colonoscopy, typically in conjunction with other diagnostic procedures. In a colonoscopy, a long tube is inserted into the intestine to permit direct visual assessment.
That exam along with its results may be supplemented with X-rays taken after ingesting or flushing with a barium liquid. Barium is a mildly radioactive substance that offers a contrast coloring for the images. In order to check things out from the other end, doctors might carry out an endoscopy, which includes the use of a very ingenious pill, called a capsule endoscope or PillCam, which contains a very small camera that takes pictures on its way through the digestive system.
Fortunately, you are able to do a lot to appraise and promote your own colon health. A healthy diet, appropriate exercise, and maintaining a good mindset will go a long way towards maintaining a healthy colon, whilst promoting general well being.