• Colon Education

UNDERSTANDING COLON HEALTH

The large intestine (colon) is a muscle. It is approximately five to six feet in length, about as tall as you are .It is responsible for the final stage of elimination of waste matter from the body. It is the final vehicle to eliminate matter and toxins that have no value to the body any longer, and in fact, may have become harmful.

The colon is lined with tender tissue like the inside of your cheeks. That lining contains glands like saliva glands that secrete a lubricating  substance, which allows for smoother passage of the stool. The muscle will contract in wave-like contractions to move the matter along the journey in the colon. These contractions are known as peristalsis. Proper digestion, absorption of nutrients and elimination of wastes are essential for a healthy, well functioning body. Disorders of the gastrointestinal track are very common and can lead to improper digestion, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies, which can then contribute to the development of many other ailments and diseases.
Ideally, a healthy, well functioning body would absorb the nutrients from a meal and eliminate the waste within approximately an 18-24 hour time frame, or less. One should have as many bowel movements as meals they consume in a day. The fast paced lifestyle most of us are living is not always conducive to taking time for the “call of nature.
”Delaying the body’s natural urge has caused our body’s natural and normal reflex to eliminate after a meal to be deadened. When we delay our elimination in a timely manner it leads to RE-ABSORPTION OF WASTE PRODUCTS that should have been eliminated. The reabsorbed wastes can poison the intestines and the rest of the body.

The length of the entire digestive system is approximately 30 feet long, known as the alimentary canal. This system begins at the mouth and ends at the anus. It comprises the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. The liver, pancreas and gallbladder all play an important role in aiding with digestion during the transit. The small intestine is approximately 23 feet in length and again, the large intestine is about five to six feet in length.

Most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients of the body occurs along the passageway that comprises the small and large intestines. It is essential to our health to have proper elimination of our foods. When the digestive system is not functioning in the proper manner it can lead to improper elimination and constipation. This causes a build up of toxins in the system and may lead to “leaky gut syndrome.” LGS is when food particles cross the intestinal wall, which is permeable, and enter the bloodstream. This occurrence then negatively impacts the immune system.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGESTION

Digestive wellness is of critical importance for the health and well being of your body. Impaired digestion is the beginning of a process that may end with chronic disease. Poor digestion will encourage the advancement of age-related illness and autoimmune diseases such asarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome and more. The absorption of toxins from within the body’s digestive system is a form of self-poisoning or “autointoxication”. This undigested backed-up waste is absorbed into the bloodstream from a cesspool of decaying matter in the colon. This can lead to degenerative disease.Digestion begins in the mouth, when food mixes with enzymes in saliva. The matter transits the gastrointestinal tract to the stomach. Digestion continues in the stomach when the matter is introduced to hydrochloric acid (HCL) and pepsin. Food is liquefied in the stomach and it passes into the small intestine. It is further broken down by the digestive enzymes produced from the pancreas. Protease digests proteins, amylase digests carbohydrates and lipase digests fat. If the pancreas does not produce sufficient enzymes, digestion will be incomplete and absorption of nutrients will be inadequate.

UNDERSTANDING LEAKY GUT SYNDROME

Food passes through the stomach into the small intestine during the digestive process. Nutrient absorption occurs through the semi-permeable mucous lining of the bowel wall. This membrane also shields the bloodstream from undigested food, toxins and pathogens.
The gut lining is of vital importance to the body’s immune system because it is a barrier to access of our blood stream and vital organs. Leaky Gut Syndrome is a condition that develops when the mucous lining of the small intestine becomes too porous, allowing entry of toxins, microorganisms, food particles and pathogens into the bloodstream. Impaired digestion can lead to this excessively permeable gut. The intestinal toxins, known as endotoxins, can damage the mucosal lining, causing it to become dangerously porous. People with digestive problems, with or without symptoms, will often have an underlying leaky gut condition.
As stated by Brenda Watson N.D.,“The net result of the leaky gut is development of auto-immune disease, where the body attacks its own tissues. There are some 80 recognized auto-immune diseases.” A few of these are:

    * Lupus
    * Rheumatoid Arthritis,
    * Fibromyalgia
    * Chron’s Disease
    * Urticaria (Hives)
    * Alopecia Areata
    * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

LGS is associated with eczema, psoriasis, candidiasis, allergies, food allergies, malabsorption, gout and cancers.Symptoms can be gas bloating, cramps, fatigue, headaches, memory loss, poor concentration, irritability, joint and muscle pain, fever, a toxic feeling, memory deficit and shortness of breath. This is all due to the inflammation from the presence of potent stored toxins.
Leaky gut has been associated with cognitive dysfunctions as autism in children. To learn more about LGS you may begin with the following links as excellent sources for information. Both of these resources will guide you to how to test for LGS and detailed suggestions for treatment.
http://www.gloriagilbere.com Gloria Gilbere
http://www.brendawatson.com/about-brenda/ Author, Brenda Watson book  GUT SOLUTIONS

UNDERSTANDING BACTERIA

When the digestive system is not operating at full potential, improperly digested food molecules do not sufficiently break down for absorption across the gut wall. These improperly digested molecules are met with great enthusiasm by the “unfriendly” or “health-depleting” bacterial growth in the last section of the small intestine, the ileum.The unfriendly bacteria thrive on a banquet of food particles that are not adequately processed by the digestive system. They are being fed just what they need to multiply at alarming rates.

Bacteria are constant in the body. A healthy body must have a predominance of health-enhancing bacteria. The job of these microorganisms is to create an environment that restricts growth or multiplication of health-depleting bacteria.“Lactobacilli and other forms of bacteria are the health-enhancing variety-the same bacteria that promotes souring of milk. They must be greater in number than the health-depleting variety in order for the body to digest, assimilate and eliminate properly. When this healthy process does not occur, due to the “bad guys” outnumbering the “good guys,” putrefaction occurs, the consequence of rotten food forming chemical toxins that are poisons to the body.”

DOES COLON HYDROTHERAPY WASH OUT THE BACTERIA THAT MY BODY NEEDS?

Our bodies should have a ratio of about 80% good bacteria to approximately 20% bad bacteria, otherwise known as our balance of FLORA. Colonics does rinse out some of the good and bad bacteria. This clean setting will then encourage the body to adjust and rapidly produce its natural bacteria. Our friendly bacteria can also be boosted and replaced with a good probiotic supplement.

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that line your digestive tract. The word probiotic means “for life”. Nearly three quarters of the body’s immune system is located in the digestive tract, therefore a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria is essential to your overall health.
The two most prevalent probiotics are Lactobacilli, which make up the majority of the probiotics living in your small intestine and Bifidobacteria, which are the most prevalent probiotics that dwell in the large intestine. It is important to choose a probiotic supplement with a specific delivery system that will travel beyond the acid in your stomach and not be released until it reaches your intestine.

WHY NOT USE LAXATIVES AND COLON CLEANSERS?

Laxatives and colon cleansers will NOT cleanse the entire colon nor will it dissolve hard, encrusted fecal matter often found in the pockets of the colon (haustras). Likewise, there is no herb or pill that can magically dissolve tarter from the teeth and their associated pockets.Laxatives and colon cleansers can contribute to dehydration of the colon and a weakening of the colon muscle, thus compounding colon problems such as constipation. Laxatives and colon cleansers will stimulate the colon muscle. This stimulus acts as an irritation to the colon muscle and promotes evacuation, resulting in DEHYDRATION.

Laxatives and colon cleansers will inhibit natural peristalsis.Peristalsis is a wave of muscular contractions that move food along the digestive tract. The colon muscle can eventually become dependent on the laxative or colon cleansers for stimuli, thus creating a dependency. Whereas, colon hydrotherapy does just the opposite, it HYDRATES OR WATERS your colon, softening hardened impactions, diluting toxins and flushing them out. In addition, colon hydrotherapy strengthens the colon muscle, promoting natural peristalsis. You cannot become dependent on colon hydrotherapy.