One of the areas that have boomed during this focus on health is alternative medicine. The Oriental way of treating illness and disease, taking herbs, meditation, yoga, and even colon cleansing have gained popularity as alternative treatments to sickness.
Anatomy: Where and What Is The Colon?
As part of the digestive system, the colon plays an important part in regulating fecal matter in he body. The colon serves as a tube where solid matter from feces is stored. It is also responsible for keeping the balance between feces and water, giving it an integral role in bowel movement. Mammals' colons have four parts: the ascending colon, transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon. The colon is also divided into two areas: the right colon (from the cecum to the splenic fluxure and) and the left colon.
The colon is part of the large intestine, which is mostly responsible for waste removal. Fittingly, the large intestine stretches as long as 1.5 meters. The large intestine's function varies a bit differently in every kind of animal, but generally, it's the area where waste goes. It also manages water and vitamin balance as well as vitamin absorption.
On its own, the colon could be as long as 6 feet. It is further divided into five different areas, whose last part (before the anus) is the rectum.
Its primary function is to move feces, or undigested matter, from the small intestine to the large. It also functions as a sponge of sorts during the digestion. While the small intestine focuses on getting nutrients from the food, the remaining matter is moved to other parts of the digestive system by the colon. In the process, the colon could also absorb water and remove harmful substances while moving “leftovers” of the small intestine.
You Probably Shouldn't Eat That
The secret to knowing how fast a colon moves waste and absorbs water and nutrients is to check bowel movement. A regular one probably means a healthy colon. However, almost everyone has been a victim of constipation or diarrhea. Though these happen once in a while, chronic constipation and diarrhea might be a sign of something more serious.
As they say, food is a reflection of one's character and nothing proves this more than the colon. Material from fatty food or junk may remain lodged up in the gastro-instestinal tract, especially if one's diet does not focus in food that allow healthy bowel movement.
Processed food, red meat, chips, candy, soda, and even too much coffee or soda could wreak havoc on a well-functioning digestive system.
On the other side of the spectrum, fruits, vegetables, whole wheats and grains, and food rich in fiber are the best types of foods for a well-maintained colon. These foods have minerals and nutrients that are beneficial to easy bowel movement.
The British Nutrition Foundation has released a statement regarding diet fiber. Last year, the agency streamlined the definition of dietary fiber and listed potential health benefits of dietary fiber consumption. It said:
Diets naturally high in fiber can be considered to bring about five main physiological consequences:
improvements in gastrointestinal health
improvements in glucose tolerance and the insulin response
reduction of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and other coronary heart disease risk factors
reduction in the risk of developing some cancers
increased satiety and hence some degree of weight management
Therefore, it is not appropriate to state that fiber has a single all encompassing physiological property as these effects are dependent on the type of fiber in the diet. The beneficial effects of high fiber diets are the summation of the effects of the different types of fiber present in the diet and also other components of such diets. Defining fiber physiologically allows recognition of indigestible carbohydrates with structures and physiological properties similar to those of naturally occurring dietary fibers.
One's fiber needs is dependent on his or her age. Men who are 50 years old or younger need 38 grams of fiber everyday while those who are older are advised to have 30 grams. Women aged 50 and below need 25 grams of fiber, while those older are advised to get 21 grams daily.
Colon Cleansing: Beneficial or Detrimental?
As divided as the medical community is when it comes to alternative medicine, so are health and fitness enthusiasts about colon cleansing. Over the past few years, the colon has been singled out as an organ that should be kept health as the rise of colon cancer steadily rose throughout the years.
The American Cancer Society has found that colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the U.S. Ranked third, there are 108,070 estimated new cases of colon cancer for 2008. Rectal cacner, on the other hand has a projection of over 40,000 cases. Together, both cancers are projected to claim 49, 960 lives.
Though the number of new cases might be alarming, the NCS also reports that death rates are going down. For 15 years, colorectal cancer related deaths have gone down as fewer cases have been reported. Due to colorectal screenings, cancerous polyps can be detected earlier and patients are given treatment as soon as the cancer is detected.
Supporters of colon cleansing claim that regular cleaning of the colon could hel further in preventing colorectal cancer. They also claim that even the smallest problem in bowel movement could spell serious problems in the long run. Non-elimintaion of feces build up toxins, which spread to the body, thereby the cause of various forms of diseases. From skin allergies to irritable bowel syndrome, colon cleansing is said to treat various diseases.
On the other hand, there are those who say that colon cleansing is an unneccessary procedure created by companies who want to sell colon cleaning products. They say that the body has an existing system which eliminates toxins and that colon cleansing and detoxing are just fads.
The question still remains: is colon cleansing good or does it cause more harm? Though there are health practitioners who recommend colon cleansing for overall health, there are those who warn against its dangers. Primarily, they argue that taking pills or teas to cleanse the colon is unneccessary as it is its main function anyway. Also, colo cleaning can be harmful as some products are so strong that they strip the gastro-intestinal tract of good bacteria that is essential in digestion and absorption of food. This causes an electrolyte imbalance thereby making one dehydrated. In the long run, they say colon cleansing could cause anemia, heart failure, and malnutrition.
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